Important Notice

This sample manual contains a few pages to give you a sense of the
real thing. The full manual is over 60 pages long, plus 7 pull-out
explosion drawings.
This document is a reproduction of the Luscombe Operators Handbook
and Price List, circa 1945, consisting of over sixty pages of information
and parts lists, as well as seven pull-out drawings. Unlike many copied
manuals available for these old aircraft, this manual can be electronically
searched for words or part numbers. (Most such reproductions are mere
photocopies.) In order to create the search capability, the manual was
manually re-typed, with close attention paid to making certain the result
looked like the original. This meant paying close attention to character
spacing, the minutiae of erratic editing, as well as faithfully reproducing
all typos and whacko mistakes (there were some real winners, especially
in the parts lists).
There is no other way to provide a true searchable document that can be
reprinted a page at a time (very useful if you trash your first copy during
the annual). Several of the pages are fold-out drawings that require
oversize paper. I am willing to provide a printed copy of this document
on heavy-duty paper, drilled for a three-ring binder, for a reasonable cost.
Contact me if interested.
Because the effort involved in excess of sixty hours labor, I ask your
consideration and support. Please purchase your own copy, rather than
borrowing someone elses. Simply email me at mculver@extencia.com.
If there is sufficient support for this first reproduction, I plan to extend
the effort to other old reference manuals.
Finally, please note that the manual was published before Luscombe
produced the Model 8E. So there is no information specific t the 8E or 8F
in the book. (There is plenty of relevant information, however.)

Thanks!
Mike Culver
P.S. Be certain to visit www.PopularAviation.com for lots of photos and
technical information on many vintage aircraft, but especially on the
Luscombe.

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

INDEX
Pages
I.

Model Specifications ......................................................................................................... 1-8

II.

General Description......................................................................................................... 9-12

III. Operation and Maintenance........................................................................................... 13-15

IV. Repairs ........................................................................................................................... 17-22

V.

Assembly Instructions ................................................................................................... 23-24

VI. Equipment for Luscombe Repair Shops ............................................................................. 25

VII. Replacement Parts List #4400 ............................................................................................ 27

(a) Ordering Parts .............................................................................................................. 29
(b) Price List ................................................................................................................. 31-40
Mounting Tires .............................................................................................................. 41-42
Lubrication Points............................................................................................................... 43

VIII. Sales Representatives ......................................................................................................... 45

IX. Repair Shops....................................................................................................................... 49

X.

Service Bulletins................................................................................................................. 53

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

1. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model 8
C.A.A. Aircraft Specification...........................................#694
Type..................................................................................2 PCLM
Engine ..............................................................................Continental A-50-1
Fuel Capacity ...................................................................14 gals.
Oil Capacity .....................................................................1 gal.
Baggage (Max.)................................................................55 lbs.
Leveling Line ...................................................................Top of horizontal splice plate on side of fuselage
Placard Speeds .................................................................Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
..........................................................................................Permissible level flight 115 M.P.H.
Maximum Permissible Propeller Diameter ......................79
Wing Dihedral ..................................................................1
Wing Incidence ................................................................+2
Stabilizer Incidence ..........................................................1.5
Elevator Range .................................................................29 up 27 down
Rudder Range...................................................................32 right and left from centerline
Aileron Range ..................................................................25 up and down
Engine Limits for all operations....................................1900 R.P.M. (50 h.p.)
Standard Weight...............................................................1200 lbs

LUSCOMBE AIRPLANE CORPORATION, DALLAS, TEXAS

Model 8A
C.A.A. Aircraft Specification...........................................#694
Type..................................................................................2 PCL-SM
Engine...............................................................................Continental A-65-1
Fuel Capacity....................................................................14 gals.
Oil Capacity......................................................................1 gal.
Baggage (Max.)................................................................55 lbs.
Leveling Line ...................................................................Top of horizontal splice plate on side of fuselage
Placard Speeds..................................................................Landplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 115 M.P.H.
Seaplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 109 M.P.H.
Maximum Permissible Propeller Diameter ......................Landplane 79 Seaplane 85
Wing Dihedral ..................................................................1
Wing Incidence ................................................................+2
Stabilizer Incidence ..........................................................1.5
Elevator Range .................................................................29 up 27 down
Rudder Range...................................................................32 right and left from centerline
Aileron Range ..................................................................25 up and down
Engine Limits for all operations....................................2350 R.P.M. (65 H.P.)
Standard Weight ...............................................................Land plane 1200 lbs. Seaplane 1260 lbs.

