a bit like weeds
I think that there are 30-40 in the UK of various “marks”. Sadly, one was flipped despite being tied down at Popham last year during unusually heavy winds. I still take note when I see a Luscombe vs a 152 of which there are many more.
Luscombes get under your skin.
Couldn’t agree more. I still don’t know why, but in a childish way, I am amused to see the reaction of non-fliers when I memtion that I have a 70 year old mistress ;).
Is it even comparable to a Cub?
There are many more qualified than me on this forum but I was flying a 150hp Club Super Cub for about 10-11 hours before the Luscombe and they are simply different (to me). Vis is better in Cub as tandem vs side by side. A little more care (?) is required in landing a Luscombe (or that could be my low hours), but she sideslips beautifully and centres smartly afterwards. As Silvaire mentions, a powerful rudder and light elevator with heavy ailerons, no flaps.
LeSving wrote:
Really cool plane. Not many of those around here. Did they sell mostly in the US? as opposed to Cubs that are everywhere. Is it even comparable to a Cub?
If I recall correctly one Luscombe was shipped by the factory to France and was locally certified with factory support, then a war happened. The immediate postwar market was in the US, under different factory ownership, with very limited postwar exports. Those in the UK were imported in the 1980s by a guy named Cliff Lovell who did it as as a business, with some success. I believe there are just a few scattered around continental Europe. The UK/European Luscombe Website provides some info on current events, and an owners map. There are none in Norway but two in Sweden. The 8F I looked over at Jesenwang (D-EKUH) appears to have moved to Hildesheim, Niedersachsen, not so far from @mh in Germany.
Many Cubs are in Europe due to being warbirds 
, military liason versions, sent to Europe over a 15 or 20 year period. I suppose most of them were later sold off by European governments. In terms of flying qualities and performance, they aren’t directly comparable. A 65 HP Luscombe is 20 mph faster than a similarly powered Cub but less forgiving at low speed. I think a Luscombe is more directly comparable to a Taylorcraft than a Cub.
The flight controls are not well harmonized, but you get used to it. It’s a 1930s design. The rudder is exceptionally powerful and light and the ailerons are heavy. Like many older aircraft it is not particularly forgiving in slow flight, rough handling near the stall will make it spin. There is very little aerodynamic stall warning/shudder but if the ball in centered it plays nicely and has a gentle stall. In most ways it’s a rather direct little thing: it gives you exactly what you ask for, whether you know what you’ve asked for or not Some people like this, some people don’t.
Thats the all important paragraph, phrased so politely :-)
Nice Photo of the fleet lined up in what looks like Lane Farm? The photo of the firewall looks like the one I owned last year N1901K/GCHJZ. The point about them being half way to a pitts gives me encouragement to try harder.
Really enjoyed the write-up, thanks.
Here is a particularly adventurous Luscombe pilot:
Here is a particularly adventurous Luscombe pilot:
I wonder would that “strip” be doable in a Luscombe with no flaps? I reckoned you had to slip them hard and come in low to get them landed anyway short if they didn’t have flaps.
I think the video footage was taken with a lense that visually shrunk the distance. What’s shown looks impossible, even with 90 mighty horsepower
My only experience in a Luscombe 8 F with flaps was with an owner who said he doesn’t use generally them because they don’t do a lot. That does seem to be the general consensus but I’ve never tried them out myself!
A nice little video on the Luscombe has been posted on youtube by blancolirio (@Silvaire, do you happen to know him personally?):
boscomantico wrote:
@Silvaire, do you happen to know him personally?
Nope, but I believe I know somebody who knows him. He’s based not far away from where the US national Luscombe fly-in is held yearly.
The Luscombe shown looks like a very nice example. The N-number and fabric wings indicate this one is a ‘46 8A but it has later 8E features, for example the luggage compartment and rear window modifications. I was curious about his wing tank installation (required for the larger engine, and always a point of interest) but couldn’t see the top of the wings very clearly.
Assuming the 3500lbs is just the ladies, that works out at 56.8kg
