Aircraft Type
Civil Aviation Aircraft

HISTORY OF THE WACO

The name WACO is synonymous with classic antique biplanes throughout North America. Three partners calling themselves the Weaver Airplane Company (hence the acronym WACO), formed the company in Troy, Ohio in 1923. By 1929 WACO was the largest producer of commercial and general aviation aircraft in the U.S. In Canada, the WACOs were used extensively in the '30s and '40s for barnstorming, air ambulance work, recreational flying and general freight-carrying duties. The first air ambulance in western Canada was a QC-6 operated by Speers Airways, Regina in 1936. In 1934, the first model year of the QC-6, three were purchased by Calgarians and flown to the city.

OUR AIRCRAFT

CF-AZM (Serial no. 4479) was donated to the Museum in August 1995 by Earle Flemming of Delta, B.C.

The original CF-AZM (Serial 4449) was a Waco QC-6 Custom purchased and operated by Grant McConachie, then President of Yukon Southern Transport. He pioneered scheduled routes between Vancouver, Whitehorse, Prince George, Watson Lake, etc. As 1938 drew to a close, Yukon Southern was looking forward to its first year of operation without the loss of an airplane. On 22 November, 1938, pilot Ted Field misjudged his landing and put ‘AZM through the ice at Watson Lake. It was never seen again! In an inexplicable twist of fate, Yukon Southern lost three of its airplanes that same day in unrelated accidents!

In 1983, Jack Landage of Calgary purchased the aircraft in Woodlake, California and imported it to Calgary, where he restored it to mint condition with new fabric and overhauled engine. It was he who applied for and received the famous registration CF-AZM that Grant McConachie had used.

FAST FACTS

  • It was the first aircraft type to operate as an air ambulance in Canada.
  • Grant McConachie was a renowned bush pilot and a CEO of Canadian Pacific Air Lines

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

  • Wingspan of 10.59 metres (34ft 9in)
  • Height of 2.63 metres (8ft 7in)
  • Length of 8.04 metres (27ft 7in)
  • Maximum speed of 294 km/h (159 mph)
  • Rate of climb of 760 ft/min