The Luscombe Silvaire Survives for 74 Years With a Life of its Own
By Alan Smith
A 1928 Velie Monocoupe by Clayton Folkerts and Don Luscomb. (Jeremy Drey)We all know the famous names that mark the history of the light plane industry. Most of them, like Bill Piper, Clyde Cessna, or Walter Beech are names that are still with us today along with the aircraft being produced by the companies they started.
Then, there is Donald A. Luscombe who really started the idea of the private light plane back in 1927 when, with Iowa farmer Clayton Folkerts, he designed the Monocoupe – the first enclosed cabin, two-seat, high-wing monoplane to be offered to the public. Folkerts built the first prototype and Luscombe teamed up with industrialist W.L. Velie, who had previously manufactured automobiles to build the model 70 Monocoupe from 1927 through 1929 and offer it as “The Ultimate Plane for the Private Flier.” 350 were built and sold, and Don Luscombe was on his way.
A Model 8A in Argentina 11/10. (Santiago Cortelezzi)While the Monocoupe remained popular and continued in development by other manufacturers through 1941, it was Luscombe’s next design that would make him an immortal in the aviation world. Despite difficulties along the way, this plane would take on a life of its own and may get back into production today, thanks to tireless efforts by admirers and enthusiastic owners.
It was (and is) the Luscombe model 8, a very efficient little two-seater that began life in 1937 as the Luscombe 50 at the reorganized Luscombe Aircraft Corporation’s new plant in New Jersey. It was designed with aluminum framing throughout (Luscombe didn’t like wood) and used one of the new flat-four engines just introduced by several engine manufacturers. Luscombe began with the 50 hp Continental and quickly upgraded to the 65 hp version when it became available, re-designating the design as the model 8A. With its round monocoque aluminum fuselage and fabric covered aluminum wings it was inexpensive to build and was faster than the aircraft of his competitors using the same engine. The little two-seater sold well and Luscombe was hoping for a bright future.
Trouble for Don Luscombe started in 1938 as a personality conflict between himself and Austrian Leopold Klotz intensified. Things grew worse during 1939, and by the end of that year Luscombe lost a proxy battle with Klotz and was forced out of his own company. A lot of his loyal employees left with him, but Luscombe never returned to the aircraft business. His name remained as the Luscombe Aircraft Corporation continued development of the Model 8.
In 1940, as war spread over Europe, President Roosevelt, aware that America might soon be involved and also aware that the Luftwaffe already had 65,000 pilots, started the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP). While the Piper J-3 was the dominant trainer used in the program, The Luscombe Company also sold a number of Model 8s into the CPTP. As 1940 went on, the Model 8B with a 65hp Lycoming engine went into production and a Model 8C with a luxurious interior and a shock absorbing section in the instrument panel was introduced for sale to the public. A contest was held to name the civilian version. The name “Silvaire” was chosen and the plane went on the market with ample advertising for $2495.
To stay with the CPTP, the Model 8D was developed with an instrument panel that could be equipped for IFR flight training. With the U.S. now in the war, bomber and fighter production began consuming more aluminum, but Luscombe’s CPTP connection let the company get enough material to continue production.
With the nation in a wartime environment, Leopold Klotz, the Austrian that had forced Don Luscombe out of the company was seen as an enemy alien in the U.S. The government took over the company and the manufacture of sub assemblies for military aircraft. The company spent the rest of the war as a subcontractor. Klotz finally got his equity in the company back in 1944 when the Vested Claims Committee decided that he was a resident neutral and not an enemy alien.
Luscombe Silvaire 8FWhile all this was going on, the company had moved to Dallas, TX and into a much larger plant in anticipation of a postwar private aircraft sales boom. Unfortunately this did not happen because of the huge number of surplus military aircraft on the market at ridiculously low prices. (This writer remembers when one could buy a P-51 in Arizona for $500!) Luscombe took a swing at getting back into the military market with a tandem seated Model 8E. It passed all tests but Luscombe was beaten out by Aeronca who offered a similar design for $1700. Luscombe went ahead and got a type certificate as the model T8F but because of specification changes, lost out to Cessna and their L-19 “Bird Dog.”
Some important changes had been made to the 8E during this fracas. The wing and fuselage had been reengineered to full monocoque construction with aluminum skin on the wings instead of fabric. The fuel capacity had been increased to two 12.5-gallon wing tanks and the fuselage tank removed – this left room for small rear windows and a storage shelf behind the seats. In 1947, changes were made in the tail surfaces to simplify construction.
The Silvaire had always been a bag of tricks on the runway with its rigid, narrow landing gear. In 1948 a Siflex gear was installed with a wider track. It was a tubular steel landing gear with a spring oleo unit. While the tendency to groundloop was reduced, the added strength of the gear legs transferred the impact of a groundloop to the attachment points in the fuselage and also transferred any side load damage to the fuselage itself. You still had to be very up and alert at touchdown to keep the Silvaire from taking the bit in its teeth and hurting itself with a groundloop.
The last improvement to the Silvaire was the introduction of the Model 8F with the 90 hp Continental engine later in 1948. But now, the future of the company looked grim. Beginning in 1947, the U.S. economy was sliding into a postwar recession. Sales at Luscombe were not good. Money was getting short and suppliers put the company on C.O.D. at the end of 1948. Things got worse, and in 1950, Luscombe closed its doors.
The Silvaire was an orphan looking for a home. Following bankruptcy the company’s assets were bought by a big Luscombe dealer and a new operation was opened in Fort Collins, Colo. The new company name was Silvaire aircraft and Uranium Corporation. Between 1958 and 1961, 83 Model 8F Silvaires were built, many using spare parts and components left over from earlier production.
Now, enter the FAA, the specter of gloom. Following a type certificate check over, the FAA wanted to see completely updated engineering drawings, specifications and manufacturing processes to allow production to continue. This would be a very expensive and difficult task to accomplish. The FAA also wanted to choose their own production management team to oversee operations. The senior management did the arithmetic, evaluated the market and threw up their hands.
Still, the Luscombe Silvaire remains alive in its own way, and has inspired the creation of several organizations bent on getting the little beauty back into production. There is the Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation which has overseen the manufacture and sales of parts in order to finance the acquisition of the Silvaire type certificate. This effort continued until 2004 when it was taken over by the new Luscombe Endowment Inc.
John Dearden and Renaissance Aircraft tried to get the Silvaire back into production but still faced all the updates required by the FAA. He formed another company called Silvaire Aircraft but has not been successful so far.
Finally and most recently, the loyals are out to put the Silvaire in production as a light sport aircraft. Their version has a Continental 0200 100 hp engine, and is good for 120 mph at sea level, a rate of climb of 900 ft/minute and a service ceiling of 17,000 feet. Stall speed is still only 44 mph. The gross weight is 1400 lbs. which is 80 lbs. over the LSA rules limit of 1320 lbs. so a little trimming and a new type certificate will be needed. Like everything else around us, the price has increased; The LSA Model 8F will sell for almost $90,000.
I can think of no other light private aircraft that, with its enthusiastic supporters, has been so tenacious in staying with us. Don Luscombe came up with the original Model 8 design almost 74 years ago and the LSA Model 8F of today looks essentially like its Great Grandpa and has many improvements under its gleaming skin. The first Model 8 was ahead of its time in simple and effective ways and has easily contained new engineering.
We sincerely hope the FAA will be rational and helpful in getting the newest version of what was a little stroke of genius into the sky. Don Luscombe left us in
