Kawanishi K-8 Transport Seaplane

Kawanishi Aircraft Company · Japan · first flew 1926 · transport aircraft

The Kawanishi K-8 Transport Seaplane was a Japanese single-engined floatplane of the 1920s, used to operate airmail services. Seven were built in 1926 and 1927.

Recognition (WEFT)

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

• monoplane wing raised above the fuselage on a parasol arrangement
• twin-float undercarriage
• two crew in open cockpits

A twin-float monoplane with the wing carried above the fuselage in a parasol arrangement. The first prototype had a shoulder-wing layout, but the following aircraft had the wing raised. The crew of two sat in open cockpits.

Specifications

• The Kawanishi K-8 Transport Seaplane has a length of 10.935 m (36 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 17.6 m (58 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 165 km/h (103 mph).
• Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Eiji Sekiguchi began work in early 1925 on a long-range floatplane for the airline Nippon Koku K.K., and the first prototype was completed in January 1926. It was a single-engined monoplane with a fabric-covered wooden structure, powered by a 305 hp Maybach Mb.IVa engine.

Variants

The K-8A was the airmail version, with five completed in 1926. The K-8B had a reduced wingspan of 16.0 m, a slimmer fuselage and rearward crew cockpits, and two were built for the Teiko Kaibo Gitai in 1927.

Where you'll see it

The five K-8As flew Nippon Koku's airmail service between Osaka and Fukuoka. The two K-8Bs made two formation tours around Japan in April and May 1927 and then joined them on that route, and were retired in April 1929.

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• Kawanishi K-7 Transport Seaplane
• Kawanishi H3K
• Kawanishi E7K
• Kawanishi H6K
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• CAMS 51
• Fairey IIIF
• Fokker Universal

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