Northwest Airways  Waco  ATO            (c/n A-19)

                                        

                                              Northwest Airways used a number of machines such as this Waco exclusively for the transport
                                              of mail on their CAM #9 route from Minneapolis to Chicago.   As can be seen, the weather
                                              contditions in that part of the nation can be severe.   In fact, for the winter of 1927 the airline
                                              had  to close down its rudimentary passenger services which were still in their infancy.  The
                                              aircraft above is something of an anomoly.  It is listed in the U.S. Civil Aircraft register of the
                                              day as a Waco ATO.  However, the "T" in that designation indicates "Taper Wing" and clearly
                                              this is a straight wing.  Furthermore, when I received the photograph from Northwest they claimed
                                              it was a "Waco J6".  This would seem to mean that it was powered by a Wright J6-7-225 engine.
                                              In which case, it should, theoretically, be a Waco CTO.  Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer
                                              choice...........