WACO UOC Custom ZK-AEL Returns to Omaka

The historic WACO UOC Custom ZK-AEL (c/n 4336) has recently returned to the register on 8/9/22 after a many years restoration by Jay McIntyre of JEM Aviation and Rex Newman.  It has recently been rolled out and looks amazing!

The aircraft was originally registered to the Marlborough Aero Club in May 1936 and was their flagship until WW II when it was impressed into the RNZAF as NZ575.  After the war it was registered as ZK-ALA and was cancelled as Withdrawn From Use in 1958.  The Waco was then transported to Australia but never flew there and languished in storage until it was returned to Omaka as a basket case 50 years later.

ZK-AEL has been repainted in the same colours that it came out of the factory with in 1935 and has been restored to its original luxury specifications.  It can be seen in the photo that it is actually a sesquiplane with a much smaller lower wing.