S-2 for Coastal Patrol Query

[Cobra]

Hey Guys,just Curious, Can Anyone Tell me if the S-2 Tracker has Ever been used or Modeled as a Coastal Patrol Aircraft or in Coastal Patrol Livery? just wondering, Considering a Project Involving an S-2! What Say You? Thanks for looking.Dan

[Maverick]

Dan,

Given the S-2's ASW role, I think coastal patrol wouldn't be much of a stretch.  Perhaps add large bubble windows in the rear fuselage and give it a loadout more suited to the role instead of torps & depth charges.  Of course, depending on the time frame, you could add on various other bits & pieces to enhance the role.

Regards,

Mav

[rickshaw]

The RAN operated its S-2Gs as coastal patrol aircraft for a couple of years after the demise of the MELBOURNE.  Apparently, they performed quite well but the operating costs with their AVGAS thirsty engines were a bit high so they were sold off.  As usual, little thought to re-engining them.  Afterall, they were near new when we got them after the Nowra fire.

[PR19_Kit]

Didn't the Argentine Marinha use theirs for just that task during the Falklands War?

The 'Veinticinco de Mayo' (why didn't they just call it the Venerable still?) flew their S-2s against the UK Task Force during the War, but they were ground based after the ship returned to port later on.

[Geoff]

I think the Canadians used their S-2s (CP-121) for coastal patrol off the west coast at the end of their service lives as well.

[apophenia]

I think the Canadians used their S-2s (CP-121) for coastal patrol off the west coast at the end of their service lives as well.

Actually most of the coastal patrol CP-121s were based on the East Coast. Only a handful ever served with VU-33 Squadron at CFB Comox (aircraft were handed from unit to unit during mtx so it's hard to narrow down exact numbers). MR 880 and 420(R) flew Trackers on coastal surveillance out of Shearwater, NS until 1988 then to Summerside, PEI until 1990.

Dedicated CP-121 coastal patrol configuration conversions were done in the mid-'70s (RCN/CF Trackers having been built by de Havilland Canada in the '50s). CF Trackers were struck off in 1990-91. Usual story: first DND launched a turboprop rebuild programme (IMP Aerospace, Halifax), then changed their minds and sold-off the CP-121s.  East Coast CP-121s were replaced by CC-144 Challengers (the planned CP-144s got cancelled).

[Captain Canada]

I did an armed CCG Tracker a few years back. Can't find the thread with the search function, tho....

[Old Wombat]

As an ex-RAN Tracker Whacker from the 1980's I can safely say they were great Coastal Patrol aircraft "as-was" with the exception of their rather thirsty R-1820's.

Given an engine change to a similarly powered or even higher power-rated turbo-prop & they would have been brilliant for Coastal Patrol work.

Retention of the radar & MAD would be mandatory because the radar was excellent at picking up stuff on the water (excuse me for not knowing the radar type - I was engines & airframes) & a half-decent crew could almost find a tin-can with their MAD gear. Remove the sonobuoys & replace some of them with smoke-pots, & modify the torpedo bay to drop 2 purpose built life-raft cannisters. You could also add a camera unit to the port wing to "counter-balance" the spotlight on the starboard wing & various other stores/pods could be mounted on the outer-wing hard-points. Without the need to carry a heavy torpedo it's possible that extra fuel tankage might have been possible, thus improving their range even more.

Note: the above is for a primarily Coast-Watch/SAR bird, for Coast Guard work the changes above (except for the engines) would not be required/necessary; however, the ability to launch a decent anti-shipping missile would be useful.

[rickshaw]

So, you'd know all about the Nowra fire then, I take it, Old Wombat?

Like the red livery on that Canadian S-2.

Is there an S-2 kit available in 1/72?  Is there more specifically an S-2G kit?

[Cliffy B]

Is there an S-2 kit available in 1/72?  Is there more specifically an S-2G kit?

Hasegawa does an S-2 and C-2 (COD variant with resin parts) in 1/72.  Both kits have the same parts IE you could build an S-2 out of the C-2 kit, you'd just need to fill in the missing parts since the instructions won't work for the other version.  Both are out of production AFAIK but search around on the web, they're not that rare.

From looking through the box of my C-2, they're pretty good kits detail wise, although I'd recommend a good PE set and maybe a cockpit set since its kind of sparse IIRC.  I haven't built it yet so I can't attest to that side of the kit but I haven't read about any major problems with it.

Kinetic is releasing a 1/48 S-2 sometime in 2011 (I think) that should prove the ultimate Tracker kit in any scale if its on par with their other latest releases.  They're on the pricey side but they are killer kits.

Hope that helps some.

-Mike

[rickshaw]

Mmm, they are all three S2A, aren't they?  Wasn't the S2F longer in the fuselage?

[Cliffy B]

OK, clarification time.  The Hasegawa kit is of the US-2 variant and according to Wiki, the C-1 Trader (COD) version is different.  The US-2s were used as utility and target tug planes.  The original US-2s were converted from A and B models and later on were converted from D and F models as well. 

It looks like the D model was the first one to be enlarged and from then on the dimensions stayed constant.


This is the US-2B kit that I have.
http://www.ecomodelismo.com/us-2b-tracker-10th-combined-fg-Ref-HASE-00713.html

So if Wiki is correct, with that kit you could build any of the variants up until the S-2D or the S2F-3 (original designation).

From rooting around on the net it seem that Hasegawa only ever made the early versions of the Tracker IE, S2F-1 (S-2A/B) and US-2A/B.

Kinetics new 1/48 kit is an S-2E/G in USN markings.  I'm not aware of any other kits out there save for maybe a 1/144 resin kit but I can't remember.

[Maverick]

I believe one of the Australian aftermarket mobs did an S-2G conversion for the Hase kit.  IIRC, it had extended nacelles and a fuselage plug.

Regards,

Mav

[rickshaw]

We know the later versions had longer fuselages.  Does anybody know what the differences were, compared to the earlier versions?  Was it in front of the wing, behind it or both?  By how much?

[rickshaw]

I believe one of the Australian aftermarket mobs did an S-2G conversion for the Hase kit.  IIRC, it had extended nacelles and a fuselage plug.

Regards,

Mav

Mmm, OK.  Been looking for an aftermarket resin conversion but can't seem to find one.  Do you remember who it was?