S-2 Tracker
| S-2 Tracker |
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US Navy S-2E Tracker ready for launching from Bennington (CVS-20), 30 November 1967. Note the searchlight on the starboard wing.
Larger version |
| Description |
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| Role | |
| Crew | |
| Dimensions |
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| Length | | |
| Wingspan | | |
| Height | | |
| Wing area | | |
| Weights |
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| Empty | | |
| Loaded | | |
| Maximum take-off | | |
| Powerplant |
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| Engines | |
| Power | | |
| Performance |
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| Maximum speed | | |
| Combat range | | |
| Ferry range | | |
| Service ceiling | | |
| Rate of climb | | |
| Armament |
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| Guns | |
| Bombs | | |
The Grumman S-2 (formerly S2F) Tracker was the first US Navy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft designed specifically for the purpose.
Its predecessor, the AF-2 Guardian, used two aircraft for ASW, one with the detection gear, and the other with the weapons. This was very inefficient, and the Navy wanted a design that carried both. The replacement aircraft was to carry radar, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), ECM, acoustic equipment, and a searchlight, and be able to be armed with bombs, mines, torpedoes, and rockets.
Grumman's design (model G-89) was for a large high-wing monoplane with twin radial engines.
Both the two prototypes XS2F-1 and 15 production aircraft, S2F-1 were ordered at the same time, on 30 June 1950. First flight was 4 December 1952, and production aircraft entered service, with VS-26, in February 1954.
Followon versions included the WF Tracer and TF Trader, which became the E-1 Tracer and C-1 Trader in the rationalization of 1962. The S-2 carried the nickname "Stoof" (S-two-F) throughout is military career.
Versions of the tracker were sold to various nations, including Canada, Australia, and Taiwan.
The Tracker was eventually superseded for military use by the S-3 Viking - the last Tracker squadron was disestablished in 1976 - but a number live on as firefighting aircraft.
Variants
- S-2A
- TS-2A - training version
- US-2A - utility conversion
- S-2B - addition of AQA-3 Jezebel passive acoustic search
- US-2B - utility conversion
- S-2C - larger weapons bay, larger tail
- RS-2C - photo-reconnaissance
- US-2C - utility conversion
- S-2D - larger version
- S-2E
- S-2F
- CS2F-1 - Canada
- CS2F-2 - Canada, later CP-121
- S-2G
- S-2UP
- S-2T Turbo Tracker
- S-2AT - firefighter
- S-2ET
Units Using the Tracker
United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
Commando Aviacon Naval Argentina
Força Aerea Brasileria
Aeronautica Militarie
Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force
Fuerza de Aviacon de Naval
Republic of China Air Force
Royal Thai Naval Air Division
Turk Donama Havaciligi
Marine Luchtvaart Dienst
Aviación Naval Uruguaya
Armada Venezolana
