Luscombe 8
 Luscombe 8. Photo: MilborneOne, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Luscombe |
|---|---|
| Model | Luscombe 8 |
| Type | civilian |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | December 17, 1937 |
| Built | 1937 – c. 1940s |
| Number built | 5,867 (1960) |
| Registered in the US | 1,393 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | one, one passenger |
| Engine | Continental C90, 90 hp |
| Cruise speed | 120 mph (Silvaire 8-F) |
| Range | 500 mi (Silvaire 8-F) |
| Service ceiling | 17,000 ft (Silvaire 8-F) |
| Max weight | 1,400 lb (Silvaire 8-F)
|
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The Luscombe 8 is a series of high-wing, two-seat airplanes with side-by-side seats and tailwheel landing gear, designed in 1937 and built by Luscombe Aircraft.[1] In the U.S. there are 1,393 with a valid registration.[2]
History
The original Luscombe Aircraft built 5,743 Model 8 airplanes before it closed in 1949. Temco Aircraft bought its assets and built about 50 Silvaires in Dallas, Texas, before selling the rights to the Silvaire Aircraft Corporation in 1955.[1]
Luscombe also tried for military orders: the XT8E of 1947 lost a U.S. Air Force contract to the Aeronca L-16, and the T8F-L lost a 1950 competition to the Cessna L-19.[1]
Models
- Model 8: the first version, with a 50 hp Continental A-50.[1]
- 8A Luscombe Master: a 65 hp Continental A-65; the most common Luscombe on the U.S. register.[1][2]
- 8B Luscombe Trainer: a 65 hp Lycoming O-145.[1]
- 8C and 8D Silvaire Deluxe: a 75 hp Continental A-75; the 8D trainer added a steerable tailwheel.[1]
- 8E and 8F: later, more powerful Silvaires.[1]
One Model 8A served the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II as the UC-90A.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1,393 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| 8A | 883 |
| 8E | 315 |
| 8F | 119 |
| 8C | 35 |
| 8B | 16 |
| 8D | 14 |
| 8 | 11 |
Specifications (Silvaire 8-F)
| Item | Silvaire 8-F |
|---|---|
| Crew | one |
| Passengers / capacity | one passenger |
| Length | 20 ft |
| Wingspan | 35 ft |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in |
| Wing area | 140 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 870 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,400 lb |
| Fuel | 25 US Gallons (95 L) |
| Engine | Continental C90, 90 hp (air-cooled flat four) |
| Propeller | metal fixed pitch |
| Maximum speed | 128 mph |
| Cruise speed | 120 mph |
| Stall speed | 40 mph |
| Range | 500 mi |
| Service ceiling | 17,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 900 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Luscombe Silvaire 8a (UK registration G-CCRK, date of build 1946) at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. Photo: Arpingstone, Public domain -
Luscombe Silvaire 8f (UK registration G-BULO, date of build 1946) at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. Photo: Arpingstone, Public domain -
Luscombe UC-90 (Model 8B) utility aircraft, s/n 42-79550. Photo: Colonel O.C. Griffith, USAF, Public domain
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Luscombe 8
Sources
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Wikipedia, "Luscombe 8", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.