Waco 10

The Waco 10 was a larger span development of the Waco 9, both single-engined three-seat single-bay biplanes constructed around steel-tube frames. The wing covering was fabric, and both upper and lower planes carried ailerons, which were strut linked. The two passengers sat side by side in a cockpit under the upper wing and ahead of the pilot, who had a separate cockpit. It had a split-axle fixed undercarriage and a tailwheel. The main undercarriage was fitted with hydraulic shock absorbers, unusual at the time on a light aircraft. The fin could be trimmed on the ground to offset engine torque, and the tailplane could be trimmed in flight. Initially it was powered by a Curtiss OX-5 water-cooled 90° V-8 engine producing 90 hp (67 kW).

Its first flight was in 1927. It was numerically the most important type to be built by Waco, with at least 1,623 built over a period of 7 years from 1927 to 1933 and was fitted with a very large variety of engines of radial and V configuration.

The Waco 10 turned out to have excellent handling, and there was a ready supply of war-surplus Curtiss engines. It was widely used for the popularisation of aeronautics through barnstorming and joyrides, and was also much used as a trainer and by small operators for charter flights.

In 1928, after the Waco 10 had entered production, Waco changed its designation system so that the basic model 10, powered by a 90 hp (67 kW) Curtiss OX-5 engine became the GXE.

1930 Waco ATO Taperwing at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum near St Louis

1929 Waco ATO Taperwing of Vintage Wings of Canada.

1929 Waco CTO at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort South Carolina

Later aircraft used a three-letter designation, the first denoting the engine (except for the two mailplanes), the second, S or T meaning Straight or Tapered wing and the final O indicating it belongs to the Waco O series, ostensibly for open cockpit - or 10. An -A suffix indicated an armed variant intended for export.

Apart from the water-cooled V-8 Curtiss and Hispano-Suiza engines, all of the rest were air-cooled radials.

Other engines were fitted experimentally, without unique designations, including the Rausie, Ryan-Siemens, and 115 hp (86 kW) Milwaukee Tank engine. This last engine was an air-cooled version of the Curtiss OX-5, and was intended as an aircraft engine.

The two mailplane derivatives from the O series (types JYM and JWM) were single seaters with a 14" stretch in the fuselage.

In the 1990s The WACO Aircraft Company in Forks, Washington offered a homebuilt kit version of the ATO model, featuring a book of re-drawn plans and an instruction manual.[1]

The WACO 240-A was a straight-wing fighter, built for export, powered by 240 hp (180 kW) Wright engine. At least six were bought by the Cantonese Chinese aviation services. They were armed with twin .30 Browning machine guns and had racks for five 25 lb (11 kg) or two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs.[2]

There was also an export model WACO Pursuit 300T-A, with 300 hp (220 kW) Wright or Wasp Jr engine.[2]

Data from Aerofiles[23]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: two passengers
• Payload: 825 pounds (including pilot, fuel and oil) (374 kg)
• Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 7 in (9.32 m)
• Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
• Airfoil: Aeromarine 2A
• Empty weight: 1199 lb (545 kg)
• Loaded weight: 2025 lb (920 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss OX-5, 90 hp (67 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 97 mph (156 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 84 mph (135 km/h)
• Stall speed: 37 mph (60 km/h)
• Range: 380 miles (610 km)
• Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.54 m/s)