Loening OL-8
Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation · USA · first flew 1928 · light aircraft
The OL-8 was the final standard production variant of the Loening OL amphibian series, completing the family's service procurement for the US Navy before the design was retired.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Final production Loening OL amphibian variant
- Late-1920s US Navy observation amphibian biplane
- Sesquiplane hull float amphibian with Wasp engine
Essentially identical to the OL-6 and OL-7; the Loening sesquiplane amphibian layout — central hull float, retractable wheels, unequal-span biplane wings, and tractor radial — is unmistakable within the family.
Specifications
- The Loening OL-8 has a length of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.7 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 209 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
As the last production OL mark, the OL-8 represented the mature form of the Loening amphibian design; shortly after its introduction, Loening Aeronautical Engineering was absorbed into Keystone Aircraft, ending the family's further development.
Variants
The OL-8 was followed only by the experimental XO2L-1 prototype; the OL series as a production family concluded with the OL-8, and the Navy transitioned to monoplane observation types.
Where you'll see it
Served with US Navy observation squadrons in the late 1920s and early 1930s; the OL-8 fleet was retired as the Curtiss SOC Seagull and similar monoplanes entered service.
Related aircraft
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