Lockheed Sirius 8A

Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1929 · light aircraft

The Lockheed Sirius 8A is the variant of the Lockheed Sirius famously used by Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh for their pioneering survey flights, which mapped potential transatlantic and transpacific air routes in the early 1930s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.38 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Low-wing monoplane associated with Lindbergh's survey flights
Single radial engine with NACA cowling
Tandem cockpits, often fitted with floats for overwater operations

Nearly identical externally to the 8C; the tandem-seat low-wing monoplane with large floats fitted for survey work is the most iconic configuration.

Specifications

The Lockheed Sirius 8A has a length of 8.38 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.05 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 282 km/h (175 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Charles Lindbergh purchased a Sirius that was later modified and redesignated 8A; equipped with Edo floats, the Lindberghs flew it over Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and Asia between 1931 and 1933, logging thousands of miles of route survey data for Pan American Airways.

Variants

The 8A was one of several Sirius variants; the aircraft was later fitted with a Wright Cyclone engine and new floats, blurring its exact sub-designation during its operational life.

Where you'll see it

Only a handful built; the Lindbergh example survives and is preserved at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Related aircraft

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