N33693

As a matter of interest, this photograph was taken over Lemoore NAS, outside San Francisco on July 17, 1967. At the time Lynn Garrison had it registered as N693M. The N was for Navy and the M was for Marine. The 693 was the last 3 digits of it production number - 133693.

Garrison had purchased this aircraft in 1964 from the MAAG in Paris after it was retired from the French Navy. The French took the aircraft apart and transported it to the USN base at Rota, Spain. From here it was taken to Norfolk, Virginia on a USN supply ship where it was prepared for flight by a Marine group. The Corsaie was ferried to Vought Aeronautics in Grand Prairie, Texas where iot was flown by Stu Madison and Paul Thayer who wanted Garrison to do a Hoover Act to promote the sale of their Corsair 2.

There had been a mid-air between the B-70 and a Starfighter, while doing a photo mission for General Electric. This prevented a promotional flight at the Vought facility so Lynn Garrison went to Lemore and this was one of the photos that came from the flights there.

The Corsair was named BLUE MAX after Lynn Garrison's Blue Max Aviation facility in Ireland, which operated the collection created for the film...The Blue Max.

During a 1970 Roger Corman film project in Ireland - Von Richthofen & Brown, Lynn Garrison and actor Don Stroud were involved in an accident. Garrison was reported as having been killed. Robert E. Guilford, Garrison's attorney, upon hearing of this via United Artists, transferred Corsair N693M into his name - a clear case of theft by conversion. It would crash in San Diego with Marshall Moss at the controls, another of Garrison's business associates.

Interesting history story, but a few minor points need clearing up. I have been to NAS Lemoore, working there in the 1960s and to San Francisco and they are about 175 miles apart with NAS Lemoore sited well inland in the central San Joaquin Valley.

But, more importantly-all aircraft registered in the United States of America bear the prefix N, standing for November in the ICAO aircraft country code prefix allocation. If someone wanted it to stand for Navy, that is purely coincidental, unofficial and not an acceptable identification to an FAA Air Traffic Controller who would have been looking for a US Naval warbird aircraft November693Mike, not Marine.

Interesting history story, but a few minor points need clearing up. I have been to NAS Lemoore, working there in the 1960s and to San Francisco and they are about 175 miles apart with NAS Lemoore sited well inland in the central San Joaquin Valley.

But, more importantly-all aircraft registered in the United States of America bear the prefix N, standing for November in the ICAO aircraft country code prefix allocation. If someone wanted it to stand for Navy, that is purely coincidental, unofficial and not an acceptable identification to an FAA Air Traffic Controller who would have been looking for a US Naval warbird aircraft November693Mike, not Marine.

Nice to hear from an "over and back" who has spent a few months working in the States. Lemoore is usually referred to as being outside San Francisco, just as Edwards AFB (that stands for Air Force Base) is referred to as being outside LA (that's Los Angeles for those who have not been there.)

Everyone knows what the N stands for, with regard to American registration. What Garrison did was quite simple - and not requiring a great analysis. He simply took advantage of the mandated N in the N Number (That stands for American Registration) and added the 693 and an M. In the publicity for this aircraft he mentioned the assistance rendered by both the Navy and the Marines.... thus the N693M - coincidental or not. He would usually call up...693 Mike on approach, or whatever.

Most controllers, on the West Coast (That's the 10 western States) were familiar with 693M and its pilot.

Why is it that these sites are haunted by knit pickers and specialists in wing loadings, pounds per square inch and minute statistics, overlooking the bigger picture.

Google Lynn Garrison Aviation and you will see something other than statistical distances between Lemoore. For the sake of accuracy, San Francisco and Lemoore NAS are 210 miles apart, not that it really matters. For someone in London, or Paris, the base is still "near, or outside San Francisco."

Unfortunately, the site is also haunted by newbies who jump in and criticize somebody and then disappear. I for one, won't miss this one.

Saying that Lemoore is outside of San Francisco is like saying the White House is outside of New York City.

CK

Why is it that these sites are haunted by knit pickers and specialists in wing loadings, pounds per square inch and minute statistics, overlooking the bigger picture.

I don't think "haunted" is perhaps the right term.

I find that most of the users here are informative and know what they are talking about.

I for one do not have the background in aviation that most of our posters here do.

I have learned a great deal from Glenn, Doug, Zane and others.

I value their passion for aviation.

Thanks to Morgan for the post...

Everyone knows what the N stands for, with regard to American registration.

