Waco A series

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 100 hp Kinner engine and the later UBA with a 210 hp Continental powerplant.

The PLA "Sportsman" of 1933 introduced a longer wider fuselage and a higher useful load and had a 170 hp Jacobs LA-1 radial engine. The last model in the series was the ULA, also of 1933, with a 210 hp 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: 165 hp Wright J-5 - none produced
 * KBA: 100 hp Kinner K-5 - one built
 * IBA: 125 hp Kinner B-5 - three built including one conversion
 * PBA: 170 hp Jacobs LA-1 - six built
 * RBA: 110 hp later 125 hp Warner Scarab - 4 built
 * TBA: 160 hp Kinner R-5 - none built
 * UBA: 210 hp Continental R-670 - at least 6 built

CA series

 * KCA: 100 hp Kinner K-5 - possibly none built
 * PCA: 170 hp Jacobs LA-1 - possibly none built
 * RCA: 110 hp Warner Scarab - possibly none built
 * TCA: 160 hp Kinner R-5 - none built
 * UCA: 210 hp Continental R-670 - none built

LA series

 * PLA Sportsman:
 * longer and wider fuselage and 170 hp Jacobs LA-1 - 4 built


 * ULA Sportsman
 * as PLA with 210 hp Continental R-670 - 1 built