@ Vacaville, CA
June 2024
Photographed this 1929 WACO Taperwing at the Rowland Freedom Center Aviation Museum. This example started life as a model ASO straight-winged before swapping for the higher-performance tapered wings at some point. Tapered wings were a custom upgrade in the 1920s that significantly increased aerodynamic efficiency and were the preferred choice for air racing and aerobatics. First flown in 1927, the Waco 10 series, of which the CTO is a variant, was one of the most popular open-cockpit biplanes of the late 1920s. At least 1,623 were produced from 1927 to 1933. WACO was originally the Weaver Aircraft Company of Ohio but later changed its name to the Waco Aircraft Company (WACO).