Welcome
to the Surviving Grumman S2F / S-2 Tracker Information Repository which will keep an update on the Grumman Tracker Series of aircraft that still exist, which includes the S2F (S-two-f or Stoof) and CS2F Tracker, the TF-1 / C-1A Trader and WF-2 / E-1B Tracer. 

Mystery Tracker at the bottom of Guantanamo Bay.  Photo by Chris Hileman.

New Page Added 7-26-2010 - Guantanamo Bay Mystery Tracker - Looking for information on this!!  Can you help?

New Page Added 10-9-2009 - World Wide Master Surviving Tracker List
Argentina Tracker page updated with four new airframes 9-7-2009 - Argentine Tracker Page
New Page Added 6-23-2009 - Cal Fire Turbo Tracker Photo Page
New Page Added 6-12-2009 - Marsh Aviation Trackers Photo Page
New Page Added 6-12-2009 - Trader Photo Page
New Page Added 6-12-2009 - Tracer Photo Page
New Page Added 2-15-2009 - Cal Fire (CDF) S-2T listings
New Page Added 2-24-2009 - Uruguay Trackers

Tracker Sunrise
Photo of 136421 taken by Frederick Wester at Sequoia Airport at Visalia, CA


Trackers are world famous!! 
This is from the front page of the "China Daily-The National English Language Newspaper" from October 24, 2007.  I go all the way to Shanghai, China on business and there during breakfast at the hotel is a photo of Tanker 73 on the front page of the newspaper.

Photo of the United Aeronautical Corporation's yard at Tucson, AZ.  There are 80 plus Trackers and 8 Tracers in this 60 acre storage area.  Because of United's effort the Grumman Tracker is still flying today.  The company has spent considerable investment in tooling to make new main landing gear strut barrels and is looking at the same situation for wheels, of which there is only 100 left.  CALFIRE is currently using them up at about 5 a month.  United Aeronautical Corporation Photo.

August 2010 update:
We have just received information from Camilo in Brazil that the Brazilian Navy has purchased the eight Traders from the US that are located in storage at Tucson, AZ.  Following is Camilo's email to me on the matter that goes into more detail about this and other plans the BN has for Trackers and Traders.

July 2010 update:
Trackers 136508, 133204, and 136536 and Trader 136766 have all been purchased by Specline Inc.dba The Cactus Air Force of Carson City, NV.  136508 is already in Carson City and will have the engines and props removed which will be used to fly Trader 136766 from Lakeport, CA to Carson City.  Tracker 136536 will be trucked from Alabama to Carson City where parts from it will be used to fly 133204 from McClellan Airport in Sacramento, CA to Carson City.  136536 will be as spare part aircraft and also an engine test stand.

June 2010 update:
136508 has moved from the storage to the registered designation as it is now N508JR and located in Carson City, NV.

February 2010 update:
With excellent information supplied by Aad van der Voet I have been able to update information on the nine derelicts in St. Augustine, FL, 136546 in Weed, CA and the remaining Trackers in Uruguay.

On January 6, 2010 former Royal Canadian Navy CS2F Tracker Serial Number 1573 was moved 25 miles from Conair at the Abbotsford airport to the Chilliwack Military Education Centre in Chilliwack, BC.  The Tracker will be put on display starting in summer of 2010.  Websites of Jerry Proc -Tracker Move  This is good as five of twenty Trackers at Conair were scrapped in 2009 as they had been stripped of all parts.  We are attempting to determine the serial numbers of those scrapped.  Conair Scrapping 

David D Jackson - February 8, 2010

January 2010 update:
Tracker 136536 airframe, minus engines, former CDF radial engine Tanker 100 and N436DF, went up for sale again on EBay on January 7th, this time for $5,000 in Joppa, AL.  In November-December of 2009 the asking price was $10,000.  This Tracker was last seen at CDF Mather Airport in Sacramento, CA in August of 2007 before going on sale in Alabama.  It must be quite a story on how it got there. The engines are not up for sale at this time.

David D Jackson - January 8, 2010

December 2009 update:
It was pointed out to me by Larry Gertner in October that Tracker 133264 that had been on display at the USS Intrepid was no longer  at that location.  After putting out some inquiries Bill Malone was able to locate it at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum in Glenville, NY in the Museum's Air Park where it went on display no later than May of 2009.  I appreciate everyone's help in finding the new location for this airframe.

Tracker 136536 airframe, minus engines, former CDF radial engine Tanker 100 and N436DF, went up for sale on Ebay in late November for $10,000 in Joppa, AL.  This Tracker was last seen at CDF Mather Airport in Sacramento, CA in August of 2007.  It must be quite a story on how it got to Alabama. The engines are being sold separately at $4,500 a piece.

