Well, there might well be some Trackers stored in Australia. Does anyone know what Hookaway Aviation did with the ones it got from the RAN? There are 2 S-2Es & 8 S-2Gs they bought whose last known location was “West Sale VIC” in 1992-1995. What did they do with these?
N12 RAN Grumman S-2E/G Tracker
Primary Role: Anti-submarine/Patrol aircraft
No. in service: 1 (S-2A) instructional airframe, 1 (S-2E) maintenance airframe, 14 (S-2Es) and 16 (S-2Gs)
Period in service: 1968 – 84
Notes:
1. Disaster struck on 4/12/76 when 12 Trackers were badly damaged in a hangar fire. Six were totally destroyed, three more were damaged beyond repair and the remaining three were later repaired. One was away at the time, and survived undamaged.
2. Following the fire, 16 ‘new’ S-2Gs were ordered and subsequently delivered on 5/4/77.
Of the 16 S-2Gs, 10 are recorded as having been “sold to Hookaway Aviation and taken to West Sale VIC” in 1991 & 1992, along with the 3 S-2Es that survived the fire. One S-2E was returned (see below), and two S-2Gs sold off. This leaves the 2 S-2Es & 8 S-2Gs at West Sale VIC mentioned above.
Two other S-2Gs were scrapped by the RAN in 1995.
Known survivors:
Aircraft.Ser – Aircraft Type – Delivered – Const No. – RAN Code – Aircraft History
USN Bu.133160 – S-2A – 131 – ? – n/a – Ex-USN Bu 133160. Delivered in 1966 prior to operational aircraft for instruction, was purchased purely as a training aid/instructional airframe. Now on Static display at the Queensland Air Museum.
USN Bu.151646 – S-2E – ? – 179C – n/a – Ex-USN Bu 151646. Never flew with RAN, was purchased purely as a training aid/instructional airframe. The fuselage marked as 853 at Australia’s Museum of Flight is really Bu.151646*.
N12-153597 – S-2E – 22/11/67 – 341C – 842 – Undamaged by the hanger fire which wrote off 9 S-2E’s and damaged 3 more. It was away at the time of the fire. …..Withdrawn 12/08/84. Sold to Hookway Aviation and taken to West Sale VIC 12/91. Returned to Nowra and now at Bankstown as of 07/99.
N12-153600 – S-2E – 22/11/67 – 344C – 845 – Damaged in Hanger Fire 04/12/76 but not repaired, used as Training Airframe and later displayed as gate guard at Naval Aviation Museum Nowra NSW.
N12-152333 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 220C – 844 – Withdrawn from Service 12/08/84. Airworthy with RAN Historic Flight, flying as VH-NVX.
N12-152334 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 221C – 845 – Withdrawn 12/08/84, Hulk at HMAS Albatross. Sold into private hands for $200 to prevent scrapping – located near HMAS Albatross Nowra.
N12-152812 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 281C – 851 – Withdrawn 12/08/84. Sold 02/02/90 to Qantas as Training Aid. Sold 2006 to HARS. Arrived at HARS 06/11/2006. To be rebuilt to flying condition.
N12-152816 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 285C – 852 – Was marked as NH/702 with USN prior to service with RAN. Withdrawn 12/08/84. Sold to Hookway Aviation and taken to West Sale VIC 11/91. Registered N16FV in USA.
N12-153567 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 323C – 855 – Withdrawn 12/08/84. Sold to Hookway Aviation. Sold to Melbourne/Kangan TAFE 02/94.
N12-153582 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 338C – 859 – Withdrawn 12/08/84. Static Display Australian Naval Aviation Museum, Nowra NSW.
*There were two Trackers marked “853” in RAN service:
N12-153608 – S-2E – 22/11/67 – 352C – 853 – Served with 816 Sqn RAN. Ditched 10/02/75 after night flying when doing a Bolter (missed wire and going around again) from HMAS MELBOURNE. Crew were SBLT(P) G. C. Rulfs RAN, LEUT(O) B. J. Bromfield RAN, ASLT(O) G.J. McCormack RAN and POACM J. Krueger. The crew were all rescued unhurt. Neither crew or maintenance were to blame, it was eventually proved that it was a scientific cause. This was the only RAN Tracker lost flying.
N12-152837 – S-2G – 05/04/77 – 306C – 853 – Was marked as NH/016 with USN prior to service with RAN. Withdrawn 12/08/84. Sold to Hookway Aviation and taken to West Sale VIC 15/04/94. The fuselage marked as 853 at Australia’s Museum of Flight is really Bu.151646.
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