Waco S series

Waco Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1935 · light aircraft

The Waco S series is a family of American cabin biplanes produced by the Waco Aircraft Company starting in 1935.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.7 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

closed-cabin biplane with staggered wings of unequal span
outward-splayed N-form interplane struts
ailerons on both wings linked by a prominent strut

A fabric-covered cabin biplane with seating for four or five including the pilot, and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage that could be partly or fully faired. The S series kept ailerons on both wings and square-edged rear side windows.

Specifications

The Waco S series has a length of 7.7 m (25 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.13 m (33 ft).
Its maximum speed is 233 km/h (145 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The closed-cabin biplanes were first known as the C (Cabin) series. When Waco released its slightly larger Custom Cabin series, the original cabin aircraft it kept in production were redesignated Standard Cabin series, with the final letter changed to C-S or S.

Variants

The aircraft were available with many different engines, identified by the first letter of the type designation. Examples include the HKS-7 with a 300 hp Lycoming R-680-13 and the VKS-7 with a 240 hp Continental W-670-M, and the -7F model had flaps and was used in the CPTP.

Where you'll see it

The S series proved popular with both commercial and private pilots, and over 50 were still airworthy in 2001. During the Second World War several were impressed by the USAAF as the UC-72K or UC-72M.

Related aircraft

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