Why Only One WACO RPT Was Made

The aircraft was not selected for a military contract, and we found out why.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 08:40 AM ET

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Resembling a Fairchild PT-23, the sole WACO RPT was fitted with a canopy and a more powerful engine after it was purchased by a private individual. [Photo: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

The WACO RPT was one of only three monoplanes ever produced by WACO, a company primarily known for its biplanes, and was built in 1940.
It was initially designed to compete for a U.S. Army Air Force training contract but was not selected due to insufficient power from its original engine, despite good maneuverability.
After being privately purchased and modified with a more powerful engine and canopy, the RPT spent decades largely tucked away in a hangar, rarely flown.
The unique RPT prototype, the sole example built, was acquired by the WACO Air Museum in 2018 and will be put on display.

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Mention the name WACO, and most naturally envision the sturdy biplanes that were built from 1920 to 1947 and put back into production in 1983. Equipped with open cockpits and radial engines, the majority of Wacos exemplify the classic biplane. Of the thousands built, every example except three were biplanes.

The three monoplanes that were produced were each significant departures from WACO’s winning biplane formula. In 1920, the WACO “Cootie” parasol monoplane was built, flown, and crashed. In 1947, the WACO Aristocraft was built, a bizarre-looking, high-wing monoplane with a front engine that drove a tail-mounted pusher prop via a series of drive shafts.