 Page One Page Two Page Three Page Four Page Five Page Six History Main Page  A chartered
Beaver
also circled,
its pilot
delaying
take-off
out of
interest in
its more
elderly
neighbour. |
|
Story by Jack Meadows First Published in Aeroplane Monthly, March 1994 ...continued from page three Consequently it was a big problem to get the N3N off the scow and on to the water, and then back again, without damage. This was no problem at the wartime naval bases at Annapolis and Pensacola, where cranes were available to lift and move the aircraft, and large numbers of USN personnel could beach or unbeach, fend off, moor and untie the seaplanes and carry the pilots to and from their machines.  Initially, Bill found that he needed a tug with an A-frame and six men to transfer his baby safely from scow to water and back again. Then he fitted the scow with a hangar, open on one side, and rails supporting the trestle/trolley on which the float rests. The N3N can now be pushed out sideways along rails to a derrick with a winch and electric motor, lifted and turned out over the water.The seaplane is then deposited with its tail towards some styrofoam bumpers attached to the main float and alongside a large projecting styrofoam floating arm, the port wing straddling the arm so that the wing float is on the other side. It is then easy to board the aircraft from the styrofoam float. This can be done by Bill alone - although, particularly if there is any wind, it helps to have his wife (and frequent flying companion) Wilma to fend off if necessary. At the time of my visit, in June 1993, Bill had flown 65 hours in 4402, including a nostalgic escort trip over the USS Saratoga (now mothballed) during a goodwill visit to Vancouver by the aircraft carrier in 1992. It was a very special surprise for this landlubber to be offered a trip in the N3N, my first open-cockpit flight since I had flown a Tiger Moth of 130 Squadron from Catterick in 1943. In my borrowed leather jacket and helmet and goggles, I felt singularly useless during the launching process. Climbing into the front cockpit was easy, however, and there was plenty of room among the sparse but adequate instruments and controls. With no mooring, we began to move out as soon as the engine started, then circled our corner of the harbour for five minutes while the Wright warmed up and the magnetos were checked. A chartered Beaver also circled, its pilot delaying take-off out of interest in its more elderly neighbour. |
continue to page five of six... |
||
