iler ons ▁and ▁had ▁wooden ▁air ▁bra kes ▁which ▁opened ▁above ▁and ▁below ▁at ▁mid - ch ord . ▁ ▁The ▁K art ik ' s ▁fus el age ▁was ▁a ▁p ly ▁sk inned , ▁wooden ▁fr amed ▁semi - mon oco que ▁with ▁an ▁al umin ium ▁nose ▁cap . ▁ ▁The ▁co ck pit ▁was ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁wing ▁leading ▁edge ▁with ▁a ▁remov able ▁pers pe x ▁can opy . ▁O xygen ▁was ▁an ▁option . ▁A ft , ▁the ▁fus el age ▁t aper ed ▁g ently ▁to ▁the ▁tail ▁surfaces ▁which ▁were ▁straight ▁t aper ed ▁and ▁square ▁t ipped . ▁Its ▁tail plane , ▁mounted ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁fus el age , ▁was ▁position ed ▁forward ▁of ▁the ▁fin ▁so ▁the ▁rud der , ▁which ▁reached ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁ke el , ▁only ▁required ▁a ▁small ▁cut - out ▁for ▁operation . ▁ ▁The ▁fin ▁and ▁the ▁tail plane ▁leading ▁edge ▁were ▁p ly ▁covered , ▁the ▁remainder ▁fabric . ▁The ▁star board ▁elev ator ▁carried ▁a ▁trim ▁tab . ▁ ▁Ram am r ith ram ▁provided ▁the ▁K art ik ▁with ▁similar ▁landing ▁g ear ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁his ▁earlier ▁B har ani : ▁a ▁fixed ▁mon ow heel ▁without ▁a ▁bra ke , ▁a ▁rub ber ▁spr ung , ▁steel ▁sh od ▁forward ▁sk id ▁and ▁a ▁tail ▁sk id ▁with ▁tennis ▁balls ▁as ▁a ▁spring . ▁ ▁The ▁K S - I ▁first ▁fle w ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁March