Waco Custom Cabin series

Nearly all of the Waco Custom Cabins were powered by radial engines (there being one factory-built exception, the MGC-8) and the purchaser could specify almost any commercially available engine and Waco would build an aircraft powered by it, hence the profusion of designations, as the first letter indicates the engine installed. Some models were offered in case someone wanted a specific engine but not all were built. Fuselage structure was typical for the period, being welded steel tubing with light wood strips to fair the shape in. The wings were made of spruce with two spars each, having ailerons on only the upper wings, mounted on a false spar. Split flaps were installed on the undersides of the upper wings, though two designs were used depending on model – placed either mid-chord (OC, UC and QC), or in the conventional position at the trailing edge of the wing (GC and N). The model N was unusual in being the only model with flaps on the lower wings while the model E was the only one with plain flaps. Wing bracing was with a heavily canted N strut joining upper and lower wings, assisted by a single strut bracing the lower wing to the upper fuselage longeron, except on the E series which replaced the single strut with flying and landing wires. Elevators and rudder were aerodynamically counterbalanced and braced with wire cables. Both could be trimmed, the rudder via a ground-adjustable tab, the elevators via jack screw on the OC, UC and QC, while the GC, E and N used a single trim tab on the port (left) elevator. The main landing gear was sprung with oleo struts, and a castoring tailwheel was fitted on all versions except the VN model, which had a nosewheel.

File:What a beauty!! (1251969321).jpg

Waco had been building a series of successful cabin biplanes, when in 1935 they introduced a new series of upmarket cabin sesquiplanes intended for the wealthy private individual or business. The original biplanes had been given a designation ending in C, however with the new Custom Cabin, Waco decided to differentiate the new design and existing C types that remained in production were recoded as C-S types to indicate Standard Cabin, until Waco changed their designation again in 1936 to just an S.[http://aerofiles.com/wacodata.html Aerofiles 'That Waco Coding System'] accessed 10 June 09 For example, the 1934 Standard Cabin YKC was redesignated as a YKC-S in 1935, and as a YKS-6 in 1936. 1936 also saw the adoption of a numerical suffix to indicate the model year of the design, as "-6" for 1936, "-7" for 1937, etc. Since it referred to a model and not the year of production, the "-7" was carried into 1939 for some Custom Cabins, while others were designated "-8".Brandly, 1981 In 1936, Waco started using a short form to refer to the types of aircraft without the engine and model identifiers resulting in C-6, C-7 and C-8 however as Waco only built one type of Custom cabin in each of those years, they refer to the QC-6, GC-7 and GC-8 series respectively.Brandley, 1986, p.76

The Custom Cabin series, with its improved performance proved to be popular and many were purchased by small commercial aviation firms and non-aviation businesses. Approximately 300 Custom Cabin Wacos of all types (excluding the Waco E series and the Waco N series), were produced between 1935 and 1939. Some were employed as "executive transports". Many served in the Canadian bush country, where they normally operated on skis in winter and EDO floats in summer. Many of these Canadian Wacos were ordered and built as freighters with additional doors. In 1936 an EQC-6 operated by Speers Airways of Regina, Saskatchewan was the first non-military government operated air ambulance in Canada.http://www.wdm.ca/skteacherguide/WDMResearch/AirAmbulance_TeacherGuide.pdf Saskatchewan's Air Ambulance Service, by Janet MacKenzie, 30 September 2002 – Accessed 29 May 2012

With the onset of World War II, examples were impressed into the air forces of many Allied nations, including the US (USAAC and US Navy), the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Most were used as utility aircraft, however a small number were operated by the US Civil Air Patrol, conducting anti-submarine patrols off the US coastline from March 1942 to August 1943 armed with 50- or 100-pound bombs.[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r112:S10MY2-0006: Congressional Record – Awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Civil Air Patrol] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114220704/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r112:S10MY2-0006: |date=2016-01-14 }} Retrieved 27 June 2012 A single impressed ZGC-7 referred to as the Big Waco, RAF serial AX695, was used by the British Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) along with a Standard Cabin YKC named Little Waco to support their activities behind Axis lines.Jenner and List 1999, pp.9, 27, 45–46 Flight Regiment 19, Finnish Air Force (Swedish Volunteer Air Force) used one Waco ZQC-6 (OH-SLA) during the Russo-Finnish Winter War in support of Finnish military operations.

Numerous Custom Cabin series aircraft of several sub-models are currently registered in the US, and more are in under restoration. This is still a popular design among owners of classic aircraft.

File:1935 Waco YOC Richmond VA MDF 5992.jpg. This aircraft was once owned by Hollywood artist Walter Matthew Jeffries who was responsible for the design of the original Starship Enterprise.]]

The Waco Custom cabin series included all of the enlarged-cabin sesquiplanes from 1935 and can be further divided into six basic models, OC, UC QC, GC, RE and VN, with additional subtypes differing primarily in engine installation (indicated by the first letter of the designation or by a low dash number, i.e. -1, -2) and by model year (dash numbers -6, -7, -8). Letters were not used sequentially.

Each basic type was offered with almost any engine the customer wished and designations were created accordingly, however some engines were more popular than others resulting in some types being offered, but never built. Due to the wide variety of engines already offered, it was both relatively easy and common to change the installed engine, resulting in a lot of confusion as to the correct designation to use for a specific airframe.

The RE series is more refined aerodynamically than earlier models; the wings are fully plywood-skinned, and instead of a bulky compression strut carrying lift loads, a more conventional set of streamlined flying wires completes the wing structure. It has the fastest cruise speed of any of the Waco cabin models, with a Vne of 270 mph.

;UOC : {{convert|210|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental R-670-A or {{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental R-670-B engine. four built.

File:WACOYOC-1935.jpg

;YOC : {{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-4 engine. 50+ YOC and YOC-1 built. Built as UOC and re-engined.

;YOC-1 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-5 engine. Built as UOC and re-engined. One impressed by USAAF as UC-72N.

File:Waco CUC NC15233 Herrick Colln MNn 13.06.06R.jpg

;CUC : {{convert|250|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E engine. 30+ built of all CUC types.

;CUC-1 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E1 engine. Built as CUC and re-engined. One impressed by USAAF as UC-72F.

;CUC-2 : {{convert|320|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E2 engine. Built as CUC and re-engined.

File:Waco ZQC-6.jpg

;AQC-6 : {{convert|330|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-6 engine. Seven built. One impressed by USAAF as UC-72G.

:AQC-6 Freighter: At least two aircraft ordered through Fleet Aircraft and built for use in Canada with additional freight doors on both sides of the fuselage and equipped for floats. Engine same as for standard AQC-6. Additional aircraft may have been modified.Brandly, 1986, p.74

;{{font|text=CQC-6|color=grey}} :{{font|text={{convert|250|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E engine. None built.|color=grey}}

;DQC-6 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E1 engine. 11 built.

;EQC-6 : {{convert|320|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E2 engine. 20 built. USCG used three as J2W-1Swanborough & Bowers, 1990, p.534

;{{font|text=SQC-6|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr. engine. None built.|color=grey}}

;{{font|text=UQC-6|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|210|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental R-670 or {{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}};hp Continental W-670-K or {{convert|220|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}};hp Continental W-670-6. None built.|color=grey}}

;VQC-6 : {{convert|250|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental W-670-M1 engine. One built.

;YQC-6 : {{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-4 engine. 13 built. One ex-RAAF example re-engined with {{convert|200|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}};hp DeHavilland Gypsy 6 inline engine.

;ZQC-6 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-5 engine. 68 built. One impressed by the USAAF as UC-72Q and five as UC-72H.;Aerofiles – USAAF Impressed Wacos, 2009 Swedish AF Tp-8a

:ZQC-6 Freighter: At least eight aircraft ordered through Fleet Aircraft and built for use in Canada with additional freight doors on both sides of the fuselage and equipped for floats. Engine same as for standard ZQC-6. Additional aircraft may have been modified.

File:WACO AGC-8.jpg

;AGC-8 : {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-6 engine. 17 built, two modified to EGC-8. Two impressed by USAAF as UC-72P.

;DGC-7 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E1 engine. Two built.

;EGC-7 : {{convert|320|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-760-E2 engine. 38 built.

;EGC-8 : same as EGC-7 for 1938. Seven built, plus two modified from AGC-8, and one used to trial {{convert|260|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Menasco C-6S-4 for MGC-8. Four impressed by USAAF as UC-72B

;MGC-8 : Menasco Buccaneer inline engine. One modified, unknown number built.

;{{font|text=UGC-7|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|210|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental R-670 engine. None built.|color=grey}}

;{{font|text=VGC-7|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|250|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental W-670-M1 engine. None built.|color=grey}}

;{{font|text=YGC-7|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-4 engine. None built.|color=grey}}

;{{font|text=YGC-8|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-4 engine. Trailling edge flaps. None built.|color=grey}}

;ZGC-7 : {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-5 engine. 28 built. Four impressed by USAAF as UC-72E

;ZGC-8 : same as ZGC-7 for 1938, four built.

File:Waco AVN-8 N19378 HARM St Louis 10.06.06R.jpg.]]

{{main|Waco N series}}

;AVN-8 : {{convert|330|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-6 engine.

;ZVN-8 : {{convert|285|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-5 engine.

File:WACO-ARE.jpg's Waco ARE originally modified for the New York Daily News for aerial photography, with enlarged windows.]]

{{main|Waco E series}}

;ARE Aristocrat : {{convert|330|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jacobs L-6 (four built, one impressed by USAAF as UC-72A)

;HRE Aristocrat : {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming R-680-E3 (five built, two impressed by USAAF as UC-72C)

;SRE Aristocrat : {{convert|450|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr SB-2/-3 (21 built, 13 impressed by USAAF as UC-72)

;{{font|text=WRE Aristocrat|color=grey}} : {{font|text={{convert|450|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Wright R-975 – none built|color=grey}}

;A-54 : Royal Australian Air Force designation for impressed YQC-6Francillon, 1970, p.8

;Tp-8a : Swedish Air Force designation for ZQC-6. Tp-8 was a generic designation for all Wacos.Annerfalk, 1999, p.188

;J2W : US Coast Guard designation for three EQC-6 bought from Waco. Additional aircraft impressed by the US Navy were undesignated.

;UC-72/C-72 : US Army Air Forces designation for impressed Custom Cabin series Wacos.

{{main|Waco C-72}}

::

Wacos were used in small numbers by a very large number of individual operators in many countries.[http://www.goldenyears.ukf.net Golden Years of Aviation (aircraft registrations)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219070818/http://www.goldenyears.ukf.net/ |date=2012-02-19 }}, accessdate 29 May 2012

Most operators operated either a single example, or a very small number.

;{{ARG}}

• Argentine Navy (EQC-6 and UOC){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/argentina/arg.html |title= World Air Forces Argentina Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125034502/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/argentina/arg.html |archive-date=January 25, 2012}}

;{{AUS}}

• Royal Australian Air Force impressed (YQC-6)

;{{BRA}}

• Exército Brasileiro (30 EGC-7){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/brazil/brz.html |title= World Air Forces Brazil Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018212416/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/brazil/brz.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012}}

;{{flag|Canada|1921}}

• Royal Canadian Air Force impressed (AQC-6){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/canada/can.html |title= World Air Forces Canada Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211095214/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/canada/can.html |archive-date=December 11, 2012}}
• Department of National Defence purchased (two ZQC-6){{cite book |last1=Brandley |first1=Raymond H. |title=Waco Airplanes – The Versatile Cabin Series |publisher=R.H. Brandly |location=United States |year=1981 |isbn=0-9602734-2-5|page=67}}

;{{FIN}}

• Finnish Air Force impressed (ZQC-6){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/finland/fin.html |title= World Air Forces Finland Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125064912/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/finland/fin.html |archive-date=January 25, 2012}}

;{{NLD}}

• Royal Netherlands Air Force possibly impressed (EGC-7){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/netherlands/net.html |title= World Air Forces Netherlands Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125030417/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/netherlands/net.html |archive-date=January 25, 2012}}

;{{NZL}}

• Royal New Zealand Air Force impressed (UOC)Duxbury, 1987, p.57

;{{NIC}}

• Nicaraguan Air Force (EGC-7){{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/nicaragua/nic.html |title= World Air Forces Nicaragua Air Force|website=www.worldairforces.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125074213/http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/nicaragua/nic.html |archive-date=January 25, 2012}}

;{{flagcountry|South Africa|1928}}

• South African Air Force impressed at least ten Wacos of different types (CUC and YOC){{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}

;{{SWE}}

• Swedish Air Force (ZQC-6)

;{{UK}}

• Royal Air Force impressed (ZVN-8){{cite book |last1=Brandley |first1=Raymond H. |title=Waco Airplanes – The Versatile Cabin Series |publisher=R.H. Brandly |location=United States |year=1981 |isbn=0-9602734-2-5|page=86}} and ZGC-7)

;{{US}}

• United States Coast Guard (three EQC-6)
• United States Navy
• United States Army Air Forces (impressed 18 of various types – see above)

Aside from the large number of privately owned Wacos that continue to exist,*[http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/acftinqSQL.asp?striptxt=&mfrtxt=Waco FAA Registry Search for Waco] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217034911/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/acftinqSQL.asp?striptxt=&mfrtxt=Waco |date=2012-02-17 }} accessed 12 June 2009 a number have also found their way into museums.

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Juptner, U.S. Civil Aircraft Series, Vol. 6Juptner, 1993, pp.353–355

|prime units?=imp

|genhide=

|crew=one

|capacity=four passengers

|length m=

|length ft=26

|length in=8

|length note=

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|upper span ft=35

|upper span in=0

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|lower span ft=24

|lower span in=6

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|height ft=8

|height in=8

|height note=

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|wing area sqft=244

|wing area note=total

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=Clark Y

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=2023

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=3500

|gross weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Jacobs L-5

|eng1 type=seven cylinder radial engine

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=285

|eng1 note=, first letter in designation (Z) indicates engine installed.

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

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|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=166

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=150

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

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|never exceed speed kmh=

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|range km=

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|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=17000

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|avionics=

}}

{{aircontent

|related=

• Waco Standard Cabin series
• Waco S series
• Waco F series

|similar aircraft=

• Avro Club Cadet
• Avro 641 Commodore
• Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing
• Bristol Type 110A
• Brown-Young BY-1
• Canadian Vickers Vanessa
• Cunningham-Hall PT-6
• Stinson SB-1 Detroiter

|lists=

• List of civil aircraft
• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of aircraft of the United States during World War II
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of military aircraft of Sweden
• List of military aircraft of Finland

|see also=

}}

{{reflist|2}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last=Annerfalk |first=Anders |author-link=Anders Annerfalk |title=Flygvapnet – An illustrated history of the Swedish Air Force |publisher=Aviatic Forlag |location=Ljungsbro, Sweden |year=1999 |isbn=91-86642-049}}
• {{cite book|last=Brandley|first=Raymond H.|title=Waco Aircraft Production 1923–1942 – Troy, Ohio: Waco Aircraft Co.|year=1986 |edition=Second|publisher=R.H. Brandly|isbn=978-0960273454}}
• {{cite book|last=Brandley|first=Raymond H.|title=Waco Airplanes – Ask Any Pilot – The Authentic History of Waco Airplanes and Biographies of...|year=1989|publisher=R.H. Brandly|isbn=0-9602734-0-9}}
• {{cite book|last=Brandley|first=Raymond H.|title=Waco Airplanes – Ask Any Pilot – The Versatile Cabin Series|year=1981|publisher=R.H. Brandly|isbn=0-9602734-2-5}}
• {{cite book|last1=Duxbury|first1=David|last2=Ewing|first2=Ross|last3=MacPherson|first3=Ross|title=Aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force|publisher=Heinmann|location=Singapore|year=1987|isbn=0-86863-412-3}}
• {{cite book |last=Francillon|first=Rene J.|title=Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Pacific|series=Aero Pictorials 3|publisher=Aero Publishers Inc.|location=Fallbrook CA|year=1970|lccn=76-114412}}
• {{cite book|last=Green|first=William|title=The Aircraft of the World|year=1965|publisher=Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd}}
• {{cite book |last1=Jenner |first1=Robin |last2=List |first2=David |last3=Badrocke |first3=Mike |title=The Long Range Desert Group 1940–1945 |publisher= Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford, UK |year=1999 |isbn=1-85532-958-1}}
• {{cite book |last=Juptner |first=Joseph P. |title=U.S. Civil Aircraft Vol. 1 |publisher=Aero Publishers, Inc. |location=Los Angeles, California|year=1962|lccn=62-15967}}

{{cite book|last=Juptner|first=Joseph P.|title=U.S. Civil Aircraft Vol. 6|publisher=McGraw-Hill|year=1993|isbn=978-0830643714|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/uscivilaircrafts00jose}}

• {{cite book |last=Kobernuss |first=Fred O. |title=Waco – Symbol of Courage and Excellence |publisher=Mystic Bay Publisher |location=unk. |year=1999 |isbn=1-887961-01-1}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Waco Custom Cabin}}

• [http://aerofiles.com/_waco.html Data on Waco aircraft at Aerofiles.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120217034911/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/acftinqSQL.asp?striptxt=&mfrtxt=Waco FAA Registry Search for Waco]
• [http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/Transport/258Tp8.htm Tp 8 and Tp 8a]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20111001143119/http://www.americanwacoclub.com/newsletter/library/WACO_TCDS/598.htm American Waco Club]

{{Waco aircraft}}

{{Swedish military aircraft designations}}

{{ADF aircraft designations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waco Standard Cabin Series}}

Custom

Category:1930s United States civil utility aircraft

Category:1930s United States military transport aircraft

Category:1930s United States military utility aircraft

Category:Sesquiplanes

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1935

Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear