THE TRI-GEAR WACO

[wacoykc]

Scanning some photos for my book so I thought I would post a few here:

AVN-7 PROTOTYPE NC17731


AVN-8 NC231E


ZVN-8 NC1937S


AVN-8 NC17 CAA AIRPLANE


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


AVN-8 NC2278 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA


ZVN-8 NC19399 ERICKSON & REMMERT BROOKLYN, NY


AVN-8 NC2276 TWA AIRLINES


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

[Roger Cain]

Thanks for posting all the pictures, but nose wheeled biplanes just don't look right................

[Obergrafeter]

We have a candidate for ugliest airplane contest.

[Kyleb]

What a horrible thing to do to a beautiful airplane...

[visaliaaviation]

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!

[Eric Presten]

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?

[N3Njeff]

You can still keep the PT-17's!

Charles 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

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

[b29flteng]

Butt ugly.

[RyanShort1]

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

[Wheels up]

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.

[wacoykc]

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!

[steve dickey]

Isn't one of those flyable still? I think there neat

[RyanShort1]

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...

Ryan

[Obergrafeter]

Training wheels for doctors and lawyers.

[wacoykc]

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.