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| ADF Serials Message Board > Navy Aircraft - Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm > West Sale Trackers |
| Posted by: darren.crick Oct 7 2009, 08:14 PM |
| G'day All, We have been asked to spread the word regarding the Grumman Trackers held by Hookway Aviation at West Sale and their disposal. If anyone has any interest in parts or airframes as a whole please contact Stirling Hookway via email at; s_hookway@bigpond.com It is my understanding they asking 50k per aircraft and are required to be sold by xmas next year (2010) and he is trying to honour his late father request they not be scrapped. Feel free to mention you go his email from ADF-Serials as we have agreed to assist him where we can. |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Oct 8 2009, 06:59 PM |
| 50K per airframe...crikey thats expensive for what they are now. |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Oct 8 2009, 09:05 PM |
| You must remember though that they were all flown into West Sale and have been in indoor storage ever since. Problem is they used the same two engines to ferry the whole lot! |
| Posted by: darren.crick Oct 8 2009, 10:47 PM |
| what he asks and what he gets might just be two very different prices... |
| Posted by: Luig Oct 9 2009, 07:29 AM |
| Something more exciting at 100 times the price or whatever it is.... http://www.controller.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=1160633 |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Oct 9 2009, 05:46 PM |
| Martin said "You must remember though that they were all flown into West Sale and have been in indoor storage ever since. Problem is they used the same two engines to ferry the whole lot! " I was actually at Nowra in 1995 and stayed at Albatross(when I was with the Police) when they were flying some of these Trackers down to Victoria. I sat in one as they taxied it around the apron, boy if felt powerful. Had the photos but with a divorce etc they have gone missing in action. I think the guy doing the work then was Peter Hookway? may be wrong, but we used to have a few beers in the Senior Sailors mess and talk about the aircraft. They were fairly well rundown by then and I knew that they flew them all to Victoria with the undercarriage down. As you say they only had one pair of engines. The rest were lost with some sort of a scam conducted by an Australian businessman with the Brazilian or Argentine Government. |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Dec 23 2010, 05:10 PM |
| Has anyone heard anymore on the fate of the Trackers? |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Dec 24 2010, 10:04 AM |
| I called into West Sale last Sunday. Everything was locked up and from what I could tell nothing has changed since my last visit in August 2009. There was nobody I could ask so there may be some behind the scenes moves. Has Mark Pilkington any news on Moorabbin's quest to acquire a Tracker? |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Aug 30 2011, 06:38 PM |
| The Trackers at West Sale are still waiting for new homes Some photos taken 26th August 2011 at http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153576 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152805 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152837 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153578 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153598 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152811 |
| Posted by: Luig Aug 31 2011, 09:15 AM |
| Many thanks Martin. Sad photos indeed. |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Aug 31 2011, 05:29 PM |
Martin, they still look to be in reasonable condition, considering the years of storage. Much better than the two that are in Gannet Road near the Naval Air Station. Bush fires and rain have taken their toll on these two airframes with one of them now having lost its tail. Mate if I had the money and a big shed I'd buy one of those down at Sale  I see one of them still has the control panel/instruments fitted in the Sonar operators station. |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Aug 31 2011, 06:45 PM |
| It makes you want arrive with scrubbing gear and spruce them up a bit! BC |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Aug 31 2011, 08:14 PM |
