Turbine Luscombe For Sale on eBay

Mark Phelps

Tuesday, November 05, 2013 at 11:41 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

A highly modified 1948 Luscombe 8E, uniquely powered by a 150-shaft-horsepower Apex turboprop engine, is currently for sale on eBay.
The turboprop conversion, completed by the Luscombe Foundation in 1999 at a reported cost of $300,000, gives the aircraft an extended nose and the unusual ability to back up.
With approximately 200 hours logged since conversion, it boasts a cruise speed of around 125 knots and an initial climb rate exceeding 1,500 fpm.
The aircraft is listed as a "no reserve" auction starting at $65,000, with the owner selling due to a lost medical.

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On the YouTube video, you hear the distinctive whine of a turboprop engine spooling up. But the sight picture doesn’t match up. Isn’t that a 1948 Luscombe 8E? The extended nose is the tipoff that this is no piston-slapping flivver of an airplane. And then, it backs up on the ramp.

This turboprop-powered Luscombe is for sale on eBay, with a suggested first bid of $65,000 and posted as a “no reserve” auction item. So far, no bids. But you have until November 10 to take your shot. The owner lists “lost medical” as the reason for the sale. The Luscombe is located in Glendale, Arizona.