Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Fri Apr 26, 2024 6:54 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: THE TRI-GEAR WACO
PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:30 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:18 pm
Posts: 743
Location: OHIO
Scanning some photos for my book so I thought I would post a few here:

AVN-7 PROTOTYPE NC17731
Image

AVN-8 NC231E
Image

ZVN-8 NC1937S
Image

AVN-8 NC17 CAA AIRPLANE
Image

ZVN-8 VT-AKI SIR DONALD FIELD JODPHUR, INDIA
Image

AVN-8 NC2278 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Image

ZVN-8 NC19399 ERICKSON & REMMERT BROOKLYN, NY
Image

AVN-8 NC2276 TWA AIRLINES
Image

AVN-8 NC19387 H. G. HILLS SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Image

_________________
President National Waco Club
Curator for the Waco Historical Society Air Museum
Writer for VINTAGE AIRPLANE, SKYWAYS, BARNSTORMERS.COM EFLYER


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:47 am 
Offline
Aerial Pirate
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 06, 2004 11:46 pm
Posts: 1998
Location: South San Francisco, CA (next to SFO Airport)
Thanks for posting all the pictures, but nose wheeled biplanes just don't look right................

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:19 am 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 9:58 pm
Posts: 3282
Location: Nelson City, Texas
We have a candidate for ugliest airplane contest.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:11 am 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!

Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:43 pm
Posts: 1168
Location: Marietta, GA
What a horrible thing to do to a beautiful airplane...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:48 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm
Posts: 353
An AVN-8 sat for years outside at Ried's Hillview in San Jose, CA early/mid 1960's. Never saw it fly . IIRC, it was sort of looked down on by the AAAer's. Kind of how a wartime Stearman or UPF-7 was viewed at the time. Times change and I would love to fly either Waco today. You can still keep the PT-17's!

_________________
Charles Neely


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:02 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:01 pm
Posts: 186
Location: Sonoma, California
I am including the type in my next book as well. Any idea of the exact date the prototype tri-gear Cabin Custom was first test flown?

_________________
Fly low. Fly slow, Fly safe.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:10 pm 
Offline
2000+ Post Club
2000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:54 pm
Posts: 2593
Location: VT
visaliaaviation wrote:
You can still keep the PT-17's!

Charles :partyman: I dont like them either.

I do like the tri-waco, I was refering to charles comment on not liking the PT-17..............I wonder why

_________________
Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005
Image


Last edited by N3Njeff on Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:42 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:39 pm
Posts: 1817
Location: Irving, Texas
Butt ugly.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:48 pm 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:29 pm
Posts: 4480
Location: Dallas, TX
I guess beauty is as beauty does - and it might be easier for some pilots to land that thing, but you'd have to convince them to buy it first! :?

Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:37 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:34 pm
Posts: 261
Location: Midwest
RyanShort1 wrote:
I guess beauty is as beauty does - and it might be easier for some pilots to land that thing, but you'd have to convince them to buy it first! :?

Ryan


It's 1937. You are a vain wealthy pilot. You bought a new $12,000 (depression dollars remember) gorgeous Waco Custom cabin (tailwheeler of course) and because you are better at making money than piloting, you promptly crash your investment in a horrific groundloop. All the sudden you can see past the third wheel on the front...you can now put aside your vanity and bruised ego and actually fly a cabin class airplane.

You would be amazed (but shouldn't be) how often that scenario occured. Often, N buyers were previous Waco owners/pilots who had a "record". Waco smartly responded to their clientele. They are a wonderful flying (and landing) aircraft.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:18 pm
Posts: 743
Location: OHIO
Go get 'em WHEELSUP. Looks like you and I are the only ones who think they are cool.....and probably the only ones who have actually been in one!

_________________
President National Waco Club
Curator for the Waco Historical Society Air Museum
Writer for VINTAGE AIRPLANE, SKYWAYS, BARNSTORMERS.COM EFLYER


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:18 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 2:59 pm
Posts: 1714
Location: Safford, Az
Isn't one of those flyable still? I think there neat :D


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:46 pm 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:29 pm
Posts: 4480
Location: Dallas, TX
Wheels up wrote:
RyanShort1 wrote:
I guess beauty is as beauty does - and it might be easier for some pilots to land that thing, but you'd have to convince them to buy it first! :?

Ryan


It's 1937. You are a vain wealthy pilot. You bought a new $12,000 (depression dollars remember) gorgeous Waco Custom cabin (tailwheeler of course) and because you are better at making money than piloting, you promptly crash your investment in a horrific groundloop. All the sudden you can see past the third wheel on the front...you can now put aside your vanity and bruised ego and actually fly a cabin class airplane.

You would be amazed (but shouldn't be) how often that scenario occured. Often, N buyers were previous Waco owners/pilots who had a "record". Waco smartly responded to their clientele. They are a wonderful flying (and landing) aircraft.


Well, having groundlooped before I CAN see and sympathize with that view, but on the other hand, I think I'd do what I did when that happened. Get a bit more training and experience and conquer the thing... Wonder if it was rich doctors buying them back then, too... :wink:

Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:15 pm 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 9:58 pm
Posts: 3282
Location: Nelson City, Texas
Training wheels for doctors and lawyers.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:19 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:18 pm
Posts: 743
Location: OHIO
Considering that an AVN-8 in 1937-38 cost $11,375 (15 sold) and a ZVN-8 was $10,695 (6 sold) I can say that not your average guy owned one. As in most of the Custom Cabins sold, they were doctors, lawyers, and well-to-do businessmen. Many of these were the Learjet/Citation/G-4's of the day.

_________________
President National Waco Club
Curator for the Waco Historical Society Air Museum
Writer for VINTAGE AIRPLANE, SKYWAYS, BARNSTORMERS.COM EFLYER


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 45 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group