A. FRANCIS ARCIER 1891-1969

	PACKARD DIESEL POWERED WACO TAPERWING, HSO X4N, 1929
	This plane bears the identification "X4N" on the tail. The photo is stamped "NOV 14 1929" on the back. From Walter E. Lees' Collection

 

PACKARD DIESEL POWERED WACO TAPERWING This plane has been identified as a Waco Taperwing, HSO X4N/NC4N. This was the only Waco Taperwing built which was powered by the 225hp Packard DR980 diesel engine. .      The plane had a span of 30'7", length: 22'4", load: 786v: 128/108/45 range: 490-585. It was designed by A. Francis Arcier, the principal Waco designer from 1930 to 1947. The original cost was $7,500. It was later modified as taperwing HTO (NR4N) which is the plane Walter Lees flew as Official Timer in the 1930 National Air Tour. From Aerofiles

 

Waco vice president/chief engineer 1930-1947 (Waco Aircraft Co. Photo)

 

A. Francis Arcier, pioneer scientist, engineer and aviator died November 21, 1969 at Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Ohio after a long illness. He was 78.      Arcier was born in London, England November 16, 1891 and was educated in England and France. In France he studied under Gustave Eiffel. He learned to fly in 1911 and received his British F.A.I. Certificate No. 856 dated July 28, 1914. During World War I he worked for Handley-Paige, Ltd., designing the first four-engine bomber used by Britain.      He came to the United States in 1919 as Chief Engineer for Witteman Aircraft Corp. and later held the same position with Fokker Aircraft Corp. in 1930 he moved to Troy, Ohio to become Vice president of Waco Aircraft Corp., where he stayed for 18 years. In 1948 he became Chief Scientist for Intelligence at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.      During civilian service with the Air Force, he was awarded the Air Force Meritorius Civilian Service Award in 1953 and the Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 1961.      He is survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth Staley Dickey. They were married in 1938. One daughter of his former marriage, Mrs. John E. Arnoult, lives in Boulder, Colo., with her husband and three children. From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP, January, 1971, Number 77   Back