Waco F
Waco Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1931 · light aircraft
The Waco F series was a family of popular American open-cockpit sport biplanes from the early 1930s, available with a variety of engines and representing one of Waco's most successful pre-war designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.86 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Open-cockpit biplane with equal-span staggered wings and N-struts
- Narrow chord lower wing with pronounced stagger
- Classic 1930s US sport biplane with rounded cowling over radial engine
Classic equal-span open-cockpit biplane with N-type interplane struts. The pronounced forward stagger of the upper wing and the rounded radial or inline cowling identify a Waco F. Distinguished from later Waco biplanes by its equal wing spans and open cockpit layout.
Specifications
- The Waco F has a length of 6.86 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.99 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 222 km/h (138 mph).
- Typical crew: 1–2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Waco Aircraft introduced the Model F in 1931 as a refined open-cockpit three-seat biplane, supplanting earlier Waco types. The F series was distinguished by its N-type interplane struts, equal-span wings with pronounced stagger, and accommodation for various inline and radial engines. Dozens of sub-variants carried letter suffix codes denoting engine type (e.g. INF, QCF, UBF). The type sold strongly to private owners, flight schools, and some Latin American military operators through the mid-1930s.
Variants
Numerous sub-variants including QCF (Continental A-70), UBF (Jacobs), INF (Warner Scarab), MNF (Menasco), and others per engine choice.
Where you'll see it
Popular US civil sport aircraft used by private owners and flying clubs; exported in small numbers to South American operators. Several remain airworthy as vintage warbird performers.
Related aircraft
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