Luscombe 8
1946-built Luscombe 8E
Role	civilian Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Luscombe Aircraft
Designer	Donald A. Luscombe
First flight	December 17, 1937
Produced	1937 – c. 1940s
Number built	5,867 (1960)[1]

The Luscombe 8 is a series of high-wing, side-by-side-seating monoplanes with conventional landing gear, designed in 1937 and built by Luscombe Aircraft.

Development

Luscombe Aircraft closed in 1949, with its assets purchased by Temco Aircraft, also US-based.^[2] Temco built about 50 Silvaires before selling the rights to the Silvaire Aircraft Corporation in 1955.^[3]

Silvaire Aircraft Company: When TEMCO chose to discontinue production, the Luscombe tooling, parts and other assets were purchased by Otis Massey. Massey had been a Luscombe dealer since the 1930s. His new venture opened in Fort Collins, Colorado, as Silvaire Uranium and Aircraft Corp. From 1956 to 1961, this firm produced 80 aircraft. The make and model for all 80 was Silvaire 8F, with "Luscombe" shown in quotation marks in company literature. N9900C, serial number S-1, was built in 1956. This first aircraft was constructed from spares or Material Review Board (MRB) parts that were serviceable, but remaining from TEMCO's prior production. TEMCO supplied enough inventory for the completion of approximately four aircraft. N9900C first flew on September 10, 1956. Six aircraft were built in 1957, with two of them being shipped to Buenos Aires, Argentina.^[4]

The assets of the Luscombe Corporation were acquired by Testrake Aviation in 2019. The company intends to restart production of the Luscombe 8.^[5]

Variants

Model 8

Initial variant with a 50 hp (37 kW) Continental A-50 engine.

Model 8A Luscombe Master

Model 8 with a higher power 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A-65 engine.

UC-90A

One Model 8A adopted by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II (s/n 42-79549).

Model 8B Luscombe Trainer

As Model 8A powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Lycoming O-145 engine. One impressed by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II as UC-90 (s/n 42-79550).

Model 8C Silvaire Deluxe

As Model 8A powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Continental A-75 engine.

Model 8D Silvaire Deluxe Trainer

As Model 8A with steerable tailwheel and other minor changes.

Model 8E Silvaire Deluxe

An improved Model 8C with increased gross weight and powered by an 85 hp (63 kW) Continental C-85 engine.

Model 8F

High-performance variant with a 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C-90 engine.

Model T8F Luscombe Observer

A tandem two-seat variant of the 8F for observation duties.

Model 8G

Was a proposed variant of the 8F with a tricycle landing gear, not built.

Luscombe LSA-8

Model for the US light-sport aircraft category, produced by the Luscombe Silvaire Company of Riverside, California and introduced at Sun 'n Fun 2007. The LSA-8 is powered by a Continental O-200 engine of 100 hp (75 kW). The design is a Federal Aviation Administration accepted special light-sport aircraft.^[6][7][8][9]

Dair 100 testbed

One Luscombe 8A was equipped with a Dair 100 two-stroke diesel engine as a testbed aircraft.^[10]

Specifications (Silvaire 8-F)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
• Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
• Wing area: 140 sq ft (13 m²)
• Empty weight: 870 lb (395 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,400 lb (635 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 25 US Gallons (95 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental C90 air-cooled flat four, 90 hp (67 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed metal fixed pitch, 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 128 mph (206 km/h, 111 kn)
• Cruise speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)
• Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn) (flaps down)
• Range: 500 mi (800 km, 430 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)

Sub-Model T8F has tandem seating but is generally similar in dimension, Sprayer version approved for Restricted category operations can have higher Gross Weight with operational limits.