FOLEY – Decades after planes like it helped train Navy aviators in the skies over South Baldwin, an N3N biplane landed in Foley on Thursday, Oct. 24.

The yellow two-seat airplane touched down at the Foley airport. Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the aircraft will be part of a community commemoration of World War II.

“This is really an incredible day,” Hellmich said. “This is an incredible aircraft. It’s the start of our marking our designation as a World War II Heritage City.”

The National Park Service designated Foley an American World War II Heritage City. Only one community in each state or territory can receive the designation. The designation recognizes the role the community played on the Home Front supporting the United States during World War II and efforts since then to recognize the sacrifices made by Americans during the conflict.

Hellmich joined the aircraft on the last leg of its trip. Pilot Phil Webb flew the biplane from Long Island, New York.

“The plane performed magnificently. This is 1941 technology right here, but reliable. It started every time,” Webb said. “The plane flies really well. What a great way of seeing America. What a beautiful country we have.”

The N3N is one of the types of planes used to train aviation cadets at Barin Field, which was a U.S. Navy training center in Foley during World War II.

The aircraft will be one of the exhibits at a museum planned to commemorate Foley’s role in World War II. Plans for the museum are still being developed.

The city will also open a World War II exhibit on Barin Field and the community during World War II in the Foley Railroad Museum. That exhibit is scheduled to open in December.

“We’re doing the World War II heritage exhibit right now in our current museum,” Hellmich said. “We will build a museum and as we acquire more planes, and then we’ll have more expansion. The Navy was always such and it continues to be such a big part of South Baldwin and Escambia County.”

After the N3N landed, Hellmich presented keys to the city to Webb and Larry Mattiello, who helped acquire the aircraft and arrange its transport to Foley.

“We also have a certificate of appreciation for everything that you guys have done in regards to getting the plane and flying it down from New York, finding the plane in New York, and dealing with the folks and doing it very quickly,” Hellmich said. 

Webb said Foley’s efforts will honor thousands of Americans who trained in the Foley area.

“Those young Naval air cadets in World War II. They were training for a very serious purpose, and that was to go to war,” Webb said. “A lot of those kids were 18, 19, 20 years old, and a lot of them didn’t come back. So I commend the city for remembering their honor and for having a museum to commemorate what they did here, right over there, at Barin Field in these very skies when the chips were down in a very dark era of world history. They made history right here.”

The city also recognized Navy World War II veteran George Logsdon. Logsdon, 97, was among the ground watching the aircraft touch down at the airport.

“We want everyone to know that we appreciate your service and everyone who served our country,” Hellmich said.

Foley purchased the N3N from a private owner in New York. The airplane left Long Island on Tuesday, Oct. 22 on its flight to its new home in Foley. 

The aircraft will be housed at the Foley Airport until a final display area is prepared.

This N3N was acquired by the U.S. Navy on Oct. 18, 1941. It was used as a trainer at Corpus Christi, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri during World War II. While this particular aircraft was not assigned to Barin Field in Foley, N3Ns were used as training aircraft at Barin during World War II.

One N3N that was used at Barin is now on display in Washington, D.C. as part of the National Air and Space Museum.

Barin Field was a training center for Navy aviators from 1942 through 1947 and from 1952 until 1958. During World War II more than 400 aircraft were assigned to the Foley base.