Grumman S-2F Tracker 01

[®i©ardo[_2_]]

--
Moving Things in Still Pictures!

[Savageduck[_3_]]

On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:



Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
"Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.



--
Regards,

Savageduck

[®i©ardo[_2_]]

On 18/03/2013 21:20, Savageduck wrote:
> On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>
>
>
> Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
> "Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
> Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
> from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
> gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
> CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.
>
>

Thank you for the information - that's a tidy looking aircraft in your
picture. I think the Italian one is a bit careworn!

Ri©ardo

--
Moving Things in Still Pictures!

[Savageduck[_3_]]

On 2013-03-18 14:26:04 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:

> On 18/03/2013 21:20, Savageduck wrote:
>> On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>>
>>
>>
>> Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
>> "Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
>> Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
>> from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
>> gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
>> CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.
>>
>>
>
> Thank you for the information - that's a tidy looking aircraft in your
> picture. I think the Italian one is a bit careworn!
>
> Ri©ardo

California has quite a sizable firefighting airforce, and we have one
of the larger fire attack bases here at Paso Robles airport:
<
http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/Aviation_Firefighting_webbooklet.pdf
>


--
Regards,

Savageduck

[®i©ardo[_2_]]

On 18/03/2013 21:35, Savageduck wrote:
> On 2013-03-18 14:26:04 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>
>> On 18/03/2013 21:20, Savageduck wrote:
>>> On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
>>> "Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
>>> Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
>>> from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
>>> gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
>>> CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Thank you for the information - that's a tidy looking aircraft in your
>> picture. I think the Italian one is a bit careworn!
>>
>> Ri©ardo
>
> California has quite a sizable firefighting airforce, and we have one of
> the larger fire attack bases here at Paso Robles airport:
> <
> http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/Aviation_Firefighting_webbooklet.pdf
>
>>
>
>

We've nothing like it in the UK, but then we do seem to get lots of rain!

;-)

--
Moving Things in Still Pictures!

[Norm DePlume]

On Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:20:29 -0700, Savageduck
> wrote:

>On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>
>
>
>Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
>"Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
>Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
>from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
>gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
>CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.

Hello,
While I understand the benefits of converting to turboprop, there's
something about the burble of a radial just loafing along.

[Savageduck[_3_]]

On 2013-03-18 18:22:06 -0700, Norm DePlume > said:

> On Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:20:29 -0700, Savageduck
> > wrote:
>
>> On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>>
>>
>>
>> Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
>> "Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
>> Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
>> from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
>> gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
>> CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.
>
> Hello,
> While I understand the benefits of converting to turboprop, there's
> something about the burble of a radial just loafing along.

Yup! However, CDF was being practical, they had 1,200 gallons of liquid
to haul, and those R-1820's had reached their "use by" date. Also they
had gone through and worn out the 55 S-2E/Fs and spares they bought
from the Navy back in 1976. In the Western fire season all of the
CalFire fleet is given a hard workout with little time for maintenance.
It is quite something to see those guys working a fire.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Norm DePlume]

On Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:02:36 -0700, Savageduck
> wrote:

>On 2013-03-18 18:22:06 -0700, Norm DePlume > said:
>
>> On Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:20:29 -0700, Savageduck
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On 2013-03-18 10:36:54 -0700, ®i©ardo > said:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Out here in California CalFire has 23 S-2E/Gs converted to S-2T
>>> "Turbo-Tracker" configuration, replacing the Wright R-1820's with
>>> Garrett 1650HP turboprops. They then retired 55 the older S-2s bought
>>> from the Navy back in the mid-1970's. The upgraded S-2Ts carry 1,200
>>> gallons of fire retardant and they are one of the work horses of
>>> CalFire's air tanker attack fleet.
>>
>> Hello,
>> While I understand the benefits of converting to turboprop, there's
>> something about the burble of a radial just loafing along.
>
>Yup! However, CDF was being practical, they had 1,200 gallons of liquid
>to haul, and those R-1820's had reached their "use by" date. Also they
>had gone through and worn out the 55 S-2E/Fs and spares they bought
>from the Navy back in 1976. In the Western fire season all of the
>CalFire fleet is given a hard workout with little time for maintenance.
>It is quite something to see those guys working a fire.

Hello,
Quite something, indeed. I live in New Mexico and the work those men
and women do, in the air or on the ground, is nothing short of heroic
as far as we're concerned.