| Apart from the build up of grime they are in very good condition. The 3 outside are S-2E N12-153598 and S-2Gs N12-152811 and N12-153578. They have only been out for a couple of months whilst the others have been inside all these years (coming up 20 years). The 3 photographed inside the hangar are N12-152805, N12-152837 and N12-153576. These 3 were to be converted to fire bombers. Tracker N12-153566 is outside the Gippsland Armed Forces Museum and I did photograph the interior a couple of years back. The photos are in the gallery. The remainder are still in the Hookway hangar and haven't moved since my previous visits. There are photos of them all. They are S-2Gs N12-152800, N12-152809, N12-152816, and S-2E N12-153604 I had a crawl under the ones outside in the weapons bay and undercart wells and there is bugger all corrosion. Apart from some missing engines and props I am sure most are as complete as the day they arrived. I had arranged with Stirling Hookway some time ago to enter the aircraft to take photos however I arrived too late on the day and I didn't want to hold people up. The original deadline for disposal has past but there is a genuine desire on Stirling Hookway's behalf to see them find good homes. I believe that bona fide museums would be well looked after. Stirling can be contacted on s_hookway@bigpond.com |
| Posted by: gph Mar 29 2012, 04:49 PM |
| Guys, I had a call from Stirling Hookway asking if I knew anyone interested in the two trailers housing the Tracker Sim parked at Hookway Aviation at West Sale . He was talking $2K but as the conversation developed, I got the impression that was a flexi price. Does anyone know if the Sim is worth saving? GPH |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Mar 30 2012, 09:04 AM |
| Interesting, What condition is it in? Do we have any photos of it? I wonder if any of the museums would see it as an intersting exhibit? BC |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Mar 30 2012, 01:49 PM |
| I have been informed that: "The F111C sim went to the RAAFM back in in 1992/3 and the "new sim" is the one in the recent post about the AMB HC. The B707 and C130E trainers also went to RAAFM around 2005/6." BC |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 1 2012, 03:19 PM |
| Does the 'sim' have a hot water heater? If it does - be careful. |
| Posted by: gph Apr 1 2012, 03:45 PM |
Did you ever see it working LL? It was U/S both times I had a squiz.  ( |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 3 2012, 02:14 PM |
Sorry, never set foot in it. The 'new sim' was off limits in case our 'hair on fire' attitude did damage. Also our 'need to know' was ZERO and that was that - no banana.  Did get a ride in a Twacker But! And had a flog around the coast for a few minutes. Fester/Fuzzy  was my hero! Sat in an Observer/Crewman Seat with another instructor pilot (Blue) while the under training crew did the business mostly. |
| Posted by: gph Apr 4 2012, 09:41 AM |
I understand that one trailer contains a cockpit mockup while the other has the electronics to run the Sim. No piccys of inside yet. The trailers look a lot bigger than I remember.  |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 4 2012, 01:29 PM |
| They were large - but how large I don't recall. Are these the original fire damaged ones? What happened to them? Were not the replacement trailers housed in a brick building or similar? |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Apr 4 2012, 01:54 PM |
| Wow! They are bigger than I expected! Almost bigger than a Tracker you might say! While on the topic of Tracker memories, my most vivid mental images are when I was a lad in the 70's. A friend and I used to go surf fishing on Golden Beach & Paradise Beach near Sale. It was not unusual to see a Tracker beetling down the beach at not much more than surf rod height and cop a wave or wing waggle from the crew. On days like that, catching a fish was not necessary for a satisfying day out! BC |
| Posted by: gph Apr 4 2012, 04:00 PM | ||
They were parked at the Weapons Systems Trainer (WST) building over near the swimming pool & canteen. I think they would have escaped the fire. |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 4 2012, 04:05 PM |
| 'Surf Fishing Rod Height' seems to have been a standard for beach runs in the late 1970s! A4G pilots say the same thing from same era. I can assure youse that in the early 1970s such low level beach runs were ABSOLUTELY BANNED (near NAS Nowra). Penalty - instant dismissal was the story from Squadron Senior Pilots (XOs). It was alright to fly low level over the sea on Fleet Support or Operational Exercises but NEVER over a beach, especially any beach south of Nowra - near Nowra. WHY? The dreaded phone call from anyone annoyed by such an event. Sometimes we had phone calls with investigation finding the aircraft was at 'higher' level for example. Low flying over land was conducted south of NAS Nowra in the rugged valleys in the National Park. No phones nearby in those days and legal in any event. But not over beaches. Yes I know the beaches further away (SALE) may have seen an odd aircraft; but mate NEVER near Nowra, although that does not seem to be the case later in the decade (from stories told these days). Perhaps all the previous complainers became permanently deaf from all the low flying aircraft?  |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 4 2012, 04:11 PM |
