Waco Model 10 Single-engine two-seat biplane

Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten
Single-engine two-seat biplane

1927 Waco Model 10 (N940, s/n 751), c.1998 at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Rhinebeck, New York (photo © 1998 Skytamer Images by John Shupek)

Archive Photos

Waco Ten Historical Photos ⁶

1927 Waco Ten (Model 10, N940, s/n 751) c.2003 on display at the Old Rhinebeck Aero Droned, Rhinebeck, New York (Photos by John Shupek) ²

Advance Aircraft Company 1928 Waco Ten (Model GXE, C-GAFD, s/n 1521) c.2003 on display at the Canada Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Photos by John Shupek) ²

Advance Aircraft Company (WACO), Troy, Ohio ⁷

In October 1919 George ‘Buck’ Weaver and six others registered the Weaver Aircraft Company at Lorain, Ohio. They began to market the Weaver Cootie two-seat parasol monoplane, but quickly switched to Waco as initials for the company. In 1923 they reorganized as the Advance Aircraft Company at Troy, Ohio, with different management, to build Waco 7, 9 and Ten 3-seat biplanes with a choice of engines ranging from 85 to 220-hp). During 1928 they claimed their ‘production greater than all other US commercial airplane manufacturers combined’. During 1929, they renamed her company as The Waco Aircraft Company and concentrated on the production of biplanes in the 2-seat to 5-seat class, using three-letter codes to identify what by 1940 exceeded 110 different models. In 1935 they were still the largest United States aircraft producer, with 55 distributors and 175 dealers in the United States and representatives and 26 countries, with exports being over 40% of their total sales. Chief families of aircraft included open tandem 2-seat aerobatic trainers and 4-seat cabin tourers. Later they introduced models with nosewheel from late 1938. From December 1941 Waco produced cabin biplanes of 16 types that were impressed into military service with designations UC-72 to UC-7Q, while they produced gliders designated CG-3A training gliders and CG-4A, CG-13A and CG-15A transport gliders. Waco and built 1,075 of a total of the 12,394 CG-4A assault gliders and 427 CG-15A gliders, of which one even included 2 Jacob R-755 radial engines. In 1946 Waco developed the Aristocrat cabin monoplane, but liquidation of the company followed during 1947. Production rights to the Waco Aristocrat were acquired by the O’Neil Airplane Company, of Carlisle, Illinois, which was formed in 1962 to produce and develop the Waco W Aristocrat.

Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten (GXE) ^{7, 8}

Waco 10
Role: Light passenger transport
Manufacturers: Advance Aircraft Company and Waco Aircraft Company
Designer: Charles Meyers
First flight: 1927
Introduction: 1927
Produced: 1927-1933
Number built: 1,623
Unit cost: $2,145 minus engine & prop

The following article is from Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1927:

The Waco 10/GXE/Waco O series was a range of three-seat open-cockpit biplanes built by the Advance Aircraft Company, later the Waco Aircraft Company. The latest model, Waco Ten, now being produced, has some very interesting features. The 90-hp Curtiss 0X-5 engine has been entirely enclosed within the cowling, and after a long series of comparative tests, the Ten shows a high speed of about 10 miles an hour more than the Nine,, takes off in the same distance in time, and climbs even faster. The undercarriage is of the split type and incorporates hydraulic oleo suspension and has no rubber or parts of any kind that wear or require attention. The leaf spring and tail skid has no shock-absorber cord and is fitted with a detachable shoe. At the passenger seat, the fuselage is wider than the Nine, and a large door is fitted to the passenger cockpit, with a double width walk on the wing root. The cockpit cowling is built higher and the windshields are so placed as to afford more protection for the passengers and pilot. The all-round comfort of the cockpits has been improved. The adjustable tail plane is operated by a control at the side of the pilot, and it is possible to control the machine for-and-aft solely by the tailplane, totally disregarding the elevators. The ailerons are differentially operated in a very light to control. All controls, with the exception of the rudder, are operated by direct push-and-pull rods. The main fuel tank holds 37 gallons and a center-section tank holding an additional 17½ gallons can be supplied, giving sufficient fuel for 5½ and 8½ hours respectively. Either the Curtiss OX-5, the OXX-6 or the Wright Whirlwind engines can be supplied in the production models. ⁸

Design and Development ⁷

The Waco Ten was a larger span development of the Waco 9, both Single-engine 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 configurations.

Operational History ⁷

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 popularization of aeronautics through barnstorming and joyrides, and was also much used as a trainer and by small operators for charter flights.

Variants ⁷

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. The OX-5 was also used in the Waco 9, and this led to the confusing popular description of both aircraft as Waco 90, after the power. Later aircraft used a three-letter designation, the first denoting the engine, the second, S or T meaning Straight or Tapered wing and the final O indicating it belongs to the Waco O series for open cockpit. An A suffix indicated an armed variant intended for export.

Early Name	Post 1928 Name	Popular/ Alternative Name	Engine	Power (hp)	Power (kW)
10	GXE	90	Curtiss OX-5	90	67
10-W	ASO	220-T	Wright J-5	220	164
	ATO		Wright J-5	220	164
	BSO	BS-165	Wright R-540A	165	123
	BSO-A		Wright R-540A	165	123
	CSO	C-225	Wright R-760	225	168
	CTO		Wright R-760	225	168
10-H	DSO		Hispano-Suiza 8A or E	150/180	112/134
	HSO		Packard DR-980 Diesel	225	168
	HTO		Packard DR-980 Diesel	225	168
	JTO		Wright R-975	300	225
	JYO		Wright R-975	300	225
	KSO		Kinner K-5	100	75
	OSO		Kinner C-5	210	157
	PSO		Jacobs LA-1	140/170	127/104
	QSO		Continental A-70	165	123
	RSO		Warner Scarab	110	82
	240-A		Continental W-670	240	179

Apart from the Curtiss and Hispano-Suiza, all of these engines were air-cooled radials. Other engines were fitted experimentally, without unique designations, including Rausie, Siemans, and the 115-hp (86 kW) Milwaukee Tank engine. This was an air-cooled version of the Curtiss OX-5, and was intended as an aircraft engine.

Two mailplane derivatives from the Waco O series (types JYM and JWM) were single seaters with a 14 inch stretch in the fuselage.

Specifications Waco Ten (GXE) ⁷

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:
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)

References

Bradley, Samuel Stewart. Aircraft and Engine Design Section: Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten with Curtiss OX-5 Engine 3-view drawing Aircraft Year Book 1928. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, Inc. New York City, NY: 1928. p. 331. Print.
Bradley, Samuel Stewart. Aircraft and Engine Design Section: Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten with Wright Whirlwind Engine 3-view drawing Aircraft Year Book 1928. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, Inc. New York City, NY: 1928. p. 330. Print.
Bradley, Samuel Stewart. Aircraft and Engine Design Section: Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten with Ryan-Siemens Engine 3-view drawing Aircraft Year Book 1928. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, Inc. New York City, NY: 1928. p. 332. Print.
Bradley, Samuel Stewart. chapter III: Civil Aviation in the United States: Advance Aircraft Company Waco Ten Photos Aircraft Year Book 1928. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, Inc. New York City, NY: 1928. p. 84. Print.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Waco Ten
Grey, C. G. and Leonard Bridgman. Waco: The Waco Ten. Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1927. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., 1927. 278b-279b. Print.