1st N3N fly-in ever!!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:47 pm

krlang wrote:

Just found this on the NTSB list.....

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 991PT Make/Model: N3N Description: N3N
Date: 06/27/2008 Time: 2124

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Minor

LOCATION
City: ODESSA State: TX Country: US

DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A RAILROAD
TIE, ODESSA, TX

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
Activity: Ferry Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER

FAA FSDO: LUBBOCK, TX (SW13) Entry date: 06/30/2008

Hope everything is ok......................I looked up the airplane in my file. Its a N3N with a 450 but yet retains the 30x5 wheels. I bet that could get interesting.

Here is a pic of the airplane off airliners.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0303912&size=M

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:01 pm

warbird1 wrote:

What a beautiful airplane.

How many N3N's are currently airworthy?

I have Stearman time, but have never flown in an N3N. In flight, how does it compare to a Stearman?

Is the rudder pretty effective? That thing is HUGE!

I think were comming in around 90 flyable.

Compared to a stearman, she is a heavy, cumbersome but wonderfully stable.

Navy pilots were told, " If jumped by a army Stearman, Split S and run!"

What do you think about the rudders effectiveness.............look at it!!!

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Are there any N3N's with floats that are currently flown? I've seen the beautiful examples at the Yanks museum at Chino, but I don't believe any of them have flown. Any others?

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:08 pm

warbird1 wrote:

Are there any N3N's with floats that are currently flown? I've seen the beautiful examples at the Yanks museum at Chino, but I don't believe any of them have flown. Any others?

There was 3 flyable on floats. But one of our Wixers assisted its transformation back to the gear. So as I know right now off the top of my head, there are 2 flying on the water.

#2582

#4402

And the one Albert took off the floats.
#2996

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

N3Njeff wrote:

warbird1 wrote:

Are there any N3N's with floats that are currently flown? I've seen the beautiful examples at the Yanks museum at Chino, but I don't believe any of them have flown. Any others?

There was 3 flyable on floats. But one of our Wixers assisted its transformation back to the gear. So as I know right now off the top of my head, there are 2 flying on the water.

Do you have any pictures of those two? I would love to see what they look like on water!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:20 pm

should have waited........................now look up!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:25 pm

Now 2996 has been flying for a very long time. Probably just as long as ours. Now this is a bad video and somewhere I have it on VHS but take a look at this!!!!

Any takers????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03H9VuKTVk

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

N3Njeff wrote:

should have waited........................now look up!

Looks like I jumped the gun a bit. Thanks for the pictures! Wow, I love the way the N3N looks on floats! That's KICK ASS!

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

A few questions:

1) How rare are the N3N floats and gear to obtain to put it on the water?

2) Were there N3N's built specifically just for floats and not gear? In other words, were there specific land and sea versions, or were both built with interchanageable gear?

3) How hard would it be to convert a land-based N3N to a float plane version?

Great thread!

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

N3Njeff wrote:

Now 2996 has been flying for a very long time. Probably just as long as ours. Now this is a bad video and somewhere I have it on VHS but take a look at this!!!!

Any takers????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k03H9VuKTVk

Wow, that's an awesome video! It reminds me of when Kermit took some waterskier behind his Grumman Duck a few years back. Does anyone have video of that?

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:34 pm

warbird1 wrote:

A few questions:

1) How rare are the N3N floats and gear to obtain to put it on the water?

2) Were there N3N's built specifically just for floats and not gear? In other words, were there specific land and sea versions, or were both built with interchanageable gear?

3) How hard would it be to convert a land-based N3N to a float plane version?

Great thread!

1) Not as common as the amount of aircraft currently flown. But there are many aircraft out there that are flown on wheels that the owners have a complete set of floats for it!! stuff still surfaces from time to time so it can be done.

2) Any N3N can be on either floats or gear. Made to be interchangeable.

3) No harder than putting your C-185 on a set of floats. Everything is bolt on. In the top wing, is a eye hook ( N3N at Pensacola hangs from it). Hoist it up, remove the gear. Take off the covers at the fuselage attach points and bolt on the center float and rig wires. Install wing tip floats and set on dolly.

I have not done it personally but I am told, it can be done before lunchtime.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:39 pm

Comming up on the step in the Severn river in MD.

I have always found this pic funny because it must be "I hope" for a photo op because the inertia crank handle is still attached to the airplane.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:52 pm

Here is a close up of #3022 and the float attach areas.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:57 pm

Its "miller time"

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Thanks for the info N3NJeff!

Any more videos of N3N's on floats?

Warbird Information Exchange

1st N3N fly-in ever!!

Who is online