In 1927, the Advance Aircraft Company in America introduced the three-seat, open cockpit WACO 10, and the general design of this aircraft remained in production until World War II. A five-seat enclosed cabin version was produced in 1936 as the WACO YQC-6; the Y, Q and C symbols referring to engine, wing and fuselage details, whilst the 6 stood for 1936. Adastra Airways at Mascot, imported a Waco YQC-6 and the biplane appeared on the DCA register as VH-UVW. Unfortunately, on its first test flight on 30 May 1936, the Waco overturned before take-off because the wheel brakes did not fully release. Repairs were carried out and, in 1937, the Waco was transferred to Southern Airlines and Freighters Ltd for service between Sydney and Broken Hill. On 19 October 1938, the Waco was fitted with a galvanised-iron fish tank for operations with Mr N. Healy. A further change of ownership occurred on 22 May 1939, when the aircraft was taken over by Mr J. Palmer. On 4 August 1942, the RAAF impressed Waco YQC-6, ex VH-UVW, and the aircraft was taken on strength at No 3 Communications Flight as A54-1. The following day, it was allotted to Marshall Airways for camouflaging and modification, and was returned to No 3 Communications Flight on 26 August 1942. On 6 September 1942, the Waco ground-looped on landing and the starboard lower mainplane and both spars were broken. The aircraft was subsequently repaired and overhauled, and continued to give good service at No 3 Communications Flight until 12 April 1944. On 26 November 1944, the Waco was offered for disposal and on 9 March 1945 it was released to Mr W. Meecham as VH-UVW. Fuselage structure was typical for the period, being welded steel tubing with light wood strips to fair the shape in. The wings were made of spruce with two spars each, having ailerons on only the upper wings, mounted on a false spar. Split flaps were installed on the undersides of the upper wings, though two designs were used depending on model – placed either mid-chord (OC, UC and QC), or in the conventional position at the trailing edge of the wing (GC and N). The model N was unusual in being the only model with flaps on the lower wings while the model E was the only one with plain flaps. Wing bracing was with a heavily canted N strut joining upper and lower wings, assisted by a single strut bracing the lower wing to the upper fuselage longeron, except on the E series which replaced the single strut with flying and landing wires. Elevators and rudder were aerodynamically counterbalanced and braced with wire cables. Both could be trimmed, the rudder via a ground-adjustable tab, the elevators via jack screw on the OC, UC and QC, while the GC, E and N used a single trim tab on the port (left) elevator. The main landing gear was sprung with oleo struts, and a castoring tailwheel was fitted on all versions except the VN model, which had a nosewheel. For more details on the Waco Cabin Series, including operational history and a multitude of variants, click here.
