Waco CRG

The Waco G series is an American open-cockpit sporting biplane of the early 1930s.

Waco CRG
Role sporting biplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Waco Aircraft Company
First flight 1930
Introduction 1930
Status one airworthy in 2016
Primary user private pilot owners
Number built 2

Development

The Waco G series was designed specifically to win the 1930 Ford Air Tour, a 4,800 mi (7,725 km) transcontinental race. Waco had won the race in both 1928 and 1929 and the company built two newly designed CRGs for the 1930 competition. The CRG is a powerful but conventional biplane design with straight wings with a special M18 airfoil. The landing gear shock strut was extended and featured a tailskid versus a tailwheel. The 240 hp (179 kW) Wright R-760 radial engine initially fitted with a speedring cowl.

Operational history

Two CRGs were completed for the 1930 race. To prevent the Waco aircraft winning for a third consecutive time, Ford changed the rules so that only the Ford Trimotor could win. The CRGs succeeded in gaining second and third paces in the transcontinental marathon, which started at the Ford Airport, which is now the site of the Ford Motor Company automobile testing site at Dearborn, Michigan. The 1930 competition was over a 5,200-mile circular course passing through the U.S. Midwest and neighboring provinces of Canada.[1]

NC600Y was flown by John H. Livingston and NC660Y by Art Davis, the proprietor of the Air Circus bearing his name. The CRG flown by Livingston, NC600Y, still survives today and has been owned by the Heins family for 54 years (2016). The CRG NC660Y flown by Davis ended its flying career as a cropduster in Greenville, Mississippi in 1938. Waco CRG NC600Y was re-engined in 1939 with a Wright R-760E-2 powerplant of 350 hp (261 kW) and was used by Andy Stinis, of the Skywriting Corporation of America, for skywriting at high altitude as the original Pepsi-Cola Skywriter.

Specifications (CRG)


Data from Aerofiles.com

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 1 or 2 passengers
  • Length: 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m)
  • Wingspan: 30 ft 7 in (9.32 m)
  • Useful lift: 1,241 lb (563 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-760 , 240 hp (179 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 154 mph (248 km/h, 134 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
  • Stall speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)
  • Range: 700 mi (1,126 km, 610 nmi)
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References
Notes
  1. Detroit News
Bibliography
  • Detroit News, 10 September 1930
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