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

Model 8B
C.A.A. Aircraft Specification...........................................#694
Type..................................................................................2 PCLM
Engine ..............................................................................Lycoming O-145-B1
Fuel Capacity ...................................................................14 gals.
Oil Capacity .....................................................................5 quarts
Baggage (Max.)................................................................55 lbs.
Leveling Line ...................................................................Top of horizontal splice plate on side of fuselage
Placard Speeds .................................................................Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 115 M.P.H.
Maximum Permissible Propeller Diameter ......................Max. 79 Min. 68
Wing Dihedral ..................................................................1
Wing Incidence ................................................................+2
Stabilizer Incidence ..........................................................1.5
Elevator Range .................................................................29 up 27 down
Rudder Range...................................................................32 right and left from centerline
Aileron Range ..................................................................25 up and down
Engine Limits for all operations....................................2550 R.P.M. (65 H.P.)
Standard Weight...............................................................1200 lbs.

LUSCOMBE AIRPLANE CORPORATION, DALLAS, TEXAS

Model 8C
C.A.A. Aircraft Specification...........................................#694
Type..................................................................................2 PCL-SM
Engine...............................................................................Continental A-75-8J
Fuel Capacity....................................................................14 gals.
Oil Capacity......................................................................1 gal.
Baggage (Max.)................................................................55 lbs.
Leveling Line ...................................................................Top of horizontal splice plate on side of fuselage
Placard Speeds..................................................................Landplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 115 M.P.H.
Seaplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 109 M.P.H.
Maximum Permissible Propeller Diameter ......................Landplane Max. 79 min. 68
Seaplane Max. 85 Min. 68
Wing Dihedral ..................................................................1
Wing Incidence ................................................................+2
Stabilizer Incidence ..........................................................1.5
Elevator Range .................................................................29 up 29 down
Rudder Range...................................................................32 right and left from centerline
Aileron Range ..................................................................25 up and down
Engine Limits for all operations....................................2600 R.P.M. (75 H.P.)
Standard Weight ...............................................................Land plane 1200 lbs.
Seaplane 1260 lbs.

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

Model 8D
C.A.A. Aircraft Specification...........................................#694
Type..................................................................................2 PCL-SM
Engine ..............................................................................Continental A-75-8J
Fuel Capacity ...................................................................23 gals. (11 gal. tanks in wings)
Oil Capacity .....................................................................1 gal.
Baggage (Max.)................................................................55 lbs.
Leveling Line ...................................................................Top of horizontal splice plate on side of fuselage
Placard Speeds .................................................................Landplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 115 M.P.H.
Seaplane Never exceed 145 M.P.H.
Permissible level flight 109 M.P.H.
Maximum Permissible Propeller Diameter ......................72 Max. 70 Min.
Wing Dihedral ..................................................................1
Wing Incidence ................................................................+2
Stabilizer Incidence ..........................................................1.5
Elevator Range .................................................................29 up 29 down
Rudder Range...................................................................32 right and left from centerline
Aileron Range ..................................................................25 up and down
Engine Limits for all operations....................................2600 R.P.M. (75 H.P.)
Standard Weight...............................................................Land plane 1310 lbs.
Seaplane 1375 lbs.

LUSCOMBE AIRPLANE CORPORATION, DALLAS, TEXAS

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR MODELS 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, AND 8D

4. Cabin Heater (#58615).

Optional equipment which may be installed or

removed subject to inspection only, no center of
gravity check is required (C.A.A. Class III
Equipment):
1.

