Norman Thompson N.T.2B in Japan?

[Romantic Technofreak]

Hi friends,

sometimes I feel the need to rearrange my picture collection. Dealing with so much Curtiss flying boats got me attentive again to the first picture, which I have already since some years. It is from the Summer-Ochibo blog. I questioned about it already a longer time ago on the J-Aircraft.org forum, but received no answer. Neither the picture nor the questioning thread are retrievable any more.

What made me doubt about the picture was the detail that the shown aircraft obviously has an open cockpit (although covered by a blanket), while other pictures of the N.T.2B always show it with closed cockpit. Googling today delivered the second picture. It is from scalemates.com and shows a N.T.2B with open cockpit and clearly visible hinomaru. A distinct hint on there has been a N.T.2B in Japan.

But this is not known to Wikipedia. Maybe it is to one of you?

Thank you for every answer!

Regards, RT

[Tork1945]

At least one (post-war) Norman Thompson N.T.2B had the closed two-seater cockpit changed to an open seat for two (side-by-side), luckily for the inhabitants with a small windscreen in front.

This was the civil Canadian sample G-CACG, pictures of which can be seen in the Image Bank of the Canadian Aviation Museum (although at a ridiculously small size).

Image Bank – Canada Aviation Museum

Japan got a sample of the N.T.2B after the war (N2283) in the case of the UK visit to Japan. Lots of other machines were also given.

The main source of information is not in Wikipedia but in the study of

Goodall, Michael H. 1995. The Norman Thompson File. Air Britain. ISBN 0 85130 233 5

Looking at your picture I am under the impression that the form of the rudder is somewhat changed, but that maybe an effect in the taking of this picture.

Tork1945

[Romantic Technofreak]

Thank you Tork, that was exactly the information I looked for!

Regards, RT

[Colin A Owers]

There was one NT2B in Japan. It was the open cockpit type. It seems that the closed cockpit was not welcome post-war for civil operations and was removed from those sent to Canada, Russia and the one for Japan. The latter crashed killing the pilot. A detailed history of the NT2B will appear in a future Windsock.

Colin A Owers