Jump to content

Grumman tracker sonobuoy tube cover 1954


phantomfixer
 Share

Recommended Posts

Interesting,

What exactly would this be used for? I know what a sonobuoy is, I have one, can't figure out what this would be used for. As far as I know, sonobuoy tubes are not "dangerous".

BKW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just from looking at the Tracker

..the buoys are deployed via a rack behind the engine fairing, aft of the wings trailing edge...the cover, I think, goes over the open rack of buoys..when loaded on the carrier..removed before flight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salvage Sailor
It could be the Canadian version produced under licence by Grumman for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)
Port side sonobuoy launcher on s/n 1600. RCN Trackers carried a total of 16 air-dropped T.1946 sonobuoys. The two larger holes at the top aft end of the engine nacelle were intended to house the direction-finding SSQ-1 sonobuoy. It failed acceptable tests so it wasn't deployed with the S2F and the holes were left empty.
The first action on arrival over a potential submarine location was for the co-pilot to eject a pattern of sonobuoys from the rear of the engine nacelles. The pilot then orbited the search area while the two systems operators analyzed printouts of frequency scans from the Jezebel long-range detection system; these would indicate any tell-tale engine, propeller or shaft noises captured and transmitted by the sonobuoys.
Inside the wheel well, there is a plenum that only covers the front end of the 8 sonobuoy launch tubes. Attached to it is a duct that supplies warm air from the engine compartment to this plenum, thus keeping the sonobouys from freezing up. When the Tracker was modified for a Maritime Surveillance role, all the anti-submarine processing equipment was removed and the remaining two sonobouys (one on each side) were used strictly as position markers. An aluminum plate was cut to cover all but one of the holes.

 

tracker_sonobuoy_launcher.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for that Sailor...the cover looks to be the same shape as the dispenser you posted

89 is the part number prefix for the S-2 Tracker...I must assume the 1954 date on the package, is the manufacture date of the packing material, not the cover itself...

 

Thanks for the update

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...