Lockheed 8 Sirius

1929

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Lockheed 8 Sirius

Developed originally to meet a requirement of Charles Lindbergh for a low-wing monoplane of high performance, the Lockheed 8 Sirius combined what was basically a Vega wooden fuselage with a new low-set cantilever wing. First flown in November 1929, and then powered by a 336kW Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine, the Sirius had non-retractable tailwheel landing gear and two open cockpits in tandem. Before accepting this aircraft, Lindbergh had a sliding canopy installed to enclose the two cockpits. In the following year, before Lindbergh set out on a survey flight for Pan American Airways, a 429kW Wright Cyclone engine and twin-float landing gear were installed. For its final survey flight in 1933 it was powered by a 529kW Wright Cyclone engine.

The success of Lindbergh's aircraft led to the construction of 13 more by Lockheed, comprising four similar Sirius 8, eight Sirius 8A with enlarged tail surfaces, and a single four-seat Sirius 8C aircraft which had an enclosed cabin for two between the engine and pilot's cockpit. One Sirius built by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation, with a metal fuselage and Lockheed wooden wing, had the designation DL-2 Lindbergh's Sirius spanned 13.04m, weighed a maximum of 3220kg, was capable of a maximum of 298km/h, and had a range of 1570km, all in landplane configuration.

Comments
S. Ross, e-mail, 09.05.2014 20:18

I have a photo from the Lockheed vaults of the plane with Mr. & Mrs Lindbergh (in flight gear) with 3 other gentlemen (believed to be owners of Lockheed at the time).

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dashanya, 18.06.2011 06:39

red wings with 6-point star on blue background and red disc in center. Wibgspab about 23.5 inches. Total length of fuselage about 21 inches. Teardroe wheel covers.

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William R. Cooper, e-mail, 11.03.2011 18:45

No comment bout the aircraft itself. As a boy, back in 1932, I was given a metal model of the Sirius. I still have it - white fuselage, red wings with 6-point star on blue background and red disc in center. Wibgspab about 23.5 inches. Total length of fuselage about 21 inches. Teardroe wheel covers.

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