El Toro Museum adding an N3N and an SNJ...
Fri May 22, 2009 7:22 am
El Toro park to get 2 vintage aircraft
From wire service reports
Posted: 05/21/2009 02:28:25 PM PDT
IRVINE - The board overseeing transition of the former El Toro Marine base into an urban park agreed today to spend $275,000 to acquire two aircraft used to train pilots in World War II for display in an aviation museum.
"These two historical planes will be a wonderful addition to our future Great Park Aviation and Heritage Museum," said Larry Agran, chair of the Orange County Great Park Corp.
"A military airplane display and military museum are both key elements of the Great Park Master Plan and reflect the rich 60-year military history of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station," Agran said.
An N3N-3 Canary, a 1942 two-seat biplane built by Navel Aircraft, will be purchased from David Tunno for $85,000, with additional costs of $10,000 for taxes, insurance, inspection reports, delivery and escrow and other miscellaneous fees, said Steve Larsen, spokesman for the Great Park Corp.
A 1944 SNJ-5, a single-engine, primary trainer aircraft designed by North Aviation, will be acquired from Wright Aviation LLC for $159,000, plus $21,000 for the insurance and delivery fees, Larsen said.
The biplane was used for the Navy and Marine Corps primary flight school, and remained in active service with the U.S. Naval Academy until 1961, Larsen said.
The SNJ-5 was used to train fighter pilots for the Navy, Army, Air Corps and the Royal Air Force.
Both are in good condition and maintain their airworthiness, Larsen said.
Mike Elizey, chief executive officer of the Great Park Corp., said he hopes the planes will go on display at the Great Park's upcoming anniversary celebration in July.
Found it here: http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_12421784
Fri May 22, 2009 9:48 am
Great, another two flyable airplanes are going to gather dust and rot away. Hope they are going to be kept indoors. Don
Fri May 22, 2009 8:03 pm
WOW he took a hit on that price!!!! Yea its too bad that another flyer gets grounded!!!
Fri May 22, 2009 9:33 pm
Wow again! That's probably the most beautiful N3N I've ever seen..simply elegant! 
Sat May 23, 2009 4:32 am
airnutz wrote:Wow again! That's probably the most beautiful N3N I've ever seen..simply elegant!
Its not bad......for a long time I did not like the windshields on it. I had really assumed that they were off some travelair or waco but about a year ago i got a GREAT high resolution pic of the factory assembly line in 1940. With that pic I could identify many early batch N3N's. Well in that pic is the PROTOTYPE!!!! Well I flipped when I had seen that it had those exact windows!!
Sat May 23, 2009 9:54 am
N3Njeff wrote:Its not bad......for a long time I did not like the windshields on it.
Neat to know it's the proto bird. Now don't take this wrong, I'm well aware of your love for the N3N and your almost
single-handed battle to fight off the Stearman horde, but the color scheme and wheel pant combo removes
the "pot-bellied pig pedal car" look that most N3N's seem to convey..at least to my eyes.
Sat May 23, 2009 3:42 pm
airnutz wrote:N3Njeff wrote:Its not bad......for a long time I did not like the windshields on it.
Neat to know it's the proto bird. Now don't take this wrong, I'm well aware of your love for the N3N and your almost
single-handed battle to fight off the Stearman horde, but the color scheme and wheel pant combo removes
the "pot-bellied pig pedal car" look that most N3N's seem to convey..at least to my eyes.
Well the airframe is a late run, just the design of the windscreen is the prototype design.
I cant argue with the pot-bellied look. Dad does not like it either, hense why we have the black anti-glare on ours even when we were WW2 paint scheme, kind of a "fat girl in big clothes" by doing that. I threw a fit about it being on there and he insisted that it stay so I said why not go with the 50's markings where it was on there so thats what we did.
This one, I love the wheelpants and the Cowling installation is probably the best install for the airplane. My only thought was that it really needs to be a snazy civie paint scheme instead of USMC.
Sat May 23, 2009 3:54 pm
That N3N is pretty enough to be mistaken for a Stearman.
(diving for cover!)
(diving for cover!)
Sat May 23, 2009 4:43 pm
N3Njeff wrote:This one, I love the wheelpants and the Cowling installation is probably the best install for the airplane. My only thought was that it really needs to be a snazy civie paint scheme instead of USMC.
Yep, how could I fail to mention the cowling? Overall the look reminds me of the early 30's export WACO's, etc.
'Tis a pity something that gorgeous will be a static.
You need to do one like this bird..sounds like your
ready with the paint!
Sat May 23, 2009 4:57 pm
airnutz wrote:N3Njeff wrote:This one, I love the wheelpants and the Cowling installation is probably the best install for the airplane. My only thought was that it really needs to be a snazy civie paint scheme instead of USMC.
Yep, how could I fail to mention the cowling? Overall the look reminds me of the early 30's export WACO's, etc.
'Tis a pity something that gorgeous will be a static.
ready with the paint!
If I had the cash laying around, I would tackle it. I think davids has the 300 lycoming which is a perfect match for the airframe. Some say that the 450 is a bit much power wise. Yea I got a scheme that would do. But until I win the lottery, this one will do fine
Sat May 23, 2009 5:43 pm
OWW..My eyes! My eyes! Doctor my eyes.. 