The Waco A series is a range of light American-built twin side-by-side seater sporting biplanes of the early 1930s.
Development
The Waco A series was introduced in 1932 as an affordable private-owner aircraft with cross-country range and baggage capacity and a more sporting image than the larger Waco F series. The A series offered a number of engine options which had varying sub-designations. The power range lay between the KBA with a Kinner engine and the later UBA with a Continental powerplant.
The PLA "Sportsman" of 1933 introduced a longer wider fuselage and a higher useful load and had a Jacobs LA-1 radial engine. The last model in the series was the ULA, also of 1933, with a powerplant.
Operational history
The A series was bought mainly by private pilot owners with a sporting inclination. Relatively few were produced and the type survives in small numbers in 2009. A PBA is on display in the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum at Dauster Field near St Louis, Missouri.
Variants Data from Aerofiles BA series BBA Wright J-5 - none produced KBA Kinner K-5 - one built IBA Kinner B-5 - three built including one conversion PBA Jacobs LA-1 - six built RBA later Warner Scarab - 4 built TBA Kinner R-5 - none built UBA Continental R-670 - at least 6 built
CA series KCA Kinner K-5 - possibly none built PCA Jacobs LA-1 - possibly none built RCA Warner Scarab - possibly none built TCA Kinner R-5 - none built UCA Continental R-670 - none built
LA series PLA Sportsman longer and wider fuselage and Jacobs LA-1 - 4 built ULA Sportsman as PLA with Continental R-670 - 1 built
Specifications (RBA variant)
References