Kamow Ka-8

Kamow Ka-8
Type:	Experimental helicopter
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Kamov
First flight:	November 12, 1947
Production time:	1947
Number of pieces:	3

The Kamow Ka-8 ( Russian Камов Ка-8 ) was a helicopter of Soviet design. It was developed by Nikolai Kamow in 1946/47 . The first flight took place on November 12, 1947 by M. D. Gurow.

development

The helicopter, also known as "Irkutjanin", served as a demonstrator of a new control and rotor concept. In this helicopter, two main rotors were mounted one above the other so that the rotors rotated in opposite directions to compensate for the torque. The wooden rotor blades could not touch due to the distance between the two main rotors. All three axes of the helicopter were controlled only by the main rotors.

The machine was constructed as simply as possible. It consisted of a tubular frame to which two floats were attached as a landing gear. The pilot's seat, the engine and the rotor gear were located on the frame.

At first the machine could hardly come off the ground because the engine used, a motorcycle engine, did not provide the required power. Its performance was increased by converting it to alcohol operation, but it turned out to be only partially suitable as a power source for a helicopter.

The tax procedure, however, turned out to be a complete success. Development programs in particular were flown with the three models built. But they were also used for demonstrations. On July 25, 1948, this type was presented to the public during the aviation parade in Tuschino, where the test pilot Gurow landed on the back of a truck.

The machine caught the attention of the Soviet Navy in particular. Its small construction and extremely good maneuverability made this construction particularly suitable for use on ships, also because no major modifications were necessary on most ships to carry such a small aircraft. The OKB Kamov was founded due to the Ka-8 on October 7, 1948, later developed into the standard helicopter supplier to the Soviet Navy.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data
constructor	Nikolai Kamov
crew	1
Rotor diameter	5.60 m
Empty mass	183 kg
Takeoff mass	Max. 320 kg
Top speed	80 km / h
Hover altitude	50 m
Summit height	250 m
Engine	an M-76
power	32  kW (44  PS )

Web links

Commons : Kamow Ka-8  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Article about Камов Ка-8 with pictures airwar.ru (Russian)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Wilfried Copenhagen: The helicopters of Nikolai Ilyich Kamow . In: Flieger-Jahrbuch , 1984, Transpress, Berlin 1984, p. 59