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.
