Lake Buccaneer

The Lake Buccaneer is an American four-seat, light amphibious aircraft originally developed as the Colonial C-2 Skimmer, itself a development of the two-seat Colonial C-1 Skimmer.

Buccaneer
Role Four-seat light amphibious aircraft
Manufacturer Lake Aircraft
Designer David Thurston
First flight 1950s
Number built 1000+
Developed from Colonial Skimmer
Variants Lake Renegade
1977 LA-4-200 Landing

Development

The C-2 Skimmer was developed in the late 1940s as a four-seat variant of the earlier C-1 Skimmer. It is a cantilever, shoulder-wing monoplane amphibian with a single-step all-metal hull with retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by an Avco Lycoming piston engine in pusher configuration, pylon-mounted above the hull.

The manufacturing rights were acquired by the Lake Aircraft Corporation in October 1959 and the aircraft was built as the LA-4, Lake Amphibian with a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming engine. This further developed into the Lake Buccaneer which was essentially the same airframe with a 200 hp (149 kW) fuel injected engine. A variant called the EP (extended prop) added an additional cargo door and engine rear cowling. A six-seat development with a lengthened hull was named Renegade, this had either a 250 hp (186 kW) or a turbocharged 270 hp (201 kW) engine. A military version was called the Seawolf.

Variants
LA-4 "Amphibian" (sometimes incorrectly referred to as an LA-4-180)
Lycoming O-360 A1A 180HP
LA-4-200 "Buccaneer"
Lycoming IO-360 A1B 200HP
LA-4-200 EP
LA-4-200EP "Lake EP"
Lycoming IO-360 A1B6 200HP Standard fuel floats [1]

Specifications (LA-4-200 Buccaneer)
Lake LA-4-200 Buccaneer

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. pp. 2279–80.

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: three passengers
  • Length: 24 ft 11 in (7.59 m)
  • Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
  • Wing area: 170 sq ft (15.79 m2)
  • Empty weight: 1,555 lb (705 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,690 lb (1,220 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Avco Lycoming IO-360-B1A piston engine , 200 hp (149 kW)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 150 mph (241 km/h, 130 kn)
  • Range: 825 mi (1,328 km, 717 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,480 m)

See also

Related development

Related lists

  • List of seaplanes and flying boats

References
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. pp. 2279–80.
  1. "Lake Amphibians". Retrieved 3 January 2021.
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