Khee-Kha Art Products 1/72 Waco YKS
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Introduction
In late 1918 itinerant airplane mechanics Clayton J. Brukner and Elwood
J. “Sam” Junkin met up with barnstormers George E. “Buck”
Weaver and Charles W. Meyer in Lorain, Ohio and formed Weaver Aircraft
Company – Waco. They pronounced the name “wah- co” to
distinguish it from the city in Texas that pronounces the same four letters
as “way-co”. Their initial task was the repair of the barnstormers’
Jennies. The first airplane they built was the Waco “Cootie”
a single place parasol powered by a 30 hp Lawrence two-cylinder engine.
In early 1923 Weaver left to become pilot for a Chicago businessman; Meyer
having left earlier to pursue barnstorming. Later in 1923 Brukner and
Junkin changed the company name to Advance Aircraft Company of Troy, Ohio
but they retained the name Waco for their airplanes. Sam Junkin died of
heart problems in late 1926 leaving the company to be run by Clayton Brukner.
After establishing the company as a respected manufacturer of airplanes
Brukner changed the name of the company to Waco Aircraft Company. The
chief designer for Waco after 1931 was ex Handley-Page engineer, Englishman
A. Francis Arcier.
The YKS, subject of this kit, was introduced in 1934 as the YKC-S and
changed to YKS-6 in 1936. It is very similar to many other models in the
S and C series of cabin biplanes. Modelers can use this kit as the basis
for many different Wacos in these series as only details varied. Beware
of Waco’s model designation series; it an alphabet soup horror of
latent confusion.
Here are the particulars of the YKS-6:
Length 25’ 3”
Span 33’ 3”
Engine 225 hp Jacobs L-4MB
Max. Speed 144 mph
Cruise 135 mph
Landing speed 55 mph
Range 518 miles
Service ceiling 12,500’
Useful load 767 pounds
The Kit
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This is a typical, we can say “typical” now that they have
four kits in the market, Khee-Kha kit. 23 principal parts are vac formed
in .030” white polystyrene plastic. Lars Opland, owner/craftsman
of Khee-Kha, does an excellent job of getting the right degree of sharpness
and subtlety in the ribbing of the wings of his kits; they are really
good looking. The stringering of the fuselage on this kit is, however,
not quite up to the fineness of the ribbing on the wings, being a bit
uneven and vague. This is nothing that an experienced, AMS afflicted modeler
can’t deal with. Outlines for the interplane “N” struts,
the floor, bulkheads, seats and spars are marked on the sheet containing
the vac-formed parts. The balance of the kit is made up with two vac windscreens,
a beautifully detailed engine, optional propellers an instrument panel
and tailwheel cast in resin. The instructions in Khee-Kha kits are exceptional
in that they are detailed and lead the builder through the process of
building a vac kit. The eight pages of instructions in this kit are up
to Khee-Kha’s usual high standards. These instructions also give
you four color schemes appropriate to the type. Lamentably, there are
no decals so you’re on your own for markings.
The YKS, and many of its brethren Wacos, were frequently used on floats
and Khee-Kha has the appropriate Edo P-3300 floats available in resin
for separate purchase.
For further graphic guidance on building vac kits go to www.mtaonline.net
Conclusion
This is a fine kit of a subject that will appeal to any modeler who
likes Golden Age biplanes and/or who is tired of the endless stream of
kits of Messerspitwulfstangs. I paid $20.00 plus $5.00 for shipping for
my kit directly from Khee-Kha. They accept cash, check or PayPal. Go to
the very interesting and easy to navigate Khee-Kha web site at www.mtaonline.net
for full information on their line of kits and accessories including floats.
References I used
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Waco, “Ask any Pilot”: Raymond H. Brandly, Privately
published, USA, 1979, ISBN 0-9602734-0-9.
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The Waco Aircraft Company Troy, Ohio, USA – The Versatile
Cabin Series: Raymon H. Brandly, Privately published, USA, 1981, ISBN
0-9602734-2-5.
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The Waco Aircraft Company Troy, Ohio, USA – The Famous F
Series: Raymond H. Brandly, Privately Published, USA, 1982, ISBN 0-960-2734-3-3.
References cited by the kit manufacturer
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Air Trails magazine, Vol. 2, Nos. 2 & 3, summer and fall, 1977.
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YKS-6 drawings; Paul Matt.
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Alaskan Wings; Jim Ruotsala book.
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What…No Landing Field?; Bob and Peg Ellis, book.
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Air Classics magazine, Vol. 43, No. 12, 2007.
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Archives of Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry.
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Collection of Alaska Heritage Museum.
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