Japanese KU-2 ''Tailess'' Glider

By Crusader1307

The Imperial Japanese Government experimented (as did Germany), with the possibility of incorporating ‘’Tailless’’ Aircraft into it’s Air Forces. Without a ‘’Tail’’, various aspects of aerodynamic  flight are greatly reduced (to include overall handling). The Project known as The ‘’Kayabaku’’ was created in 1940, to merge ‘’Tailless’’ experimentation with the possibility of Gliding (or Glider) Aircraft. The overall goal of The Project to increase overall altitude with low profile “signatures’’ – designed to evade the primitive but developing  Radar technology. The KU-2 was such a “first’’ attempt. Designed for a single Pilot, the overall length of The Glider was 10-feet – with a wingspan of 35-feet. Overall internal construction was a combination of wood and lightweight metal. The skin of The KU-2 was a thin metal skin. After being towed (via Aircraft) to an acceptable altitude, The KU-2 was controlled by flaps in the rear of the Wings. Yawl and Pitch was accomplished with a similar series of pullies and wires controlled by The Pilot. Although no immediate plans were ever developed to arm The KU-2 with Light Machine Guns (at best), they could have been envisioned to carry incendiary devices (as was successfully attempted with the previously discussed Hyi-Go Bombs). The KU-2 was successfully tested over 200 times with more or less favorable results. However, by 1941 – it’s last test went bad, with a wind gust smashing The Glider into the Earth – killing The Pilot and leaving The KU-2 totally unrepairable. The Japanese by this time had turned away from Glider Technology to concentrate on The Pearl Harbor Attack Plans.