Kamikaze strike aircraft First flight: 1945 Kokusai

Ta-Go. The first and only prototype of the aircraft was built by a group of like-minded captain Mizuam in mid-June 1945 and flown into the sky by a factory pilot on June 25, 1945. The tests were carried out at an accelerated pace, but the simplified design created a number of problems in operation and required fine-tuning and improvements. However, there was no time and they tried to push the crude car into production as soon as possible. The Kokusai company produced a kit for the production of an aircraft, which Captain Mizuama, through his superiors, tried to attach to some company to produce a series, but until the end of the war not a single production aircraft was made, and the Allies got only a single prototype aircraft.

Aerodynamically, it was a low-wing wing consisting of a rectangular center section and trapezoidal consoles mounted with a small transverse "V". The tail unit consisted of a rectangular keel and a rectangular strut stabilizer. The fuselage had a wooden set and plywood sheathing, with all its surfaces being flat. Of course, this did not improve aerodynamics, but it significantly simplified production.

The wing consisted of a center section and folding consoles. Their presence, at first, is surprising (after all, the aircraft is not decked), but after analyzing the arguments of the Japanese, one can agree with their use. The fact is that the aircraft was supposed to be produced in small workshops, cinema halls, tunnels, and hidden before a sortie in caves, tunnels, under bridges, etc., that is, in those places where there is no extra space.

Powerplant. The inverted Hitachi Ha-47 in-line engine was mounted on a metal motor mount and covered with a plywood hood formed from flat sheets. The gas tank was located above the hood, thereby ensuring the supply of gasoline by gravity. A simple flat oil cooler was placed between the tank and the cab visor. A wooden propeller with a constant pitch, 2.18 m in diameter, was installed on the shaft, the same as on the Ki-86 prototype.

Since they did not hope to achieve high speeds, the landing gear was made non-retractable, consisting of two main struts made of steel pipes and a tail spike. The main struts had the simplest rubber cushioning and were supported by two struts. The strut, shock absorber and rear strut were covered with a fairing made of aluminum. The tail crutch was made of steel pipes and also had a rubber shock absorber.

The pilot sat in an open, very cramped cockpit, covered in front by a flat transparent visor. The cockpit instrumentation was minimal for a single flight: a compass, speed indicator, altimeter, as well as several power plant control devices.

The only armament of the aircraft - a 100 kg bomb - was hung under the center section. It was impossible to drop it in flight.

Although the plane was intended for army aviation, the plane did not have the official designation "Ki + serial number", but received the name "Ta-Go" from its creators, under which it went down in history. The prototype was painted dark green on all surfaces. On the fuselage and wings, a red circle was applied in a white border. The hieroglyph "Ta" - an abbreviation for "Bamboo Spear" - was painted on the keel with white paint.

Photo	Description
	Drawing Ta-Go

Bibliography

• Special attack aircraft /Aviation and Cosmonautics. Konstantin Kuznetsov./
• Kokusai Ta-Go kamikaze aircraft /Andrey Krumkach/
• Japanese Aviation /Andrey Firsov/
• Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War /Rene J Francillion/