Here's Something You Don't See Every Day!

It is an N3N-3 just like the one I flew in at the Naval Academy in the summer of 1955 as part of the standard naval aviation indoctrination. The only difference is the ones we flew were sea planes with floats vs landing gear. Communication to the pilot was by gosport. Landing on the Chesapeake was a challenge as you had no idea what the wave height was.

Best regards,

Robert

 

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Yellow Peril

 

This is a Stearman N2S, Navy version of the Sfearman PT-13, PT-17 depending on the engine being a Continental or Lycoming.. I have flown them both.

 

Bob, according to the National Naval Aviation Museum it was called "Yellow Peril" because of its color scheme and principal use by inexperienced flight students.

Best regards,

Robert

 

Bob, be it far from me to argue with an expert such as you but I can see the designation N3N-3 faintly on the tail of the original post. Just saying.

Best regards and good health,

Robert

 

More eye candy from the banks of the Severn River
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Admiral, were you a pilot? I remember the picture of you in the blue car in front of some admin building at the old Oakland airport when it was still under military operation but I never put it together.

 

Well, the N3-N has a slab-sided fuselage and upper wing aileron actuating struts and usually a Wright engine. The Stearman N2-S doesn't have an upper wing aileron therefore no actuating strut. Also an oval shaped fuselage with stringers on the side and a carburetor intake sticking up out of the cowling aft of the engine. If this airplane in the photo has N3N-3 on the tail, it is mis-labeled. Good to compare memories with you, take care.
Bob

 

The N3-N had an aluminum angle fuselage frame that I thought was odd. Not the best for corrosion , I thought. The N3N airplane wasn't as refined as the Stearman and I didn't think that it flew as well. The Stearman will always be my favorite, smooth and beautifully balanced and up for any kind of fun that you had in mind. Never had to worry about hurting anything in the air.

 

I agree with Bob. In spite of what it may say on the tail, the aircraft in the mall is definitely a Stearman N2S.

 

A toy I’ve never had the pleasure of owning.

They are mesmerizing in their beauty.

Such honesty…

 

Lots of marking mistakes even at the National Museums. Little wonder this one got the wrong rudder marking.

 

Brian, when I graduated from USNA back in 1957 my eyes had gotten so bad that I had to have a medical exemption to get my commission. So no flying training for me either in the Navy or the Air Force (back then the USAF had produced no Academy graduates so Annapolis and West Point had to provide 25% of their grads to the USAF. I then went into the Supply Corps of the USN as did 49 of my classmates. Funny story there, one classmate had bad knees and deemed incapable for line sea duty. So he was also sent to the Supply Corps, which after Supply Corps School was promptly sent to duty as a Destroyer Supply Officer. Also interesting was the fact that one of my classmates went to the same destroyer as I did where I was a Department Head and he was the Damage Control Assistant. Had an interesting 31 year career.

Best regards,

Robert

PS You have a great memory, except that I had just painted it resale red!

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One more shot, an N3N-3 in the Udvar Hazy National Air and Space Museum in Fairfax County, VA

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That Stearman on floats looks like it would be an absolute blast!

 

Another N3N on floats.

 

Didn't "Five O'clock Charlie" fly one of these aircraft?

 

"Five O'clock Charlie " was flying a Ryan PT-22.

 

The PT-13 had a Lycoming R680 and the PT-17 had a Continental R670. Both of about 200 HP. Each could be started by a hand cranked inertia starter or hand propped. Same airframe exactly. Navy N2-S was the same airplane arrangement. The Stearman N2-S had absolutely no relationship to the N3N that was an entirely different airplane except for a can of yellow paint.

 

I don't know how available it is but I just remembered that I helped to illustrate a book by Pete Bowers entitled, "Wings Of Stearman". Full of data re Model 75, PT-13, PT-17, N2S etc.

 

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