Waco C-72

Last updated December 29, 2025

C-72 was a blanket designation given to a variety of privately owned Waco enclosed-cabin biplanes pressed into service by the United States Army Air Forces in 1942. In all, 42 aircraft were taken and used for light transport duty wherever needed.

Variants

UC-72: 12 impressed civil Waco SRE, powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985-33 Wasp Junior.^[1]
UC-72A: One impressed civil Waco ARE, powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Jacobs R-915-1 (Jacobs L-6-1).^[1]
UC-72B: Four impressed civil Waco EGC-8, powered by a 350 hp (261 kW) Wright R-760-E2 Whirlwind.^[1]
UC-72C: Two impressed civil Waco HRE, powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming R-680-9.^[1]
UC-72D: Two impressed civil Waco VKS-7, powered by a 240 hp (179 kW) Continental R-670-3 (Continental W-670-3).^[1]
UC-72E: Four impressed civil Waco ZGC-7, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1 (Jacobs L-5-1).^[1]
UC-72F: One impressed civil Waco CUC-1, powered by a 250 hp (186 kW) Wright R-760E Whirlwind.^[1]
UC-72G: One impressed civil Waco AQC-6, powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Jacobs R-915-1.^[2]
UC-72H: Five impressed civil Waco ZQC-6, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1.^[2]
UC-72J: Three impressed civil Waco AVN-8, powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Jacobs R-915-1.^[2]

UC-72K: Two impressed civil Waco YKS-7, powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Jacobs R-755-1 (Jacobs L-4-1).^[2]
UC-72L: One impressed civil Waco ZVN-8, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1.^[2]
UC-72M: Two impressed civil Waco ZKS-7, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1.^[2] One later factory retrofitted with a 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming R-680-13.^[3]^[4]^[5]
UC-72N: One impressed civil Waco YOC-1, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1.^[2]
UC-72P: Two impressed civil Waco AGC-8, powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Jacobs R-915-1.^[2]
UC-72Q: One impressed civil Waco ZQC-6, powered by a 285 hp (213 kW) Jacobs R-830-1.^[2]

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Andrade 1979, p. 79
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Andrade 1979, p. 80
↑ "Aircraft N50662, 1939 Waco Formerly ZKS-7 now HKS-7 C/N 5221". Airport-data.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
↑ "S7Album/1939 Waco HKS-7 NC50662 originally ZKS-7 NC20954". Nationalwacoclub.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
↑ McGo, Jack (2011-12-05). "Waco HKS-7 NC50662". Flickr. Retrieved 2012-07-18.

Sources

Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.

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[Andrade79-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Andrade 1979, p. 79

[Andrade80-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Andrade 1979, p. 80

[3] "Aircraft N50662, 1939 Waco Formerly ZKS-7 now HKS-7 C/N 5221". Airport-data.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.

[4] "S7Album/1939 Waco HKS-7 NC50662 originally ZKS-7 NC20954". Nationalwacoclub.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.

[5] McGo, Jack (2011-12-05). "Waco HKS-7 NC50662". Flickr. Retrieved 2012-07-18.

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v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² DHC C-127 Douglas C-127 C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² Boeing YC-137 DHC YC-137 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 ³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned •² Assigned to multiple types •³ Unconfirmed