LUSCOMBE “PHANTOM”€

1934’€“37

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Luscombe Phantom was an advanced, two-seat, all-metal cabin monoplane, utilizing innovative stressed-skin Duralumin construction.
  • Its design incorporated die-cut metal construction, a method pioneered by its president, Donald A. Luscombe, which facilitated the use of interchangeable parts.
  • Luscombe employed a unique production strategy, subcontracting all components from specialist manufacturers and only performing assembly and finish work in-house.
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STANDARD DATA: Seats 2. Gross wt. 1,725. Empty wt. 960. Fuel capacity 30. Engine 145-hp Warner “Super-Scarab” seven-cylinder radial engine.
PERFORMANCE: Top mph 132. Cruise mph 120. Stall mph 40. Initial climb rate 850. Ceiling 15,000. Range 600.

The Phantom was a side-by-side, two-seat cabin monoplane that first appeared as a product of the newly formed Luscombe Airplane Corp. Its president was Donald A. Luscombe, formerly president and chief engineer of the Monocoupe Corp., which pioneered the development of die-cut metal construction. This method helped to make production with interchangeable parts possible. The Phantom is of all-metal construction and was an advanced airplane for its time, making use of a stressed-skin Duralumin fuselage. Its production was also unusual in that Luscombe subcontracted all components from specialist manufacturers; only assembly and finish work were performed by the parent company. Power was supplied by a single 145-hp Warner “Super-Scarab” seven-cylinder radial engine, and dual controls were standard.

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