The Waco A series is a range of light
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 twin side-by-side seater sporting biplanes of the early 1930s.
Development
The Waco A series was introduced in 1932 as an affordable private-owner aircraft with cross-country range and baggage capacity and a more sporting image than the larger
Waco F series. The A series offered a number of engine options which had varying sub-designations. The power range lay between the KBA with a Kinner engine and the later UBA with a Continental powerplant.
The PLA "Sportsman" of 1933 introduced a longer wider fuselage and a higher useful load and had a
Jacobs
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 compan ...
LA-1 radial engine. The last model in the series was the ULA, also of 1933, with a powerplant.
Operational history
The A series was bought mainly by private pilot owners with a sporting inclination. Relatively few were produced and the type survives in small numbers in 2009. A PBA is on display in the
Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum at Dauster Field near
St Louis, Missouri.
Variants
Data from Aerofiles
Aerofiles
/ref>
BA series
;BBA: Wright J-5 - none produced
;KBA: 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 bu ...
- one built
;IBA: Kinner B-5 - three built including one conversion
;PBA: 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 ...
- six built
;RBA: later Warner Scarab - 4 built
;TBA: Kinner R-5 - none built
;UBA: Continental R-670 - at least 6 built
CA series
;KCA: 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 bu ...
- possibly none built
;PCA: 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 ...
- possibly none built
;RCA: Warner Scarab - possibly none built
;TCA: Kinner R-5 - none built
;UCA: Continental R-670 - none built
LA series
;PLA Sportsman:
: longer and wider fuselage and 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 ...
- 4 built
;ULA Sportsman
: as PLA with Continental R-670 - 1 built
Specifications (RBA variant)
References
Notes
Bibliography
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*
{{WACO
1930s United States civil utility aircraft
A series
Biplanes
Single-engined tractor aircraft