5. Battery (Exide 12 volt Aircraft).

6. Parachutes (1 or 2).
7. Engine mount (incorporation rubber
shock mountings).

Tail Wheel

Weight and Balance Sheet and

Operations Record
Each airplane is weighed at the factory before licensing. A copy of the weight and balance
is included with the license documents, known
as the operations record. This operations record
is issued by the C.A.A. and must be kept with
the aircraft at all times. It furnishes, in effect, a
complete history of the airplane and its characteristics, and it is necessary to have these
papers when the airplane is relicensed, when
periodic checks are made or when any repairs
or alterations are made to the aircraft. A center
of gravity check is required only when installing equipment other than that listed above as
class III equipment. These papers are to be carried in the airplanes at all times.

(a) Luscombe 3 in.

(b) Univeral Alloy G-4 or GLD-4, 6 in.
(c) Luscombe 6 in.
(d) Heath steerable 6 in.
2.

Engines
(a) Model 8A (Continental per Eng. Spec.
#205) A65-1J, 3 or 3J, 6 or 6J,
7 or 7J, 8 or 8J, 9 or 9J.
(b) Model 8B (Lycoming, per Eng. Spec.
#210) O-145-B2 or B3.
(c) Model 8C (Continental per Eng. Spec.
#217) A-75-8J or 9J.
(d) Model 8D and 8D-1 (Cont. per Eng.
Spec. #217) A-75-8 or 9.

3.

Wheels
(a)

3 in. with brakes (Goodyear 3 LMBM)

and 16 x 7-3 or 18 x 8-3 tires.

(b)

6.00 x 6 shinn with brakes (6C5HB)

and and tires.

Ski Plane Status

1. U.S. Approved
2. Canada (Complies with structural requirements when landing gear strut 08300-21 or
08311-22 is used).

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

MODEL 8E

This page is reserved for general specifications of the model 8E

OPERATORS HAND BOOK

II. AIRPLANE DESCRIPTION

A. GENERAL
The Luscombe Model 8 series is a two place
side by side strut braced high wing cabin monoplane powered with a single four cylinder air
cooled engine of sixty-five or seventy-five horse
power.
The airplane is designed as a cross country
airplane for the private flier, but is well suited
to student training. It is equipped with dual
controls, those on the right side being removable.
Wide doors are provided on both sides of the
fuselage for easy entrance and exit. Deep seat
cushions may be removed to permit use of seat
pack parachutes.
B. FUSELAGE
The fuselage is a monocoque dural structure.
The cross sectional shape is maintained by a
minimum number of stamped 17ST aluminum
alloy ring bulkheads, over which are laid 17ST
alclad skins which vary in thickness from .032
to .064 inches. With skins of this thickness no
stiffening members are necessary except at a
few places where stresses are concentrated, as in
the vicinity of the doors. This reduces repair
bills by reducing the number of pieces in the
airplane.
Certain skins around the cabin are stamped to
shape, but the majority are rolled to secure the
required contour.
Skins and bulkheads are made with such precision that they are interchangeable, facilitating repairs. All skins and bulkheads aft of the
cabin have the rivet holes pre-drilled in jigs, so
that if necessary to remove a whole section of
skin in making a repair, a new piece can be fitted and riveted without requiring thedrilling
of any holes.
The seat bottom is riveted to the fuselage and
serves to reinforce it. The seat back is hinged to
provide access to a 4 cu. ft. baggage compartment. The Model 8D has an additional 3 cu. ft.
in a Hat Throw type of compartment behind
the pilots seat. By removing the baggage compartment the whole of the tail portion of the
fuselage is easily accessible.
Just ahead of the seat a heavy box bulkhead
is provided to take the principal flying and landing stresses and distribute them to the airplane.
Both wing lift struts are brought to a fitting on
this bulkhead, to which the main landing gear
strut is also connected. The oleo landing gear

