Help with Stearman USN scheme and markings.

Viscount,

If you search the American reg on Google you soon find images of the plane in 2005 and CFB Trenton is not on the plane then, so it is a very recent addition!

Steve

Yes, my source book shows Bu.No. (USN serial) 05314 as being one of a batch of 200 (05235-05434) Stearman N2S-3 Kaydet aircraft with C/nos 75-6409 to 6608. Boeing model B75N-1. Which all appears to fit.

I would suggest (as speculation) that a restorer/previous owner, failing to find photos to enable an authentic repaint as 05314 has researched an accurate but generic scheme of the period, using the aircraft’s genuine C/no number in place of the Navy serial. Further, for personal reasons, has applied the CFB Trenton name, so providing a ‘red herring’ in tracing the military background. I’d stick to the locations on the official history card. To me, much of the fascination of these aircraft is not so much the often brief military service, but where it has been and what it has been used for in the very considerable number of years since de-mob.

Thanks “J Boyle” for explaining the ‘V’ added to the designation, makes so much sense. Thats my new bit of information for today to store away! Interesting stuff.

Thanks John,

The original US rego was N61210, which was issued in 1946. I think it left the States for Australia in 2007.

Steve

As you know, the civilian registration is completely independent of the military serial or C/n. It could be nearly anything and changed at any time at the request of the aircraft owner.

Thanks John,

The original US rego was N61210, which was issued in 1946. I think it left the States for Australia in 2007.

Steve

The 75 in the “75-6488” you mention has to do with the C/n.
The (N2S/PT-13.17, 27 etc.) Stearman is the model 75.

My Boeing book shows a USN serial (BuNo) 05314 as a N2S-3, a B75N1, with C/n ” 756488″
(the non dash designation is how Boeing authority (and lifelong employee) Peter M. Bowers writes it in his Boeing Aircraft since 1916 book, Putnam 1966, 1987.

J Boyle,

Thanks, I’ll go and peel it off immediately!

Steve

Hi Viscount,

Thanks for the info and questions some of which I can answer.

Aircraft reg VH-EYC

BuNo 05314. Serial No 75-6488 (it’s sounding as if the no on the tail should be the BuNo)

VN2S ? I don’t know but will enquire?

CFB Trenton is odd and I did wonder if there was a connection via a previous owner.

Thanks for your positive comments, I bought it because I liked it, any interesting history is a bonus!

Cheers

Steve

I believe I have answer to one of your questions.
The aircraft in wartime did not carry the designation VN2S-3 (emphasis added).
However, I can explain the added “V”.

As we all know, US registrations begin with “N”…as do USN training aircraft in the pre-1962 designation system. The aircraft type is painted on the vertical stabilizer.
When wartime training aircraft that begin with an N designation are restored, primarily N2S and N3N types, the owners have a problem…current FAA regulations say you can’t have another “N” designation on the aircraft…it might be mistaken for the “N number”.

I have several friends with USN-marked Stearmans…to avoid trouble with authorities, they put a V in front of the tail designation…thus a N2S becomes a VN2S.

However, I have also seen examples where this is not the case…where a N2S retains its correct designation on the tail.
Again, it’s back to the FAA. I’ve been told that some local FAA offices are much more strict in enforcing this literal interpretation of the rules than others.
If I had an aircraft , I’d put the the V (or other letter) on with a self adhesive letter…and remove it once the local FAA inspector had signed off my restoration.

With access to an image (first link required membership to view) I can throw in a few comments as no one else has done so yet, but I am sure they will be close behind.

First, what a striking and good looking example of a Stearman you have.

However, there are aspects of the markings that puzzle – although I am the first to admit that WWII USN colours are not my speciality!

The type on the fin VN2S-3 does not correspond with details in my usual reference on US Navy aircraft. In the 1922 to 1962 system: N = Trainer, S= Stearman as manufacturers. While N2S-3 is the correct designation for an R-670-4 engined aircraft, it is the V prefix that I cannot decode (only post 1962 did V = Staff transport on Navy aircraft). I am not saying it is not correct for this aircraft though, just outside my experience base.

The Bu.Ae. serial on the fin does not match with my list of 3rd sequence USN Serials which commenced with 00001 in late 1940 and is still growing today. Serial 06488 is a Grumman TBF-1 Avenger. Again 6488 might be correct, just outside my understanding of the USN serial systems.

The ‘210’ is a unit applied code, so is not based on the serial number. Certainly USAAC training units in the 1941/42 period used such 3 number codes, the first number indicated the Flight (which in turn indicated the stage of training eg basic, advanced etc) the final two numbers the aircraft number in that flight. So 210 would translate as No.2 Flight’s tenth aircraft. Navy likely had a similar scheme of identification within the training unit, others will be along to tell me I’m wrong shortly!

Clearly you have already worked on translating the colour coding of the fuselage band and the changes in presentation of the National insignia.

As to ‘CFB Trenton’, I’m wondering if this is perhaps some link to a previous owner’s recent past, as to me CFB (Canadian Forces Base) is a relatively modern term, to be WWII or shortly after would it not be RCAF Trenton, or even RAF Trenton? Again I’m on the edge of knowledge base here. Was the aircraft restored in Canada, or perhaps owned by a Canadian with links to modern CFB Trenton?

A great number of Stearman were re-worked just post War and in the process completely lost their original identities, being replaced with new construction numbers and military serials etc. How much of this aircraft’s past do you know for certain? I cannot quite read the current VH- registration to work backwards from.

Great looking aircraft in a striking scheme, enjoy it whether the markings are authentic to the airframe or just evocative of the period, it looks good!

Added new link in case photo was not showing.

Steve