On display at the Waco Air Museum in Troy, Ohio is a 1934 Waco UMF-3 biplane formerly flown by Moraine’s Harold Johnson, the “Flying Mayor of Moraine”. Harold was well known in the aviation field as he was a past-President of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, past FBO of Moraine Airpark and past Mayor of Moraine from 1976 to 1993. Johnson passed away at age 85 in 2011.
There were only 18 of this specific model of Waco biplane built in 1934-35 and each were sold for $6,530. In 1960, Johnson and Glen Thomas purchased the plane and completely restored it to its former glory. Harold used the Waco for the next 65 years flying air shows across the Midwest. The red Waco was a permanent fixture at Moraine Airpark and at Moraine Airshows. The Waco’s powerful 210 horsepower engine enabled Johnson to perform rolls, loops, stall turns (hammerheads), tailslides and other aerobatic maneuvers.
Johnson offered public biplane rides which your author and my wife took advantage of years ago. The ride was a surprise birthday gift for her and boy did Harold make it memorable. We were seated in the open-air cockpit in front of Harold’s cockpit and strapped in by one thin seatbelt across our laps. Since Harold knew me, he gave us more than an ordinary ride by doing a couple loops, a death spiral over downtown Dayton and barnstorming just above tree top level – memories we will never forget, especially my wife who had eaten a big breakfast before this stomach-churning flight.
This Waco plane was part of two World Records. Johnson set the record for the longest continuous airshow flights as he flew at the Kings Island Amusement Park seven nights a week for seven straight years – that’s 2,557 shows.
Johnson’s Waco plane also has the most flight time than any other Waco in existence with over 14,000 hours in the air. This 1934 Waco is currently on loan to the museum by the family of Harold Johnson.
I was proud to know Harold he was a good friend I got my training from moraine air park and Thelma gave me my written test when I got my pilots license Harold sold me my first airplane a Cessna 182 he flew a lot of advertising banners for my buisness and I will never forget the time he took me up in his Waco and did a lot of his kings island routine was the thrill of my life RogerWax
Harold was a good man and an incredible pilot.
Harold was the best. My Godfather was Norm Crabtree and that’s how I met Harold, through airshows. My dad made a t-shirt when I was a kid that said “Harold Johnson’s #1 fan”. I was fortunate enough to ride in the front seat of that Waco many times. The only other person I saw ride in the plane was Thelma. Besides Kings Island, I remember him for the WRKP show with Les Nessman. Also, he passed in 2011. Not 1911. 🙂
Thank you for your comments!
I will correct the date of Harold’s death. My typo error.