| gph, The original trailer(s) were burnt from a hot water heating urn left on overnight (water boiled away to nothing and fire starting). This was sometime in 1968. These original trailer(s) were only housed with a tin roof with wooden? steps to get inside. When trailers replaced the brick WST was built especially (with no hot water urns?). The original trailers were about where the original 'aircrew hot food outlet' was situated down near 'H' & 'J' Hangars - perhaps a bit north of 'H' by those 'wooden wind tunnels'. |
| Posted by: gph Apr 4 2012, 04:13 PM |
| Is anyone in touch with an ex-Twacker type who can give us some info on this beast? |
| Posted by: gph Apr 4 2012, 04:17 PM | ||
Ah,Ha! Didn't know that historic gem! Make sure you write those memoirs "The Legendary Lucy Leader". |
| Posted by: gph Apr 4 2012, 04:21 PM | ||
All true. ATC frequently took the phone call and we started sending one grumpy old bat a Christmas Card each year. |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Apr 4 2012, 04:26 PM |
| Thanks everyone. Phil, I wish I had a good camera back in the 70's! I can absolutley confirm that the Tracker low level beach runs were a frequent occurance around Sale in the later years of that decade! I never saw the need to complain. BC |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 4 2012, 07:21 PM |
| gph, Yep there was a gap between the first and second edition WSTs. I hope you are not being offered the toasty first edition? |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Apr 5 2012, 06:19 PM |
| So, Where would an A-4G guy go for a beach run (hypothetically of course)! BC |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 5 2012, 09:35 PM |
| No WHere - erewhon. Unless one wanted a quick march to see Commander Air via Sqdn CO/SP in the Tower at NAS Nowra then pack ye bags and begone. It was a surprise to see (later than me) former A4G pilots chatting about their beach runs. I don't doubt it but AFAIK I know not around NAS Nowra. I had enough run ins for different reasons and survived and I did not need to tempt fate. I was called to land by SATCO when doing A4G circuits at Optimum Angle of Attack. What was different was that I was doing the entire circuit, including wave off / touch and go and downwind turn base etc (that part SOP) at Optimum AoA. What was disconcerting to the tower was the climbout/turn downwind at Opt AoA. Solly Sir said our noble SP - no worries. A4G completely safe to fly at Opt AoA. Wot a nice SP. End of story and no carpet for him. Supposedly landing short (on RW 08) was another furphy but that story is for another time and place. |
| Posted by: Nick Thorne Apr 13 2012, 10:23 AM |
| I spent plenty of time in the back seat part of the simulator during my Tracker conversion course in 1979. This thing was a very Heath Robinson affair, all bell cranks and pushrods - much like the Stoof itself really. The backseat training was only for the No 3 seat as the No 4 seat was only equiped with the old sonar set, not the AQA7 fitted to the S-2Gs. As for low level runs, these were not uncommon during my time. "Blowing the old ladies off the blow hole" was not unknown. |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Apr 13 2012, 11:31 AM |
| Hi Nick, welcome aboard adf-serials. I do believe that I have come across your name around the net and if memory serves me right quite a few photos credited to you? We look forward to your contributions. Cheers Martin |
| Posted by: Brendan Cowan Apr 13 2012, 11:41 AM |
| Thanks Nick, And welcome to our merry band. Now was that you I was waving to at Sale all those years ago? Cheers Brendan |
| Posted by: Luig Apr 13 2012, 02:52 PM |
| Good that you are here Nick. You have on the internet the all time best photo of what HMAS Melbourne looks like during an approach (albeit a Twacker one but no worries). Just excellent. As indicated ten years earlier low flying around NAS Nowra - especially on beaches - was not tolerated. I guess times change. Perhaps beach goers expected them by 1979? You will find a bunch of RAN FAA Fixed Wing stuff at SpazSinbad on SkyDrive: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=cbcd63d6340707e6&sa=822839791 |
| Posted by: wapiti Apr 14 2012, 08:20 PM |
| Yes , i am interested in tracker sim. cheers dave debdavid@aapt.net.au ph 0407 554941 |