David D Jackson - December 6, 2009

September 2009 update:
With the assistance of Santiago L. Aversa for providing valuable information on all of the Trackers in Argentina and at the same time adding four new ones that I was unaware of.  He was able to provide US Navy Bureau Number and Grumman Serial numbers for all of the airframe in Argentina.  I really appreciate his assistance over the last few weeks on this matter.

We now stand at 235 total S2F Tracker airframes that we have been able to find evidence of still in existence around the globe.  When I first started this website in January of 2006 I was able to account for just over 100 airframes world wide.  Every time I assume there can be no more around information such as I just got about the ones in Argentina surface and we add another one or two which keeps ratcheting up the count.

David D Jackson - September 9, 2009

June 2009 update:
In May I took a two week trip from Indiana to California with the primary reason for the visit to attend the Chino Air Show.  In the process I was able to take photos of Trackers, Traders, and Tracers all the way out and back.  This includes all (14) Trackers at Marsh Aviation in Mesa, AZ, probably two thirds of the Cal Fire Fleet in California, and others on my route of travel located at museums and airports along the way.  Due to the surge in photos I have separated out into individual photo pages the Trackers, Traders and Tracers.  When complete I will also add unique photo pages for Cal Fire and Marsh Trackers.

David D Jackson - June 9, 2009

June 12 update:  I have now added a photo page for the (14) S2F Trackers in the storage yard at Marsh Aviation in Mesa, AZ.  During the photo editing I "discovered" one Tracker that I had not yet included in my data base.  This aircraft, 147531, is not registered with the FAA even though it has an N number on it and no one has ever to my knowledge published a photo of it on the web.  Also it appears I have the only web published current photo of 136729.  A complete photo essay of the Marsh Yard can be seen at:
My Marsh Photos

June 23 update:  I have now completed the Cal Fire Photo page.  Of the (23) Turbo Trackers that Cal Fire operates I was able to take photos of (19) of them.  Several are in the maintenance hangar as the aircraft were still getting the annuals completed.  In total during the trip I photographed the (19) Cal Fire Trackers, (14) Trackers at Marsh Aviation, ( 11) Trackers on display in (3) states, (4) Traders in (2) states, and one Tracer.  Fifty-three total in 16 days of travel.  See my Cal Fire Photo page at:  Cal Fire Turbo Tracker Photo Page

David D Jackson - June 23, 2009

Introduction:
Unfortunately, very few of these hardworking and venerable aircraft are still around today.  Even fewer are still flying at air shows or can be seen at aviation museums around the world.  Our primary focus will be to provide you with up-to-date information on where you can see the remaining Trackers, Traders, and Tracers, and also provide direct links to any information, including photos on these venerable aircraft.

This has been and continues to be any interesting task, due to the fact that I do not know what the final number of Trackers and its derivatives are that still exist throughout the world.  I am continually updating the site as I discover new information and aircraft.  Also, due to the manner in which I have organized the data, many of the aircraft that are registered in the US are not really flyable aircraft and are now static displays in museums or being used as spare parts.

David D Jackson  

2010 Scheduled S2F Tracker Air Show Appearances:
None that we are aware of.           

Definitions:
Registered - These are aircraft that are have been registered with a country's respective civil aviation authority for civilian flight.  For the most part these are air tankers used in three countries, a handful of warbirds, and some that, even though still registered, are museum displays with no intent of flying by the present owners. 
Military - These are aircraft that are in service with a country's respective military service.  Surprisingly, the S2F is still in limited service with two military arms.  Seeing how the S2F first flew in 1952 and is still in military service, puts it in the same class as the Boeing B-52 for longevity in a country's national defense.  This is outstanding!
Museum - These are aircraft are no longer registered or in active military service that are currently on display in a museum, or some other location.  They can be either be inside or outside, or as in one case, located outside at that the entrance to an international airport.
Storage - These are aircraft that do not fit in any of the above classifications, are still sitting on the landing gear and still look to be a whole airframe.  Engines do not need to be on as they the first items to be used of another flying aircraft, and can be replaced rather easily.  There is still the possibility the aircraft could be made flyable, or into a museum display.  There a some S2F hulks in British Columbia, Canada that have not been included in this classification as the landing gears have been removed and the airframes are being used as spare parts.

