A longshot...Looking for N3N training book

[JohnB]

As you might guess in WWII the Navy was a big user of training gfilmd.
They contracted with Jam Handy (a Well known Olympic swimmer turned prolific industrial film producer) to produce a training film on the N3N primary trainer.

However, they also used sills from that film, (both images and text) to produce a slim long format (about 3" high and 7" long) paperback book called "Meet the N3N". It has a Blue cover with a drawing of the aircraft. There is no author giver other than "The Jam Handy Organization", no copyright or even date.

A friend is finishing the restoration of a N3N which will be flown.
If reasonably priced, I'd like to give him a copy of the book to display with his ship.
So, if any of you have a copy that needs a good home, (the owner is quite a history buff and is well known in the antique aircraft community and is very good at sharing his collection...in other words, it won't be squirrled away) please let me know.

Also, if anyone knows where the film can be seen, I'd be interested in that as well.

I have of course done an internet search as well as checking the two N3N websites.
The book is digitally available on avialogs.com manual storehouse.

In case you are wondering, this all started when someone dropped off a box of WWII Naval Aviation text books and manuals at the museum I volunteer at.
One of them was a similar book called "Meet the NP-1". It too was based on a training film and I figured if the Navy did it for one type, perhaps they did it for the better known and more prolific, N3N.

And if you are not familiar, the NP-1 was a biplane produced by Spartan in Tulsa. They build 201 for Naval Reserves training and were operated at three bases.
I had to look it up and I found it in my Naval Aircraft since 1911 book by Swanborough and Bowers.
It was based on the earlier Spartan C3.

Thanks

[Saville]

Maybe check with these guys?

https://aircorpslibrary.com/

I think they are not limited to the Air Corps

[marine air]

Supposedly, the NP-1 is what President George H.W. Bush soloed in the Navy. I think there was one surviving aircraft nut not sure of its whereabouts. A few aster,and are also supposedly flown by Bush.

[Cvairwerks]

You would have to keep a eye out for an original, but you can download a copy. There is also a company that has cards replicating the cover that are available too.

https://www.flight-manuals-online.com/p ... ctory-n3n/

https://www.redbubble.com/i/greeting-ca ... 2677.5MT14

[Randy Wilson]

Found one on abebooks.com but price is $75, if interested. Scroll down a ways.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&tn=meet%20the%20N3N

Randy

[JohnB]

Thanks for the downloading links, I found Avialogs right away and had no idea there were that many online manual databases.

I'll check out Abe books, they were my final resort since I know their prices are usually higher than what one aviation history buff would pay another.

There is one NP-1 on display in Tulsa. A friend thinks there might be another, perhaps Michigan.

I thought President Bush soloed in a Stearman, at least He did some training in a Stearman since it is now in the Hawaii museum.
Too bad there aren't any NPs flying, it would make a neat display with the N2S and N3N. Wonder how their flying qualities compare?
I know a friend who has lots of Stearman time found the WACO UPF-7 (PT-14) too easy to fly. Since it is based on a late '20s design, I would guess the NP would be a different experience than the N2S N3N or other primary trainers of the period.

[tulsaboy]

The sole surviving intact Spartan NP-1 is on display at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum in Tulsa, OK. It was restored by Jeff Wright and his dad in the 1980s, and they flew it for a number of years. The airplane is still theoretically in flyable condition, but it hasn't flown since it came to Tulsa. As the sole intact survivor, it was decided that it needed to be safely preserved as opposed to displayed. The Wright family had the remains of 3 NP-1 aircraft, and they used the best of all 3 to build up the one in Tulsa. The leftovers, which consist of a second fuselage, landing gear (I think), and at least one or two wings, plus various parts and pieces, were sold to a guy who last I knew was in Kentucky. That airplane is on the FAA registry, I think. It is a project airplane, and could be put back together if someone wanted to dedicate enough money and time to the project.

The little blue "Meet the NP-1" book is neat, and clearly taken from a training film. It is a cool little book to have.

kevin

[Dan Jones]

Hi John. I'm pretty sure I've seen it on Ebay but there is a copy right now on abe.com but it's a little overpriced at $75. I have the N2S and SNJ books - not sure what all they did. Good luck. Dan

[JohnB]

Dan
At $75, my friend isn't intetested.

As I previously mentioned, I was hoping some WIXer had one at a decent price considering it would be going to a N3N owner.