| Posted by: rockdropper Sep 3 2013, 12:16 PM |
| Does anyone know the current situation with the Hookway Trackers and sims? |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Sep 3 2013, 01:03 PM |
| I visited West Sale a couple of months ago. The Trackers seem to be in the same situation as my last visit in September 2011 The two semi trailers containing the sim had however gone Some photos taken on 26th August 2011 at http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153576 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152805 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152837 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153578 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-153598 http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Tracker-N12-152811 |
| Posted by: rockdropper Sep 3 2013, 02:47 PM |
| Thanks. So they're not in bad condition. Are they back in the hangar now? |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Sep 3 2013, 04:33 PM |
| Last time I looked they were still outside as per 2011 photos |
| Posted by: Brenden S Sep 8 2013, 03:20 PM |
| They all look in pretty good nick considering. I wonder how much he would sell one of the airframes for? |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Sep 8 2013, 03:30 PM |
| Last I heard was $45k....way to much for what they are. If they were a lot cheaper they would sell |
| Posted by: rockdropper Sep 12 2013, 09:58 PM |
| Hi guys, Does anyone have contacts for the Hookway Trackers? I'm keen to look into the prospect of a purchase Cheers |
| Posted by: rockdropper Sep 13 2013, 06:44 PM |
| Disregard, made contact today |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Sep 13 2013, 08:32 PM |
| Call me with the outcome Rockie |
| Posted by: Brenden S Sep 18 2013, 02:21 PM |
| I would offer 20K for one at the most. You would spend at least over $400k to get them airworthy if you paid people to do it for you, if not more. Engines and props would be about around $160k alone. |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Oct 12 2013, 04:57 PM |
| Looks like time is up for the West Sale Trackers They are up for auction on Grays on-line auction http://www.graysonline.com/sale/3003984/boats-marine-aircraft/11-x-ex-military-grumman-trackers?spr=true We are calling for immediate offers on 11x Ex ADF Grumman Tracker aircrafts and associated spare parts. The crafts are located in Sale, Victoria and inspection can be arranged by appointment. The aircrafts are being offered as complete parcel only. Included within the parcel are: S-2G – Serial 152800 S-2G – Serial 152805 S-2G – Serial 152809 S-2G – Serial 152811 S-2G – Serial 152837 S-2G – Serial 153566 S-2G – Serial 153576 S-2G – Serial 153578 S-2E – Serial 153598 S-2E – Serial 153604 For more information please feel free to contact Scott Matthews on 0400 827 333. |
| Posted by: ausflyboy Nov 3 2013, 11:47 AM |
| So the Auction has closed and allegedly they are heading overseas. Anyone heard further on this? Cheers, Chris |
| Posted by: rockdropper Nov 5 2013, 10:49 AM |
Yep, going to the states for conversion to firebombers I believe...  |
| Posted by: Nick Thorne Feb 14 2014, 02:50 PM |
| Any further news on the status of the Stoofs? |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Feb 14 2014, 06:49 PM |
| Heard nothing. Makes you wonder though if they really can be converted to firebombers. I mean they are very old airframes now and have been left to stand, in and out of the weather for a long time. It would surely cost a fortune to get them airworthy again. The Tracker pictured was outside the FAA Museum at Nowra for a few years. It was moved down onto the airfield near the Historic Flight Hanger(where picture was taken) and was going to be refurbished, externally anyway and then put on a post near the Museum. Don't know what has happened with that one either. It was the sole surviving S2E from the Hangar fire in 1977. |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Feb 14 2014, 10:10 PM |
| Dave apart from N12-153600 at the FAA Museum there are a few more surviving S2-Es (although how long they survive for is another thing as they are believed to have been sold for parts) At West Sale there are 2 (Not 4 as I had previously posted, I got confused with the two S2-G with N12-1535xx serials! These are very close to the S-2E serials as listed below) N12-153598  N12-153604  ....and although not a complete airframe N12-153597 at Nowra  |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson Feb 15 2014, 10:48 AM |
| Oh crikey, thanks Martin I got that wrong I should have said the sole surviving airworthy S2E at the time. |
| Posted by: exbirdy Feb 15 2014, 01:38 PM |
