Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Soviet Union |
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8 Utka (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-8 «Утка», meaning "duck") was a Soviet experimental aircraft constructed primarily from wood. Created in 1945, it served to examine the innovative canard wing layout. Additionally, it featured a tricycle landing gear setup, marking the first instance of such undercarriage use by the OKB. The design underwent modifications to trial various vertical stabilizer and wingtip arrangements and was subsequently employed as a liaison aircraft within the design bureau for an extended period.
Design and development
Referred to as Utka ("duck") due to the French term canard—which translates to "duck" and denotes the small forward wing—the MiG-8 was developed by the OKB as an experimental platform to assess the handling and stability attributes of the canard configuration combined with swept wing designs. This arrangement offers advantages in jet aircraft by keeping the rear fuselage clear of jet exhaust interference. For propulsion, the MiG-8 utilized a Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder radial engine, driving a pusher propeller to validate the concept.
Operational history
Initially serving as a test platform for refining the swept wing technology later applied on the MiG-15, the MiG-8 continued its operational life as a communications and utility aircraft supporting the OKB. Its wooden and fabric construction resulted in a lightweight airframe, earning it favorable remarks from MiG OKB test pilots for its gentle handling at low speeds.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Specifications
See also
References
Bibliography
- Gordon, Yefim and Komissarov, Dmitry. OKB Mikoyan: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing, 2009 ISBN 978-1-85780-307-5
- Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey, 1995 ISBN 1-85532-405-9
External links
- Articles with short description
- Articles containing Russian-language text
- Canard aircraft
- Mikoyan aircraft
- Single-engined pusher aircraft
- 1940s Soviet civil utility aircraft
- 1940s Soviet experimental aircraft
- High-wing aircraft
- Aircraft first flown in 1945
- Twin-tail aircraft
- Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear
- Single-engined piston aircraft