Waco NC11489 was signed into the Register at Tuscon by pilot
H.E. Ocumpaugh on January 4, 1932. He carried his wife as
sole passenger. Based in Rochester, NY they were homewardbound
from San Diego,
CA.
Waco NC11489
(Source: Hines)
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NC11489 bore S/N 3547 and it was manufactured in 1931. According to the aircraft log (images below) it was powered by a 165HP Continental radial engine, S/N 297. It
was owned by Kenny Flying Service, Buffalo, NY. Perhaps the
Ocumpaughs rented it for their voyage west. The cabin configuration
would have been more comfortable than an open cockpit Waco
in January.
Below, an interior photograph of the model QDC from the San Diego Aerospace Museum (SDAM).
Waco Model QDC Cockpit Interior (Source: SDAM)
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This airframe is still in existence. See NC13402.
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Update of June 20, 2008 Aaron Perry, whose grandfather owns both NC11489 and NC13402, shares with us the following images. Below we see two pages from the aircraft log for NC11489. They document the dates surrounding this brand new Waco's landing at Tucson. The log entries are not detailed enough to show origins or destinations for individual legs of the journey. They do tell us that the "transcont trip" that brought pilot Ocumpaugh to Tucson January 4, 1932 began on December 17, 1931 and probably ended near January 16th.
NC11489 Aircraft Log, Page 1
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Below, the next page of the aircraft log. Ocumpaugh's transcontinental voyage included at least eleven legs. He initialed, "HEO", most of the legs. He appeared to be carrying two passengers and 88 pounds of cargo until at least December 21st. He cited only his wife as passenger when he landed at Tucson.
NC11489 Aircraft Log, Page 2
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On January 16th, NC11489 underwent maintenance consisting of "aileron drag links tightened, right wing heaviness corrected, oil put in oleos, tail wheel tightened".
Further to this transcontinental trip, the two images below show the daily inspection checks performed by Ocumpaugh during his voyage.
NC11489 Inspection Log, Page 1
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Note, above, Ocumpaugh's notation "uses too much oil" on January 1st, and that he "greased rockers" and "cleaned strainer" on January 5th.
NC11489 Inspection Log, Page 2
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Below, an image of a model of NC11489. This model is owned by the Perry family. It is not clear if these colors were as on the original airplane as it left the factory. The wheel pants design and the propeller are different from the image above.
Model of Waco NC11489
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UPLOADED: 10/07/07 REVISED: 06/20/08, 06/20/11
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