Just a side note... A few years back I did not know what it stood for.

I think Glenn, or Doug explained it to me.

Good thing too... Or I would never have posted this image correctly.

I had no clue what the "NX" was for...

N21MJ http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N21MJ.html

Please continue with the detail. I continue to learn more everyday from this site.

Best Regards,

Paul

I think minutiae has it's place among a discussion. The clarification of actual fact vs folk lore are important as well, especially in aviation.

Many times I have been to an airshow where I have heard people talking about an aerobatic performance and they use a sentence like this... "that airplane is doing flips in the air and smoke is coming out of the bombs" or "When they fire the guns on that thing, the airplane almost goes backward"

On the other hand I have heard exchanges like..." Look son that airplane is a DC-3" and some anorak says..."actually that is an R4D-6S and it was equipped for air-sea warfare with a HX2-4B-205 Surface to Air RADAR and powered by R-1830-90 engines...blah blah blah"

There is room for both and both need to understand the other without having an attitude.....

Gee Whiz

Somehow, I just knew this would happen. Thanks guys for your support. Apparently, my SoCal location was ignored and I am being confused with the probable British Doug Robertson who has a P-40 site on the web. For the record, I am not him, and never will nor intend to be.

Unfortunately, the site is also haunted by newbies who jump in and criticize somebody and then disappear. I for one, won't miss this one.

Saying that Lemoore is outside of San Francisco is like saying the White House is outside of New York City.

CK

A newbie on the site. An old hand in aviation. Flew with the air force for 20 years, operated out of Lemoore, flew test at Edwards, ... was involved with the creation of the race concept at Reno, have owned a variety of warbirds including the Corsair, Spitfire, Mustang, P-40, Harvard, T-33, Pitts and SF-260TP. Over 100 types - from Bleriot to super sonic - flown during 11,247 hours of flying worldwide. Having said that, I still become irritated with stupid comments and dissection of things that really do not need analysis. Too many knit pickers in the aviation world.

owned a variety of warbirds including the Corsair, Spitfire, Mustang, P-40, Harvard, T-33, Pitts and SF-260TP.

I would love to hear more about the Spitfire.

Would you be able to provide some details? I am a big Spitfire fan, and was wondering what type you had in the past?

I saw that you are a WIX member... I hadn't seen any posts there about a Spitfire, so I would be very eager to hear more about it!

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=15495

Cheers,

I was being very sincere.

I would love to hear details and some of the history of the Spitfire you owned.

It is quite fascinating where some of these aircraft have been since the end of the war. Some being sold to Egypt, Israel… and others being used in the States.

Best Regards,

2 months later

Unfortunately, the site is also haunted by newbies who jump in and criticize somebody and then disappear. I for one, won't miss this one.

Saying that Lemoore is outside of San Francisco is like saying the White House is outside of New York City.

CK

Surely, you were raised to not enter into insults, when you know nothing about those that you choose to disrespect. The gentleman that you are insulting is responsible for a lot of the aircraft that you see today being preserved, directly and indirectly. He initiated, in his early 20's, a momentum to preserve the aviation history left by the wars, that is still to this day being enjoyed. Newbies may be new to this site, but that is because they have spent the past 6 decades in the cockpit, actually flying the aircraft that you espouse expertise on. Show some respect, and swallow your omnipotence for a second, and let an old pilot tell his story, as it was his story to tell. Lighten up a bit there.

210 miles, or 175 miles- doesn't matter when you have a throttle in hand that sends you hundreds of miles per hour through the air- Distance in driving a car's terms, yes- they are far apart. At 400+ mph, a mere warm up flight really-

Have you ever owned a collection as large as Mr.Garrison? Perhaps, spending time repeating all of the things that you have read online and researching has turned you a wee bit rude, as you are clearly very well informed and a respected authority.

:

8 months later

... was involved with the creation of the race concept at Reno, have owned a variety of warbirds including

the Corsair, Spitfire, Mustang, P-40, Harvard, T-33, Pitts and SF-260TP. Over 100 types - from Bleriot to super sonic - flown during 11,247 hours of flying worldwide.

First off, I hope that things are going well for you.

I noticed that your profile name is "Haitipro".

With the tragedy in Haiti, I hope that you and the people you work with are doing well and are safe.

Again, I would sincerely love to hear the details about your Spitfire or Mustang, P40.

These subjects interest me a great deal and I would love to hear anything about the aircraft that you have owned.

Best Regards,