2010 S2F and C-1 Events:
136430:  This aircraft has been found and identified on display in Thailand.  Check out our Thailand page.
136536:  Went up for sale again in Joppa, AL for $5,000 on EBay without engines in January after not selling for $10,000 in November of 2009.  Former CDF radial engine Tanker 100 and N436DF.

2009 S2F and C-1 Events:
RCN 1573:  Moved 25 miles from Conair at the Abbotsford airport to the Chilliwack Military Education Centre in Chilliwack, BC.
136536:  Went up for sale in Joppa, AL for $10,000 on EBay without engines in November.  Former CDF radial engine Tanker 100 and N436DF.
136427:  Engines ran after winter maintenance on June 13, 2009.  Information provided by Joe Person of Bothell, WA.  See more at:  Warbird Information Exchange - Arlington Fly-in July 2009
136766:  For Sale in an Estate Auction on May 30, 2009.  See my Trader page for more information.
136773:  For Sale in an Estate Auction on May 30, 2009.  See my Trader page for more information.

2008 S2F and C-1 Events:
136778:  The C-1A departed Waukegan, IL airport for a ferry flight to Trudeau Warbird Enterprises in Punta Gorda, FL for an annual on December 7, 2008.
147641:  This Tracker continued with engine runs and wing folds several times in 2008, with some at night.  See our Netherlands Tracker page for more.
152333:  This S-2G apparently is being prepared for flight and ran taxi tests at the HMAS Albatross 60th Anniversary Air Show in New South Wales in October.  See our Australian Tracker page for video and photos.
136778:  This C-1A has been purchased by Daniel H. Serrato of Eufaula, AL in October.
136427:  Tracker has changed ownership and is now owned by the Air Station Museum in Arlington, WA.
136431:  This S2F-1, owned and operated by The Cavanaugh Flight Museum is now available for airshows.  As of January it is being promoted on Warbird Depot.
136778:   This Trader continues to be for sale for $75,000 through Courtesy Aircraft.  It is part of an estate sale.

2007 S2F and C-1 Events:
136781:  This C-1A is back on the airshow circuit after a six year restoration.
147641:  On July 7, 2007 this Tracker arrived at The Aviodrome at Lelystad Airport by boat from its previous KLM location and is now owned by the Technical Aviation School in Hoofddorp.  Since that time this aircraft has been able to run engines and fold the wings for spectators on a regular basis.  See our Netherlands Tracker page for video of this run along with still photos.
136404:  Destroyed in a crash at Cherry Point MCAS on 5-03-2007.  No fatalities.  More: Go to my:  Tracker Down Special Web Page
136778:  This Trader up for sale for $99,000 through Courtesy Aircraft.  Price later reduced to $75,000

2006 S2F Events:
133090:  As of 9-22-2006 ownership transferred from CDF to Columbia Airport, CA.
133244:  This aircraft has been acquired by the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. and made its last flight to the Museum on November 9, 2006. 
133322:  As of 4-05-2006 ownership transferred to Christopher Schneider from the CDF.
133251:  As of 8-14-2006 ownership transferred to Aerospace Museum of California from the CDF.
136398:  Sale Reported.  For Sale in Trade-A-Plane for $79,000.
136479:  As of 9-05-2006 ownership transferred to Christopher Schneider from the CDF.
136534:  As of 12-2006 the aircraft's registration may not allow for operation.
136619:  As of 12-2006 the aircraft's registration may not allow for operation.
152812:  As of 6-2006 ownership transferred from Quantas to HARS for rebuild to flyable aircraft.

2006 C-1 Events:
136778:  There was an attempted sale of this Trader through Courtesy Aircraft.

Does anyone know the fate of 147643?:

I have received an inquiry from the son of Mr. Van Eijck wanting to know what had happened to the Tracker, 147643, his father hijacked in 1964.  The Dutch did get it back from Libya as Mr. Van Eijck returned after one year in Libya after agreeing to come home and spend a year in prison.  147643 was then returned it to the US Navy in 1974.  The assumption is that it was scrapped as so far it has not turned up in my searches for those currently still in existence.
The Tracker coming home.  Mr. Van Eijck was in training to become a pilot when he was demoted to enlisted rank after making his not so kind feelings about the Dutch Navy known to the wrong person.  He asked to be let go but was not because of his enlistment contract.  In one of those moments were "it sounded like a good idea at the time", he hijacked the plane to show everyone he could fly it and also get away from the Dutch Navy.  After a year in Libya he wanted to return home and cut a deal to return the Tracker and also spend one year in prison. 

Remember:
Support your local S2F Tracker, Warbird Museums, and Warbird Air Shows!

This site last updated 8-17-2010.