The Waco F series is a series of
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
-built
general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
and military
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
trainers of the 1930s from the
Waco Aircraft Company
The Waco Aircraft Company (WACO) was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, United States. Between 1920 and 1947, the company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes.
The company initially started under the name Weaver Aircraft C ...
.
Development
The Waco 'F' series of biplanes supplanted and then replaced the earlier 'O' series of 1927/33. The 'F' series had an airframe which was smaller and about lighter than the 'O' series, while continuing to provide accommodation for three persons in tandem open cockpits. A similar performance to the earlier model was obtained on the power of smaller and more economical engines.
[Simpson 2001, p. 573]
The initial models were the INF ( Kinner engine), KNF ( Kinner) and the RNF (
Warner Scarab
The Warner Scarab is an American seven-cylinder radial aircraft engine, that was manufactured by the Warner Aircraft Corporation of Detroit, Michigan in 1928 through to the early 1940s. In military service the engine was designated R-420.
Vari ...
), all of which had externally braced tailwheel undercarriages. Many further sub-models followed with more powerful engines of up to . The most powerful in the range was the ZPF of 1936/37, intended for executive use.
Operational history
![A315, Waco biplane, Bar Harbor airport, Maine, USA, 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/A315%2C_Waco_biplane%2C_Bar_Harbor_airport%2C_Maine%2C_USA%2C_2009.JPG)
The 'F' series was popular with private owner pilots for sporting and other uses and continued in production through the late 1930s. The tandem cockpit UPF-7 was adopted by the Civilian Pilot Training Program and continued in production until 1942 by which time over 600 had been built.
[Green & Pollinger 1965, p. 307]
The 1934 model YMF was substantially redesigned with a longer and wider fuselage, larger rudder and other structural changes, and put into production in March 1986 by
WACO Classic Aircraft
The WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation is an American Aerospace manufacturer, aircraft manufacturer, located in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was founded in 1983 as the Classic Aircraft Corporation and is now called the WACO Aircraft Corporation.
...
of
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...
as the YMF-5.
Over 150 YMF-5s were completed as of 2017 with new examples being built to specific orders.
The WACO Aircraft Company of Ohio Inc had built three replicas by December 2011, which they designated MF.
[Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 76. Belvoir Publications. ]
Considerable numbers of 'F' series biplanes, both original and newly built, remain in service.
Variants
Listed in approximate chronological order (per Simpson, 2001, p. 573)
First letter of designation refers to engine installed.
From 1936 Waco added year suffixes to designations—e.g. YPF-6, YPF-7, with the numeral being the last digit of the model year.
;INF:
Kinner B-5
The Kinner B-5 was a popular five cylinder American radial engine for light general and sport aircraft of the 1930s.
Design and development
The B-5 was a development of the earlier K-5 with slightly greater power and dimensions. The main change ...
, certified ATC# 345 on 2 August 1930.
;KNF:
Kinner K-5
The Kinner K-5 was a popular engine for light general and sport aircraft developed by Winfield B. 'Bert' Kinner. With the boom in civilian aviation after Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight the K-5 sold well. The K-5 was a rough running but ...
, certified ATC# 313 on 12 April 1930.
;RNF:
Warner Scarab
The Warner Scarab is an American seven-cylinder radial aircraft engine, that was manufactured by the Warner Aircraft Corporation of Detroit, Michigan in 1928 through to the early 1940s. In military service the engine was designated R-420.
Vari ...
, certified ATC# 311 on 7 April 1930.
;PCF:
Jacobs LA-1
Jacobs may refer to:
Businesses and organisations
*Jacob's, a brand name for several lines of biscuits and crackers in Ireland and the UK
*Jacobs (coffee), a brand of coffee
*Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company, former American aircraft engine company ...
and new cross-braced undercarriage, PCF-2 certified ATC# 473 on 2 October 1931
;PBF: as PCF with 'B' wings
;QCF:
Continental A70
Continental may refer to:
Places
* Continent, the major landmasses of Earth
* Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US
* Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US
Arts and entertainment
* ''Continental'' (al ...
, QCF-2 certified ATC# 416 on 9 April 1931
;UBF:
Continental R-670
The Continental R-670 (factory designation W670) was a seven-cylinder four-cycle radial aircraft engine produced by Continental displacing 668 cubic inches (11 litres) and a dry weight of . Horsepower varied from 210 to 240 at 2,200 rpm. The eng ...
;UMF:
Continental R-670
The Continental R-670 (factory designation W670) was a seven-cylinder four-cycle radial aircraft engine produced by Continental displacing 668 cubic inches (11 litres) and a dry weight of . Horsepower varied from 210 to 240 at 2,200 rpm. The eng ...
A and longer and wider fuselage, and larger fin
;YMF:
Jacobs L-4
The Jacobs R-755 (company designation L-4) is a seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine for aircraft manufactured in the United States by the Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company.
Design and development
The R-755 was first run in 1933 and was stil ...
;YPF-6 and YPF-7:
Jacobs L-4
The Jacobs R-755 (company designation L-4) is a seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine for aircraft manufactured in the United States by the Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company.
Design and development
The R-755 was first run in 1933 and was stil ...
;ZPF-6 and ZPF-7:
Jacobs L-5
The Jacobs R-830 or L-5 is a seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine for aircraft manufactured in the United States, production started in 1935.Gunston 1989, p.85.
Design and development
The R-830 was effectively an enlargement of the R-755 ...
;UPF-7: tandem trainer with wide-track undercarriage and Continental R-670 (designated PT-14 by the USAAC)
Waco Classic Aircraft replicas
;YMF-5: 1986 design roughly based on the YMF, built by
WACO Classic Aircraft
The WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation is an American Aerospace manufacturer, aircraft manufacturer, located in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was founded in 1983 as the Classic Aircraft Corporation and is now called the WACO Aircraft Corporation.
...
;YMF-5D: 2009 improved YMF-5
; YMF-5F: YMF-5 with Aerocet 3400 amphibious floats
Military designations
;JW-1:Two UBF designated XJW-1 were used by the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
as hook trainers for the skyhook airship parasite aircraft program.
;PT-14:USAAC/USAAF designation for UPF-7
Operators
Military operators
;
*
Guatemalan Air Force
The Guatemalan Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca or ''FAG'') is a small air force composed mostly of U.S.-made aircraft throughout its history. The FAG is a subordinate to the Guatemalan Military and its commanding officer reports to th ...
- At least 1 Waco YMF-7 received in 1934. Was still in airworthy condition in 1998.
[Sloot and Hornstra ''Air International'' January 1999, pp. 55, 57.]
;
*
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
- Adopted the UPF-7 as the PT-14, with one XPT-14 and 13 YPT-14s being purchased, with an additional UPF-7 impressed in 1942 as a PT-14A.
[Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p. 535.]
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
[Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 474.]
Specifications (UPF-7)
References
; Notes
; Bibliography
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*
External links
*
{{USN utility aircraft
Aerobatic aircraft
1930s United States civil utility aircraft
F series