Luscombe Silvaire

"Luscombe 8E Modified" by Bill Larkins -- CC BY-SA 2.0

The Luscombe Model 8 Silvaire was produced in an era where there was no shortage of affordable two-seat light planes, including the prototypical example, the Cub. The Silvaire was different, though. In terms of configuration, the plane is nothing unusual. A two-seat taildragger with cozy side-by-side seating, the Silvaire, if anything, was a bit harder to land than its close competitors, thanks to its narrow gear and slightly higher center of gravity. Still, with its sheet-metal design (the wings were originally covered in fabric), the Silvaire was slipperier than its rivals by as much as 20 knots. People loved the plane and flocked to it---nearly 6,000 were built over the years---though its attraction wasn't just for its performance, and it certainly wasn't for the elbow room.

For many Luscombe Silvaire lovers, it was the beauty of the thing. The Silvaire name resonated, and while many were bare metal birds, and hence were literally silver, many others were painted, and fans of the model make convincing arguments for each approach. Either way, the beauty is undeniable, though admittedly it's hard to know just where to give credit. The plane is just a beautifully balanced delight, a shiny sheet-metal dragonfly of a plane, light, agile, silvery and!timeless.

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