1936 Waco YKS-6
Five complete restorations across nine decades. Its earliest logbook entries were lost in a 1942 fire in Bar Harbor, Maine — making surviving CAP records its oldest documented history.
A cabin-class Waco reborn through five restorations, now with a freshly overhauled Jacobs R755B2 replacing the original Jacobs L4.
1936 Waco YKS-6: A Classic Reborn Through Five Restorations
The 1936 Waco YKS-6 is a true survivor -having undergone five restorations over nearly nine decades. From early commercial use to decades of meticulous craftsmanship, this aircraft has been carefully preserved, rebuilt, and upgraded, ensuring that its legacy remains alive in the skies.
Originally completed on August 29, 1936, NC16576 began its journey through aviation history. However, much of its early logbook records were lost in a fire in Bar Harbor, Maine, on December 12, 1942. Fortunately, records from the Civil Air Patrol in 1942 show it had logged 633.05 flight hours, marking its early role as a hardworking aircraft.
The aircraft has been restored multiple times, each chapter adding to its legacy:
✔️ 1945: Fully rebuilt after a nose-over accident
✔️ 1947: Restored again after another nose-over in Northern California
✔️ 1969-1975: Recovered and flown before entering long-term storage
✔️ 1994-2000: A full-scale restoration led by John Reed & Russ Harmuth, spanning over 3,000 hours of expert craftsmanship
Purchased by Tony Caldwell in December 2022, the Waco YKS-6 was in remarkable condition, with just 59 hours on the airframe since its 2000 restoration. However, time had taken its toll, and a new round of refurbishment and modernization was needed.
The latest restoration, led by Oren Redsun and Nerio Festa, focused on both preservation and performance:
✔️ Exterior deep cleaning and ceramic coating to restore the original finish
✔️ Landing gear overhaul with new hydraulic systems and tires
✔️ Full engine upgrade, replacing the Jacobs L4 with a freshly overhauled Jacobs R755B2 (275 HP)
✔️ Firewall refinishing and all-new engine components, including starter, magneto, and baffles
✔️ Interior refinements, including a new rear seat support system and planned carpet replacement
✔️ Avionics modernization, installing a Garmin GDL 82 for ADS-B compliance
Each restoration has honored the Waco YKS 6 past while ensuring it remains ready for the future. Now, as part of The Caldwell Collection at Mustang Field, this classic biplane will continue to tell its story on the ground and in the sky for generations to come.
For more information including photographs, restoration information, history, and how we came to acquire the plane go to www.DreamWacos.com
The Comeback Cruiser
A computer rendering made from reference photos, not footage of the airplane
Drawn from reference photos
From every angle
See the 1936 Waco YKS-6 in person
The Collection is open Tuesday–Friday 10am–4:30pm and Saturday 10am–2pm, free admission. You can see this aircraft up close in Hangar 3, where the same shop that maintains and restores the whole Collection works on site. It's part of our flying fleet. On flying days it may be out on the line.
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