Warbird Information Exchange

Why does the N3N carry the later Star & Bar ? Did the Navy keep the N3N until 1947?

bdk, The Mosi fuselage is from the Windsor guys. This is going to be a static restoration. When I was at Windsor on Friday I took photos of the wing, engines and other stuff. If I have time later I will post some of the images.

Eric

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The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

Yep the Navy had N3N's in 1947 in fact they operated them until 1960.
I swiped this from NASM's webpage:

In 1960, the Navy transferred 3022 from storage, to the National Air Museum. That same year the Naval Academy retired the thirty-six remaining N3N-3s, which at that time were the last biplanes in U.S. military service.

I Believe one of the N3N, complete with floats, from that 1960 retirement batch is hanging in the dining hall or gym at The US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
Jerry

It was hanging over the ice rink at the Naval Acadamy. It was on loan from the Smithsonian. It is now on dislplay at Dulles.
Also swiped from the NASM's website:

In 1960, the Navy transferred 3022 from storage, to the National Air Museum. That same year the Naval Academy retired the thirty-six remaining N3N-3s, which at that time were the last biplanes in U.S. military service. Until 2002, the National Air and Space Museum had the N3N on loan to the Naval Academy, where it hung above the ice rink.

Dam, I go away for one night and there is almost a N3N thread going!!!!!
Neat display, though I dont know about the ski's. Never seen pics of a N having them. Suprised that he had the old wheels out there. Bendix 30x5", lots of Travel Aire's out there took them all from us N' owners along with the Engine,exhaust and prop!!.

Yep the navy had them until 1959. Our airframe was one of them on floats until 1959.

His late 50's scheme is not quite right, the buzz number should be a lot bigger, 2 stars on the wing (top left, bottom right) was no US Navy on the bottom. Buzz number again on the rudder. Under the elevator is the bureau number , aircraft type and the word NAVY. It is also again on the side of the fuselage in 12"

My site for the owners and N fans
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nafn3npilotslounge/

Main site pic is our N. Correct markings except for the black stripes on the struts ( they are missing)

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

Just able to finally get some more photos up.

More posted HERE

Bill

Saturday waiting for fuel truck

I was laughing out loud, when I saw the picture of me standing on the wing of the AD at Thunder over Michigan. I don't know if you can get suspended for flaming yourself, but I look like a total idiot in that picture.

I had one of the best times at an airshow at TOM that I have had in years. Smile for three days, frown for 3 seconds and someone gets a picture of it. The only thing that puts that look on my face with the AD is thinking about fuel consumption. Thanks for posting this, it will remind me that I should never take this so seriously in the future.

Eric Downing ....caught frowning

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

My first thought when I saw that picture was "Now there's a happy camper !"

I talked to Bert Z. on Saturday when he called me griping about getting an air start unit over to the TA-4. He wasn't a happy camper at that time and I'm sure his frown matched yours. Like you, he got over it and things went much smoother on Sunday .

Bill great job on the images, love the prop blur on the VWoC P51.

Cheers Dave C

Nice shooting Bill!

Mike

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Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.