MARIETTA, GA — Aviation students at Chattahoochee Technical College are getting hands-on experience with a rare piece of history, a bright yellow N3N military training plane built by the U.S. Navy during World War II.

The open-cockpit biplane, known as the “Yellow Peril,” was originally used to train military pilots in the 1930s and 1940s. Aviation Program Director Alan Biercewicz says the aircraft not only grabs attention but also gives students a valuable learning opportunity. “It’s a piece of history, so it’s an eye-grabber,” he said.

The plane was purchased from the estate of a former mechanic and pilot, and students are helping to restore it as part of their training. Biercewicz says working with the historic plane helps teach both aviation fundamentals and the evolution of aircraft design. “Just like anything you teach any student, whether it’s math or anything, you start from the basics, and that’s what this airplane does,” he said.

Built from surplus parts from World War I blimps, the N3N is the only aircraft ever manufactured directly by the U.S. Navy. Only about two dozen remain in existence today.

Biercewicz says most planes like it are found in museums, but having one on campus gives students a chance to study aviation history up close. “You’ve probably seen something similar in old movies — the pilot’s head in the wind and the scarf blowing,” he said with a laugh.

The “Yellow Peril” now serves as both a teaching tool and a tribute to the early days of American military aviation.

WSB Radio’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story