German Dimor Acquires Waco Aircraft

Yet another legacy airplane manufacturer has been sold — Waco Aircraft Corporation. This time, it wasn't a Chinese company that swooped up the assets of the company, which was established in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1983 to revive the classic 1930s open cockpit biplane design. Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Dimor Group Inc. bought the company this month.

Dimor Group Inc. was established this year as a subsidiary of Cologne, Germany-based Dimor Aero — a company that was established less than a year ago. Behind the company is Dieter Morszeck, the grandson of the founder or Rimowa, who recently sold the majority of the company to luxury brand conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton for a reported sum of $717 million. Morszeck has a demonstrated passion for vintage aircraft. In 2016, he introduced a Rimowa-branded Junkers F13 replica. He flew in the first flight of the Junkers with test pilot Oliver Bachmann, a flight Morszeck described as a “dream come true.”

Waco Aircraft Corporation’s president, Peter Bowers, will continue to lead the company. “We are very pleased with the acquisition of Waco by Dimor Group Inc., and we firmly believe they will be a good steward of the Waco tradition and brand,” said Bowers. “We are looking forward to working together to build a great future for the company.”

Waco produces the three-seat, tailwheel YMF-5D, the amphibious YMF-5F, and the Great Lakes 2T-1A-2.

As part of the deal, Dimor acquired a Battle Creek-based Centennial Aircraft Services, an FBO and Part 145 maintenance facility.