shock absorbing strut is housed in the center of

this bulkhead, where it is accessible for servicing.
The engine mount, of welded 4130 steel tubing is bolted to the fuselage at three points,
and is quickly detachable. The upper and most
stressed engine mount bolt transmits its load
directly to a steel tube Vee which is bolted to
the fuselage at the wing root front spar connection. This steel Vee also protects the occupants
in the event of a nose-over. The engine is fully
cushioned with rubber shock bushings.
Individual safety belts solidly bolted to the
fuselage are standard equipment.
The fuselage was subjected to numerous static
and dynamic tests to prove its strength.
The following static tests were made with 115%
of the design failing load and no permanent distortion occurred:
1. High angle of attack.
2. Three point landing.
3. Maximum horizontal and vertical tail surface loads.
4. Drag compartment of landing gear loads in
three point and level landing.
5. Control system loads.
6. Fuel tank loads.
The dynamic tests, made with full load, were:
1. Level landing. The fuselage was dropped
on both wheels from a height of 18
inches. There was no failure and the load
factor developed was 4.
In a second test, the fuselage  was
dropped 7.6 inches on one wheel to demonstrate the torsional rigidity of the
fuselage. There was no failure and a load
factor of 3 was developed.
2. Three point landing. The fuselage was
dropped on the wheels from a height of
16 inches. A factor of 4.2 was developed
and there was no set.
A separate test  was  made  on the  tail
skid, equipped with both shoe and wheel.
The test was made with  15%  overload
and there was no failure. Accelerations
were not recorded. Height of drop  was
16 inches.

LUSCOMBE AIRPLANE CORPORATION, DALLAS, TEXAS

When necessary to replace pyralin, use the
original windshield for a pattern by which to
cut the new pieces. Small machine screws may
be substituted for the 3/32 aluminum rivets if
more convenient.

Castellated nuts may be used throughout.

In general, holes for bolts which turn or are
highly stressed or subject to reversed stresses,
are ream fits. Others are drilled.
4. Rivets
A17ST rivets are suitable for use anywhere on
the airplane. These rivets need no heat treatment or preparation of any kind but are driven
in the as purchased condition. A few aluminum or 17S rivets are used on the airplane in
lightly stressed and difficult-to-rivet locations.
The following marks distinguish the various
types of rivets:
A17STsmall dimple on head.
17Ssmall tit on head.
Aluminumplain head.
The most used rivet sizes and the corresponding drill sizes are listed below:
3/32 rivet
Drill #40 (.098)
1/8 rivet
Drill #30 (.1285)
5/32 rivet
Drill #20 (.161)
3/16 rivet
Drill #10 (.1935)
Brazier heads are used on exposed rivets.
Other rivets are usually round head except
where space limitations demand a counter sunk
head or bazier head.

6. Vinylite Lifetime Windshield

Late model ships were equipped with a
formed lifetime windshield. This may be installed in any model and you will find it very
different. The upper section has a formed dome
effect which increases the visibility slightly.
This windshield outlasts several of the standard pyralin type and will not discolor or crack
under normal use.
C. METAL REPAIR METHODS
1. Forming
Small metal parts for repairs are usually
formed by bending over a block of appropriate
size and shape. Either hardwood (Maple) or
steel block may be used for dural parts but steel
parts require steel blocks. The edges of the
blocks should be rounded off so that the inside
radius of the bend is not less than one and a
half times the metal thickness for steel and not
less than twice the metal thickness for dural.
Bending is done by clamping the metal block in
a vise and hammering the part over the form
with a mallet or using a block of wood and a
hammer. Use only a smooth jaw vise or protect
the part with another piece of metal.
Avoid tool marks and smooth rough edges
before bending because they may be starting
points for cracks. Where two bends are to intersect, the corner thus formed should be relieved
by cutting away the metal as shown below.

5. Pyralin
That used in the center windshield panel and
in the cabin roof window is .060 thick. That
used for the sides of the windshield and door
windows is .040 thick.

18