| MiG-8 Utka | |
|---|---|
| A MiG-8 in flight | |
| Role | Experimental/liaison aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Mikoyan-Gurevich |
| First flight | 13 August 1945 |
| Status | Prototype |
| Number built | 1 |
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-8 «Утка») was a Soviet experimental aircraft. Built of wood, the aircraft was designed and built in 1945 to test the novel canard configuration. It also used a tricycle undercarriage, the first used by the design bureau (OKB). It was modified to test a variety of configurations and later used as a liaison aircraft for many years by the design bureau.
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Nicknamed Utka ("duck"), as the word canard (referring to its small forward wings) is French for "duck", the MiG-8 was an experimental aircraft designed and built by the OKB to evaluate the stability and handling of the canard configuration in conjunction with swept wings. This design has benefits in a jet-powered aircraft as it leaves the rear of the fuselage clear of interference from the jet's exhausts. To test the concept the MiG-8 was powered by a Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder radial engine, with a pusher propeller.
The aircraft was used as a testbed in developing the swept wing of the MiG-15, and afterwards continued to fly as communications/utility aircraft for the OKB.
Being made of wood and fabric, it was very light and reportedly a favorite among MiG OKB test pilots for its docile, slow-speed handling characteristics.
Data from Gunston, The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995, p. 184
General characteristics
Performance
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