In 1953 a World War II training aircraft was boxed; Its owner carried the parts through 3 movements for 50 years before the forgotten aircraft was finally restored.

A World War II training aircraft that spent nearly five decades stored in boxes after its retirement, moving with its private owner from place to place, has now been restored to airworthy condition.The WACO UPF-7, serial number 5650, began its training role in 1941, Vintage Aviation News reported. It was acquired by the Unger Aircraft Association through the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), a government-supported program created to help train pilots before and during World War II. Later, the plane also helped train pilots related to the Korean War era.In 1953, the WACO was retired and purchased by a private owner in Florida. Instead of being scrapped, the plane was disassembled and packed into boxes. The owner planned to restore it himself one day, but that restoration did not take place for decades.The plane remained in storage while its owner moved three times over a 50-year period, taking the packed parts with him. In 2002, a pilot rediscovered the aircraft in the owner’s storage unit while purchasing a Piper aircraft from him on behalf of RARE Aircraft Ltd. of Faribault, Minnesota. This changed the history of the airplane.

The WACO UPF-7

The WACO UPF-7 was built between 1937 and 1942 as a primary trainer. It had a combination of wood, steel and fabric, along with an open cockpit. Depending on the aircraft, the type could be equipped with a Jacobs or Continental engine and a Hamilton propeller.Its design made it suitable for people learning the basics of flying. The aircraft was considered easy to maneuver and stable, important qualities for primary pilot training. It is estimated that 50% of World War II pilots received their initial training in a WACO UPF-7.The history of the aircraft was linked to the broader development of WACO. The company that became known as Weaver Aircraft Company was founded by George E Weaver, Clayton Bruckner and Elwood ‘Sam’ Junkin in Troy, Ohio, in 1920.According to the report, in 1929 the company was known as Waco Aircraft Company. During the 1930s, it built and sold more airplanes than all other American commercial aircraft companies combined. When the company ceased aircraft production in 1947, it had produced 62 different aircraft models operating in 35 countries.

How WACO ended up in storage

The UPF-7 was among the aircraft used in the CPTP. At the time, the United States government wanted to support pilot training for college students as the country pursued an isolationist policy at the beginning of World War II.Civilian fixed base operators, or FBOs, like Unger, purchased aircraft for the program. They could then recoup their investment through federally funded training programs, such as the CPTP. These agreements also included annual hangar leases for $1.After UPF-7 was retired in 1953, its private owner in Florida decided to keep it rather than get rid of it. The aircraft was dismantled and placed in boxes with the intention of a restoration at some point.That decision meant the plane survived, but it also left it forgotten for many years. The owner carried the boxes through three moves over the next five decades before the plane was rediscovered in 2002.RARE Aircraft then took over the restoration. Much of the aircraft’s steel structure was preserved, while much of the wood was replaced.

Restoration after decades

The original aircraft had a grade A cotton cover. During the restoration, much of this was replaced with Dacron, which is now a standard material used in aircraft restoration.The restoration also preserved some of the plane’s original components in unexpected ways. The original wing ribs were later used as a table in the museum conference room where the aircraft was displayed.The plane’s registration also required a change. Its original registration number, N32019, had been used on another aircraft. Therefore, RARE Aircraft obtained N32018 from the US Federal Aviation Administration for the restored WACO.After restoration, the aircraft was fitted with a Jacobs R75582M engine and a Hamilton Standard constant speed propeller. It was made airworthy and was displayed at the Historic Flight Foundation.Photographs by aviation historian and writer Randy Malmstrom show the restored aircraft, including its two open cockpits, instrument panel, landing gear and Jacobs R-755 engine.The aircraft was on display at the Historic Flight Foundation when the museum was located at Paine Field in Everett/Mukilteo, Washington. The foundation later moved to Spokane.The plane’s time with the Historic Flight Foundation finally came to an end. Following the dissolution of the foundation, the WACO UPF-7 was sold to a private owner in Lakeland, Florida.