West Sale Trackers

Any further news on the status of the Stoofs?

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. B) 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.

This post has been edited by Dave Masterson on Feb 14 2014, 06:53 PM

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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

(IMG:http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/albums/Tracker-N12-153598/N12_153598_26th_August_2011_5.sized.jpg)

N12-153604

(IMG:http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/albums/Tracker-N12-153604/N12_153604_13_09_2009_4.jpg)

....and although not a complete airframe N12-153597 at Nowra

(IMG:http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/albums/Tracker-N12-153597/Tracker_N12_153597_September_2012_4.sized.jpg)

Oh crikey, thanks Martin I got that wrong I should have said the sole surviving airworthy S2E at the time. ;)

This post has been edited by Dave Masterson on Feb 15 2014, 11:31 AM

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

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. :angry:

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

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.


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Thanks Martin.

It appears that four of the Trackers have been returned to inside the hangar so the process of stripping them can begin :angry:

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.

Congrats Dave - don't drop it on your toes. :-)

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

Thanks Andy
Sort of seems a case of Coals to Newcastle!
Would be good to get some photos.

http://www.faaaa.asn.au/update-hookway-trackers/

http://3j8lrq31uyjk1yo9b01c7jub.wpengine.n...ITING-FOR-T.pdf (0.8Mb)

ORIGINAL WEB Page article: https://downunderaviationnews.wordpress.com...-to-be-decided/

That article is undated but it would appear to be pre March 2016.

I have received a report that 153576 has appeared outside the museum at Nowra, stored.
Can this be confirmed please?
Thanks,
Andy

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

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