Luscombe Silvaire

The Luscombe Silvaire model 8A was designed and built in 1939 and was used by bush pilot Cliff Hudson for training in the remote wilderness of Alaska. This single-engine, high-performance light plane had one pair of wings, a two-blade propeller, measured 20 feet long with a 35-foot wingspan, and carried two people. Luscombes were considered the sports car of light planes because pilots valued their performance and easy handling. Their all-metal construction, with no wood, was revolutionary at the time because it made them easier and cheaper to build without sacrificing strength, and they cruised at faster speeds using the same amount of engine power. Cliff Hudson bought this aircraft in 1975 to teach his sons Jay and Chuck to fly, and the family flew it for years, landing it on both Denali and Ruth Amphitheatre in Denali National Park.

Trapper Creek, Alaska · United States