Don A. Luscombe's first aircraft, the Monocoupe, was built
by the Central States Aero Company of Davenport,
Ohio. Became in 1928 the Mono Aircraft Corporation of Moline, Illinois, with Luscombe as president and chief
engineer. He left in 1933 and next year set up the Luscombe
Aircraft Engineering Company of Kansas City, producing
the Phantom I, the first U.S. metal light aircraft and
a very successful design developed by Ivan Driggs from
the Monocoupe D-145; 125 were built. Fabrication of parts
was farmed out, reducing overhead costs on the production
line. Production ceased during Second World War
because of metal shortage, but was resumed in 1949.
Following the L-4 Model 90 four-seater of 1934 came the
1937-1938 Model 8a, of which 1,100 were built, and the
1940 Silvaire, of which production had reached 6,000 by
1961. The Skybaby and two other low-powered versions
were built. The postwar company, based at Dallas, Texas,
went bankrupt in 1949, but was revived with finance from
Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Company Inc
under the old name. The emergency of the 1950s caused
suspension of production and the company was bought
by Temco Aircraft Corporation, which sold manufacturing
rights of the Silvaire Model 8 in 1955 to the Silvaire
Aircraft Company.
