Design and Development
Nicknamed Utka ("duck"), as the word canard (referring to its small forward wings) is French for "duck", and the Russian term for canard wing is "duck" scheme (схема "утка"), 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.
Read more about this topic: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8
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