Woods Brothers History

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The Woods Brother's 1933 UBF-2s 13074 and 13071.

In 1979, Woody Woods and son Chris Woods formed the aircraft restoration company, Aero Meridian Productions, which specialized in the restorations of “Golden Age” airplanes. With master woodworker and chief restoration engineer, Glen Styles, leading a talented team of metal fabricators and engine systems mechanics, the company restored several classics from a 1918 Curtiss “Jenny” for the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine to a rare 1945 two-place Spitfire T-9 trainer for a collector in Colorado. Among these included the complete restorations of four rare Waco F-2 biplanes, notably, 1931 QCF-2 NC11468 for collector Jim Warren, which won ‘Reserve Grand Champion' at Oshkosh in 1990 and another QCF-2 for singer/songwriter the late John Denver featured in the 1985 television special “The Quiet Challenge”, hosted by Denver.

Woody Woods poses proudly next to his new UBF, 13074 at Just-N-Time airfield, Texas in 1974.

Woody Woods gets ready to take 13074, "Red Jacket" for a spin in 2003.

For many years, there was literally an assembly line of Wacos at Aero Meridian with a model AGC-8, two QCF-2s and two UBF-2s in different stages of restoration. Marion “Curly” Havelaar can be credited with the inspiration to specialize in the famous F-2 restorations, because it was he who brought this rare and storied Waco model into the consciousness of modern day collectors. Curly shared his invaluable knowledge of the Waco product and provided Aero Meridian with many rare parts, plans and even fabricated a complete fuselage from scratch for UBF-2 NC13071. Since then the Waco F-2 has become the “Star” of vintage sport biplanes from the “Golden Age” and arguably the most valuable. Aero Meridian's fine work throughout the 1980's and into the mid-1990's inspired the formation of several other restoration companies across the United States specializing in the Waco product. The company finally shut down in 1995 to focus on the highly successful Woods Development, Inc., fly-in community, Sky Ranch at Carefree.

Glen Styles assembles an F-2 turtle deck at Aero Meridian in the 1980s.

 

Glen Styles rigs Aero Meridian's Curtiss Jenny JN-4 nearing the end of restoration. This aircraft was commissioned by the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine.

With his experience as chief test pilot, and sales representative during Aero Meridian's heyday, Chris Woods has resurrected the old Aero Meridian team with his brother Scott Woods and formed Woods Brothers Aviation. Chief restoration engineer, Glen Styles is once again at the helm bringing his invaluable experience and talent to each project. Both Chris and Scott have an insatiable passion for the Waco product and own UBF-2s themselves, NC13071 and NC13074. These are two of the four award winning restorations produced by the Woods and both have won the prestigious Rolls Royce National Aviation Heritage Invitational in 2003 and 2004 respectively among many other awards through the years. Currently, the Prescott, Arizona based company has two more authentic Waco UBF-2s under complete restoration. Like those previously produced, these rare aircraft have been painstakingly hand crafted and are truly works of art. This new generation of UBF-2 will be the culmination of 30 years of experience in producing fine Waco's and setting high standards for excellence.

Glen attaches wood formers and stringers on UBF-2 12443's fuselage. (Winter 2006)

 

Woody Woods watches as a local road runner inspects a freshly built F-2 wing at Aero Meridian.

 

Chris Woods with QCF-2 11468, the late John Denver with QCF-2 12428 and Woody Woods with UBF-2 13074 in Sedona, Arizona 1983. The famous Sedona Breakfast Club!