Photograph:
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 N45035 at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA in July 2007 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat military training biplane
Power Plant:
One 175 kw (235 hp) Wright R-760-2 Whirlwind seven-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.36 m (34 ft)
- Length: 7.77 m (25 ft 6 in)
- Weight: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 28.23 m² (305 sq ft)
- Max speed: 203 km/h (126 mph)
- Cruising speed: 145 km/h (90 mph)
- Rate of climb: 244 m/min (800 ft/ min)
- Service ceiling: 4,635 m (15,20 ft)
- Range: 756 km (470 miles)
- Empty weight: 948 kg (2,090 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,266 kg (2,792 lb)
History:
The N3N series of biplane trainers was designed and produced by the US Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics. The prototype XN3N-1 was first flown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in August 1935 and was fitted with a 164 kw (220 hp) Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine. It entered production as the N2N-1 but in service some shortcomings were revealed in its handling and maintenance, and the engine was considered to be obsolete, so only 180 examples of this model were delivered.
The decision was made, due to the age of the J-5 engine, to replace it with the Wright R-760 (or J-6) and this unit was built by the Naval Aircraft Factory under licence for further production aircraft. The new model was to be known as the N3N-2 and had redesigned tail surfaces but did not enter production.
Further refinement lead to the N2N-3 with the 179 kw (240 hp) Wright R760-96 engine and, with a redesigned undercarriage, it entered production in 1940 for the US Navy. Some 816 examples were built between 1940 and 1942. At least 100 were delivered with a single centre-line float and outrigger floats near the lower wing tips, many of these being used for seaplane training at Pensacola, Florida.
In order to save materials for combat aircraft, and speed up production, aluminium which had been destined for the construction of airships, was converted for use in the N3N-3, and some fuselage panels on the port side were covered with metal sheeting, whereas the remainder of the aircraft was fabric covered. Be that as it may, in fact the cost of each N3N-3 was more than twice the cost of the Boeing-built PT-13 or PT-17 Kaydet and this may reveal why the US Navy ended up purchasing that type also for training as the N2S, and why only 816 N3N-3s were delivered compared to over 10,000 examples of the Stearman design.
The N3N-3 was usually painted in overall yellow colour scheme but some had silver dope on all surfaces, the yellow colour scheme leading to the unofficial appellation ”Canary”. The type was used extensively for training purposes throughout World War II but was declared surplus to requirements after the war, and about 400 entered civil service. A number of floatplanes remained in service with the US Navy Academy up until 1961. Some were converted for agricultural use and fitted with more powerful engines such as the 186 kw (250 hp) Continental W-670, 336 kw (450 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior, and the 448 kw (600 hp) R-1340 Wasp. None are known to have been operated in this region but, early in 2008, an N3N-3 was imported to this region for restoration to airworthiness by Rollinson Engineering of Waimate, NZ. It is believed it was later exported for completion of the restoration.