We are pleased to welcome three WACO Biplanes, two of which are now permanent residents of Omaka, back to Marlborough Lines Classic Fighters.
WACO YMF-5, ZK-CFL, is the latest arrival, formerly owned by Keith Skilling and now under the stewardship of Graham Orphan. This 'modern' build pays tribute to WACO, one of the most successful companies of the 1930s. WACO ceased production in 1947 but reinvented itself in 1986 and started to build brand new YMF-5s, delivering several hundred machines to date. They are produced by hand, based on original plans and techniques of the era.
Image: WACO YMF-5, ZK-CFL
We are thrilled to welcome back North Island-based owner Simon Holdsworth's striking red WACO UPF-7, ZK-UPF, built in 1941 and imported from the USA in 2022. The aircraft was reassembled at Omaka by JEM Aviation and flew at CF 2023, adding a few more hours to the just over five hours of flying time it had on the clock following its restoration in the USA.
Image: Omaka-based Waco project - Photo by Gavin Conroy
Our second Omaka-based aircraft is a rare 1935 model WACO UOC, owned by locals Jay McIntyre and Rex Newman. ZK-AEL made its airshow debut at CF 2023 after a long-term restoration. Bought new from the manufacturers in 1936, the custom cabin biplane was one of only three of the type ever built, and amazingly, it was purchased by the Marlborough Aero Club and operated from Omaka until 1948. During that time, it was impressed into RNZAF service between 1939 to 1946 like many civilian aircraft were during World War Two.
About Marlborough Lines Classic Fighters Omaka: The airshow is the main fundraising event for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Museum, located in Blenheim, Marlborough NZ.
