Grumman S-2E/G Tracker

Grumman S-2E/G Tracker

Trackers at HARS

HARS has four Grumman Tracker aircraft, one of which is S-2G N12-15333 (side number 844) is airworthy and flies from Shellharbour Airport.

The other three non-airworthy aircraft are:

  • S-2E N12-153597 (side number 842) which is on static display at Parkes
  • S-2E N12-153600 (side number 845) which is on static display at Shellharbour
  • S-2G N12-152812 (side number 851) which is on static display at Shellharbour

Note: the number following the RAN N12 prefix is a United States Bureau Number (or Bu No) which is assigned to a particular airframe and never changes. The side number is a large identification number painted on the aircraft and can be changed throughout its service life.

Tracker 844

Tracker 844 was one of sixteen Grumman S-2G Trackers delivered to the RAN in 1977 to replace ten S-2G Trackers destroyed in a hangar fire at HMAS Albatross (RAN Air Station Nowra) on the night of 4 December 1976.

S-2G Trackers were all built as S-2Ds or S-2Es and subsequently upgraded as S-2Gs. There were never any aircraft built as S-2Gs. The S-2G has more advanced avionics than earlier S-2 versions, particularly the acoustic processing systems associated with sonobuoys dropped from the aircraft. Of particular interest 844 was the development aircraft for the S-2G upgrade project.

Following its service in the US Navy the aircraft was stored at Davis Montham (the famous “Boneyard”) near Tucson, Arizona until acquired by Australia as a replacement aircraft.

During its RAN service 844 operated from RAN Air Station Nowra (HMAS Albatross), the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and RAAF Darwin searching for Vietnamese refugee boats enroute to Australia.

Following retirement from the RAN the aircraft continued to fly in the 1980s and 1990s as part of the RAN Historic Flight (RANHF), appearing at many air shows throughout eastern Australia.

After the cessation of RANHF operations 844 was eventually acquired by HARS and on 14 September 2019 made its first flight in 21 years from Nowra to Shellharbour where it continues to fly in air shows and over commemorative events.

Trackers 842 and 845

Trackers 842 and 845 were two of fourteen Grumman S-2E Trackers delivered to the RAN in 1967.  Of these fourteen Trackers one (853) was lost at sea in a flying accident on the 10 February 1975. On the night of 4 December 1976 ten Trackers were destroyed in a hangar fire at HMAS Albatross.

Tracker 842 operated from HMAS Albatross (RAN Air Station Nowra), the carrier HMAS  Melbourne and RAAF Darwin for Operation Seawatch in the late 1970s. These were  patrols of the Timor Sea to detect refugee boats approaching Australia following the Vietnam war.

842 escaped the hangar fire as it was undergoing major maintenance at the Hawker de Havilland facility at Bankstown, Sydney. It went on to fly until retirement of the Trackers in 1984 and eventually passed into private ownership of HARS volunteer Keith Boundy. Stored outside on a farm near HMAS Albatross the aircraft suffered from the effects of weather and narrowly escaped destruction in the 2019/20 bushfires. It was subsequently generously donated by Keith to HARS and transported to Parkes where it has been re-painted and displayed, albeit without propellers or outer wing sections.

Tracker 845 operated from HMAS Albatross (RAN Air Station Nowra), the carrier HMAS Melbourne and in the mid 1970s carried out fisheries protection patrols (Operation Trochus) from Broome, Western Australia. Although 845 was pulled from the burning hangar fire in 1976 the airframe had been heat stressed and it never flew again.

After standing outside the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS Albatross for many years, 845 was acquired by HARS and transported to Shellharbour where it remains as a static display aircraft.

Tracker 851

Tracker 851 was built in 1966 for the US Navy and served firstly on board the aircraft carrier USS Hornet during the Vietnam War, followed by the USS Ticonderoga and lastly the USS Kittyhawk.  It was retired from the USN in 1976 and put into storage at Davis Montham (the famous “Boneyard”) near Tucson, Arizona.

In 1977 it came to Australia as one of sixteen S-2G Trackers to replace 10 Trackers that were destroyed in the hangar fire at HMAS Albatross (Nowra) in December 1976.  It was used aboard the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, the RAN Naval Air Stationt Nowra (HMAS Albatross) and RAAF Darwin for Operation Seawatch (patrols of the Timor Sea to detect refugee boats approaching Australia following the Vietnam war in the late 1970s).

In 1990 Tracker 851 was sold to QANTAS as an apprentice training aid, and in 2006 HARS acquired it from QANTAS.  It has been restored as an excellent static display aircraft with a long term aim of returning it to running and taxying condition.

Tracker 851 was famously used in the rescue of 99 Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea in June 1981.  The group of refugees, collectively known as MG-99, and their rescue was featured on an episode of Australian Story on Australia’s ABC during 2021, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their rescue.

History of Type

The Tracker is an aircraft carrier based Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft designed for the US Navy by the Grumman Aircraft Co in 1950 with the first flight in December 1952.

The aircraft was designed to take–off and land on aircraft carriers with its main role being to protect the aircraft carriers by detecting and hunting enemy submarines.  It did this by using the following sensors:

  • Radar – a 360 degree search radar housed in an under fuselage retractable dome
  • Sonobuoys – which were dropped from the aircraft and deployed hydrophones (under water microphones) which could relay the underwater sound of a submarine (passive sonobuoy) or by sending a sound pulse through the water determine the range of a submarine (active sonobuoy)
  • Electronic Support Measures – a passive receiver to detect a radar (possible submarine)
  • A retractable Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) boom – an airborne metal detector that could pinpoint a submerged submarine)
  • exhaust trail indicator (not fitted to S-2G) that could sample air aiming to detect an exhaust trail from a submarine’s diesel engine)

On detecting a submarine it could attack it with unguided rockets (surfaced or periscope depth submarine), homing torpedos, and depth charges. Being based on an aircraft carrier, space is at a premium, so the aircraft is physically not big.  Its ~6 m long MAD boom was retractable back into the fuselage and its wings were foldable.  It has a large strong hook at the rear to catch the arrestor wires on the aircraft carrier deck.

Thirty two Trackers were used by the RAN from 1967 to retirement in 1984.

Technical Specifications

Engines: 2 x Wright R1820-82WA 9 cylinder supercharged air-cooled radials (~30 L), 1,525 bhp each

Maximum takeoff weight: 13,250 kg (4,100 kg fuel and weapons)

Length: 13.26 m

Wing span: 22.1 m (8.3 m folded)

Height: 5.33 m

Patrol speed: ~240 km/h (max ~450 km/h)

Ceiling: 22,000 ft

Range: ~2,200 km (endurance ~9 hours)

Crew:   Four

  • Pilot
  • Tactical coordinator (TACCO) – either a second pilot or Observer (Officer aircrew)
  • Two sensor operators (usually an Observer and Aircrewman (NCO or sailor)

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