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11: WACKY WACO
Sponsor: AJ, Alicia and Michael Pereira
Artist: James Hood
About the Pelican: No one in Sponsor Mike Pereira's company (Merrill Lynch) was surprised to learn of Mike's 1937 WACO Cabin Biplane Model YKS-7. The acronym WACO stands for the Weaver Aircraft Company that made aircraft from 1919 to 1946. And yes, the WACO still graces the sky and is the source of inspiration for the Wacky Waco (WACO is pronounced Y-KO).
About The Artist: An acclaimed artist, James Hood only considers himself to be an artistic dabbler with widely diversified interests and a desire to explore any opportunity presented. Although he has felt his many artistic pursuits to be rewarding, he has felt the greatest rewards from sculpture and accepted the challenge provided by the Art Takes Flight project to merge his love of aviation, history, nature and sculputure by turning magnificent pelicans into magnificent WWII airplanes, or Warbirds. James admits that each of the five bird-airplanes was a labor of love consuming about 100 hours of frustration, setbacks and mistakes. I am most thankful to the many sponsors who pooled their resources and moral support to enable me to take on this wonderful project and we are all happy with the results. I am especially thankful to the magnificent Army, Navy and Marine aviators who flew these old airplanes and contributed to the greatest victory our country has known. The airplanes were special, as were the crews who flew them. I am happy and proud to be able to share my respect and admiration for them with my Warbirds.
About The Sponsor: Michael Pereira, the sponsor of the Pelican Biplane, likes old things. In his office you will find a 1946 Zenith Consoltone radio that still works and in his home you will see a 41 inch high Zenith Universal radio that still plays. So no one in his office was surprised to learn of Mike's 1937 WACO Cabin Biplane Model YKS-7. (The acronym WACO stands for the Weaver Aircraft Company that made aircraft from 1919 to 1946. Mike's longest trip in the WACO was from San Diego, California to Wilson, Louisiana. Mike Pereira has worked for the investments firm of Merrill Lynch since December, 1972. Many of his co-workers in the Fairhope office delight in telling him that he was working for Merrill before they were born. Mike's favorite answer to this is Oh--You were liquid assets back then.
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