Met an white-haired gent (pre VietNam Navy pilot) last week who told me his
plane was an S2F Tracker and described the perils of flying it and landing it on
a carrier. I see these in the skies of Marin county CA during fire season as
they have a second life as fire retardent tankers.
Posting these with him in mind...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_S-2_Tracker
The Grumman S-2 Tracker (S2F prior to 1962) was the first purpose-built, single
airframe anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to enter service with the U.S.
Navy. Designed and initially built by Grumman, the Tracker was of conventional
design with twin reciprocating propeller engines, a high wing and tricycle
undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world.
Introduced in 1952, the Tracker and its E-1 Tracer derivative saw service in the
U.S. Navy until the mid-1970s, and its C-1 Trader derivative until the
mid-1980s, with a few aircraft remaining in service with other air arms into the
21st century. Argentina and Brazil are the last countries to still use the
Tracker.
The Tracker was intended as a replacement for the Grumman AF Guardian, which was
the first purpose-built aircraft system for ASW, using two airframes for two
versions, one with the detection gear, and the other with the weapon systems.
The Tracker combined both functions in one aircraft. Grumman's design (model
G-89) was for a large high-wing monoplane with twin Wright Cyclone R-1820 nine
cylinder radial engines, a yoke type arrestor hook and a crew of four. Both the
two prototypes XS2F-1 and 15 production aircraft, S2F-1 were ordered at the same
time, on 30 June 1950. The first flight was conducted on 4 December 1952, and
production aircraft entered service with VS-26, in February 1954.
Follow-on versions included the WF Tracer and TF Trader, which became the
Grumman E-1 Tracer and Grumman C-1 Trader in the tri-service designation
standardization of 1962. The S-2 carried the nickname "Stoof" (S-two-F)
throughout its military career; and the E-1 Tracer variant with the large
overhead radome was colloquially called the "stoof with a roof.".
Grumman produced 1,185 Trackers. At least 99 and possibly 100 aircraft carrying
the CS2F designation were manufactured in Canada under license by de Havilland
Canada. U.S.-built versions of the Tracker were sold to various nations,
including Australia, Japan, Turkey and Taiwan.
Role
ASW aircraft
National origin
United States
Manufacturer
Grumman
First flight
4 December 1952
Introduction
February 1954
Status
Active service in Argentine Naval Aviation
Primary users
United States Navy (historical)
Royal Canadian Navy (historical)
Argentine Navy (current)
Brazilian Navy (current)
Number built
1,284
Variants
Conair Firecat
Developed into
Grumman C-1 Trader
Grumman E-1 Tracer
The Tracker was eventually superseded in U.S. military service by the Lockheed
S-3 Viking; the last USN Tracker operational squadron (VS-37 with S-2G models)
was disestablished in 1976. The last Navy S-2 was withdrawn from service on 29
August 1976. For many years the TS-2A version of the Tracker was used by U.S.
Navy training units, culminating with its use by Training Squadron 28 (VT-28)
for Student Naval Aviator training in the multi-engine pipeline with Training
Air Wing FOUR (TRAWING 4) at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.
A number of Trackers live on as firefighting aircraft while the design also
continued to provide excellent service with the naval forces of other countries
for years after the U.S. retired them. For example, the Royal Australian Navy
continued to use Trackers as front line ASW assets until the mid-1980s.
Specifications (S-2F)
General characteristics
Crew: four (two pilots, two detection systems operators)
Length: 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)
Wingspan: 72 ft 7 in (22.12 m)
Height: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Empty weight: 18,315 lb (8,310 kg)
Loaded weight: 23,435 lb (10,630 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 26,147 lb (11,860 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 280 mph (450 km/h) at sea level
Cruise speed: 150 mph (240 km/h)
Range: 1,350 mi (2,170 km) or 9 hours endurance
Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
Armament
4,800 lb (2,200 kg) of payload could be carried in the internal bomb bay and on
Torpedoes: Mk. 41, Mk. 43, Mk. 34, Mk. 44, or Mk. 46
Depth charges: Mk. 54 or naval mines
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