| The surviving S2E Trackers were 153597, 153598, 153600 and 153604. 153600 was not repaired after the fire and was kept as a training aid. The other 3 were operational. 153597 was not at Nowra at the time of the fire. John |
| Posted by: rockdropper Mar 21 2014, 08:12 AM |
I was involved with a group that was trying to acquire one of the West Sale aircraft for a museum, but unfortunately that fell through. I believe they are all going to be used for parts in the US.  |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Jun 12 2015, 10:32 PM |
| Has anyone heard anything lately about the West Sale Trackers? S-2G – Serial 152800 S-2G – Serial 152805 S-2G – Serial 152809 S-2G – Serial 152811 S-2G – Serial 152816 S-2G – Serial 152837 S-2G – Serial 153566 S-2G – Serial 153576 S-2G – Serial 153578 S-2E – Serial 153598 S-2E – Serial 153604 |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Aug 28 2015, 01:54 PM |
| To answer my own question I dropped into West Sale on the weekend to try and get the latest news on the Trackers. It turned out there appears to be no news. West Sale air-side is now surrounded by high wire security fences. The Hookway hangar was open but there was no way that I could get to it to ask permission for photos as I had previously done. Two years after the Grey's auction there has been little change. The four stored outside for the last four or five years have moved off the flight line and are understandably deteriorating with mould growing on them. The one at the museum looks similarly neglected with a deflated starboard main wheel sinking into the bitumen. There still appear to be four of five in the ex-Hookway hangar still being pooed on by the pigeons. Overall a very depressing situation seeing as all eleven flew into West Sale back in 1991 (albeit on the same pair of engines!) They were stored inside and were in reasonably good condition. Such a waste! S-2G 152800 (846) Not sighted, probably in ex-Hookway hangar S-2G 152805 (847) Not sighted, previously in Southern Aviation hangar S-2G 152809 (849) Not sighted, probably in ex-Hookway hangar S-2G 152811 (850) Outside storage S-2G 152816 (852) Outside storage S-2G 152837 (853) Outside storage S-2G 153566 (854) Outside museum S-2G 153576 (856) Sighted in ex-Hookway hangar S-2G 153578 (857) Outside storage S-2E 153598 (841) Outside storage S-2E 153604 (840) Sighted in ex-Hookway hangar For histories of all the RAN Trackers see; http://www.adf-serials.com/n12.htm as well as photos from my visit. |
| Posted by: Luig Aug 28 2015, 03:56 PM |
| Thanks Martin. |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards May 12 2016, 02:03 PM |
| It appears that four of the Trackers have been returned to inside the hangar so the process of stripping them can begin |
| Posted by: Dave Masterson May 13 2016, 06:10 PM |
| I have managed to buy a tail hook from one of these aircraft. To be picked up in July at Wagga...a guy on face book was selling them. |
| Posted by: Luig May 13 2016, 10:39 PM |
| Congrats Dave - don't drop it on your toes. :-) |
| Posted by: Andy Marden Sep 18 2016, 08:26 PM |
| At least four of the Trackers have turned up in the United Aeronautical Corp yard adjacent to AMARG at Davis Monthan AFB AZ. Identified so far: (152816)/N16FV 153566 153598 153604 Andy |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Sep 19 2016, 11:16 AM |
| Thanks Andy Sort of seems a case of Coals to Newcastle! Would be good to get some photos. |
| Posted by: Luig Oct 6 2016, 12:20 AM | ||
http://www.faaaa.asn.au/update-hookway-trackers/ http://3j8lrq31uyjk1yo9b01c7jub.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/FORMER-ROYAL-AUSTRALIAN-NAVY-RAN-–-FLEET-AIR-ARM-FAA-GRUMMAN-S-2EG-TRACKERS-STILL-WAITING-FOR-T.pdf (0.8Mb) ORIGINAL WEB Page article: https://downunderaviationnews.wordpress.com/former-royal-australian-navy-ran-fleet-air-arm-faa-grumman-s-2eg-trackers-still-waiting-for-their-fate-to-be-decided/ |
| Posted by: Ron Cuskelly Oct 9 2016, 07:35 AM |
| That article is undated but it would appear to be pre March 2016. |
| Posted by: Andy Marden Jun 4 2018, 04:31 AM |
| I have received a report that 153576 has appeared outside the museum at Nowra, stored. Can this be confirmed please? Thanks, Andy |
| Posted by: Martin Edwards Jun 5 2018, 09:55 AM |
| Hi Andy That would be an interesting development (sort of coals to Newcastle) If true I wonder why? I notice that with the Seahawks and Squirrels there have been examples obtained both for the FAA Museum and as gate guards. Of course to read anything else into it before the facts are known would be pure speculation. Photo below shows Tracker N12-153576 (856) at West Sale in February 2016 by David Drane |