The Lake Buccaneer is an American four-seat, light amphibious aircraft derived from the Colonial Skimmer, itself a development of the three-seat Colonial Skimmer.
Development
The Colonial Aircraft of Sanford, Maine developed the C-2 Skimmer in the 1950s as a four-seat variant of the earlier three-seat C-1 Skimmer. The name was changed to Lake in 1959, along with some design improvements. Produced until 1970, this version was designated as the Lake LA-4 Amphibian.
[Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, pages 48-49. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ]
From 1969-1972 the company sold some LA-4s modified under a Supplemental Type Certificate as , without landing gear, but with removable beaching wheels, under the name Lake LA-4S Seaplane.
In 1970 a fuel injected Lycoming IO-360 engine was fitted and the resulting aircraft was named the Buccaneer. This model replaced both the LA-4 and Seaplane in production and has a higher cruise speed as well as increased gross weight. Fuel tanks were also added to the wing pontoons, with per side, taking fuel capacity from to .
A six-seat development in 1982, with a lengthened hull was named Lake Renegade, this had either a or a turbocharged engine. A military version was called the Lake Renegade.[Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85, page 432. London: Jane's Publishing.]
Design
The LA-4 is a cantilever,
shoulder-wing monoplane amphibian with a single-step all-metal hull with retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by an Lycoming O-360 piston engine in pusher configuration, pylon-mounted above the hull.
Variants
- LA-4 Amphibian
- Production version with a Lycoming O-360 A1A , type certified 26 July 1960. This differed from the Colonial C-2 in having four foot greater span, revised nose, doors, higher gross weight and reinforcement of the wing and wing-to-fuselage carry-through structure.
- LA-4A
- Shorter bow from the Colonial C-2, only two built. Type certified 1 June 1960.
- LA-4P
- LA-4 prototype, one only built. Type certified 21 June 1960.
- LA-4S Seaplane
- Version without wheeled landing gear, produced 1969-72 under STC SA781EA approved 8 July 1969 and amended 28 November 1969, issued to Revo, Inc.
- LA-4T
- Turbocharged version with Lycoming O-360 A1D engine and Rayjay turbocharger. Not produced.
- LA-4-200 Buccaneer
- Lycoming IO-360 A1B
- LA-4-200EP "Lake EP"
- Lycoming IO-360 A1B6 Standard fuel floats
Specifications (LA-4-200 Buccaneer)
See also
External links
