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78 AERO DIGEST October, 1929 MANUFACTURING THE WACO By B. D. Spofford The Advance Aircraft Company, now the Waco Aircraft Company, was founded by E.J. Junkin and C.J. Brukner, who began the manufacture of airplanes in 1920 after seven years of study and experiment in the employ of manufacturers of military planes. The Advance Aircraft Company was originally capitalized with only $12,000, and it is significant that the entire project of the new factory buildings, land, machinery, etc., should have been financed out of earnings on the original capitalization of 100 shares outstanding at the part value of $100 each. In April, 1928, the company was re-organized under the laws of Ohio and the capital stock was increased to an authorized 62,500 no par shares, all of which was issued to the stockholders of the original Massachusetts company. In May, 1929, the stock structure was further increased with an authorized 200,000 shares no par, leaving 55,000 shares un-issued. Recently a small portion of these shares were sold on the market. Likewise, a minority interest in the Waco Aircraft Company was purchased by the Aviation Corporation, but the control of the company remained in the hands of the president, Mr. Clayton J. Brukner, where it has been since the death of Mr. E.J. Junkin, at which time all of Mr. Junkin's interest had been sold with the exception of one share retained by Mrs. Junkin. Manufacturing was started in a small brick building at Troy, Ohio. Additions were gradually made until in 1927 the company was manufacturing in seven buildings in that city. The present new factory was built in 1928 on a plot of 115 acres, southwest of and adjoining Troy, where practically all manufacturing operations are carried on under one roof. The main building covers over 80,000 square feet of ground floor space, and is of steel and concrete construction - monitor type of three bays. Windows are of rough actinic glass, used to reduce heat and sun glare. The windows along the the top are opened by chains controlling the ventilation. An automatic sprinkler system, combined with an additional deluge system in the paint room, has been installed as a protection against fire. A 75,000-gallon tank tower, in addition to the city water system, supplies the pressure. The plant is equipped for the manufacture of all parts of the airplane, except castings and forgings. The main office building, which is a two-story structure of brick, houses the executive, engineering and administration departments. Steel sash windows of the double-ventilating type furnish ventilation and light. The floors are of hardwood; the office partitions, of gum wood. All office furniture is steel. A direct wire from Western Union, with a Simplex printing typewriter receiving and sending apparatus, has just been installed. The sales and delivery hangar, occupying 12,000 square feet of floor space, is of steel and concrete construction, with two eighty-foot openings, the doors of which roll on ball bearings. A concrete apron extends out partway to the flying field. A crew is kept on duty to take care of planes for flyaway delivery and to service the ships of visiting fliers. The cafeteria, one of the only two wooden buildings, seats one hundred fifty persons. The other wooden building is for repairs and service parts that are not ordinarily carried in stock. A separate heat and power building is of steel and concrete construction. Two low-pressure boilers provide heat, and two air compressors located in the same building provide air pressure for the (?) sprays, etc. The gas generating plants for the oxygen (?)lene welding are just outside the main factory (?). A separate building, of fireproof construction, is (?) paint and oil storage. Storage of gasoline is (?) gallon tanks. Tennis courts, a small golf course (?) picnic (?) are under construction (?) landing (?) two (?) ways. (?) and w(?) is 300(?) by 3,(?) long; (?) which (?) north (?) is l(?) width (?) feet (?). M(?) T(?) shop(?) alo(?). [[image - photograph]] Wright-powered Waco 165 straight-wing biplane. [[image - photograph]] Aerial view of the factory of the Waco Aircraft Company at Troy, Ohio [[upside down pencil writings] E13-7 the Sh.
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