William Waterhouse was a respected structural analyst and engineer who “… undertook an assignment late in 1927 for the Mexican Government, which wanted to [produce] its own aircraft. Two monoplanes were constructed by Tijuana Aircraft Co, headed by Gov Abelardo Rodriquez of Baja California. Plans were furnished by the Mexican War Department and adapted by Waterhouse.
The planes, completed in early 1928. In test flights of the first, an observation type, a German BMW engine was used, but the second ship, expected to carry 380 gallons of fuel and make a non-stop flight to Mexico City, was scheduled for a Wright Whirlwind.”
It was flown by Luis Farell Cubillas, who on 8 March 1928 took off from the Tijuana factory enroute to Mexico City. The temporary-fitted 185hp BMW IIIa quit between Hermosillo and Navajoa, and Farell crash-landed on mountainous terrain. He was uninjured but the BC-1 was destroyed.
An article in Air Pictorial 27/2 by Jose Villela Jr, showed a photo of a parasol monoplane with a 185hp BMW, except the observer’s cockpit has been replaced with the pilot’s cockpit and power is a radial engine. That ship had “BC-2” on its Waterhouse-like vertical tail, and “BAJA CALIFORNIA” painted on the rear fuselage; photo caption: “Col. Fierro in ‘Baja California No. 2’ lands in the Canal Zone after his flight to Panama in 1928.” In his article Villela says, “Later Colonel Roberto Fierro in the Mexican-built ‘Baja California 2’ made the first non-stop flight between Mexico City and Havana in 14 hours, 50 minutes.”
The rear cockpit looks like it has a ring for a machine gun.
There was a later BC-3 described in Wagner’s article with a photo that has a family resemblance to the others, including the Waterhouse vertical tail.
BC-1
Engine: 185hp BMW
Wingspan: 43’0″
Length: 30’0″
Max speed: 122 mph
BC-2
Engine: Wright J-5C
Wingspan: 46’6″
Length: 28’6″
Max speed: 136 mph
Stall: 48 mph
Seats: 1
BC-3
All Aero 