Warbird Information Exchange

Call the exterminator. Our museum has a Cootie! Photos courtesy of airport manager Mr. Robert F. Cameron. Used without permission and shamelessly copied and posted from an email he sent me today.

Now your going to make me post photos of the Waco Museum's "Cootie". Ours actually flew and did ok...but had a Continental instead of the original Lawrance like you guys have.

So what's you are saying is, we both have Cooties? Is there a treatment?

Glad you posted though, you are much better equipped to explain the Cootie and how it relates to the Wacos since, let's face it, it's not obvious that there's a lineage. I can't think of a better use for a Lawrence than stuck on a Cootie. John's Cootie hanging in our museum is displayed in a pretty authentic simulation of how the Lawrence powered Cootie would have looked originally. "Engine has quit, pilot has left the plane"

I like your description of the display!!!! The Cootie was designed and built by Brukner, Junkin and Weaver in 1919-1920. Buck Weaver was quick to crash it (probably what your display depicts ) and the next version was a biplane in 1921. This was done really before they formed "WACO"....but is called the "first" Waco.