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Continuing Grumman's long tradition of AEW Aircraft development, ranging from the Avenger and Guardian to the Hawkeye, the WF-2 Tracer was designed to replace the aging Guardians and Skyraiders providing AEW coverage for US Navy aircraft carriers. The Tracer was developed from the S-2 Tracker anti-submarine warfare aircraft and first flew on March 1, 1957. The fitting of a large radome to the Tracer entailed significant modification from the standard ASW Tracker including the removal of the large single tail fin and replacing it with two end-plate fins on the tailplane. |
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The radar fitted to the Tracer was the new AN/APS-82, manufactured by Hazeltine, original builders of the AN/APS-20 which was the first AEW radar ever used. The AN/APS-82 introduced many technological advances including stabilized antenna and Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) which allowed the radar to detect low flying targets against the clutter of radar reflections from the surface of the ocean. 88 WF-2 and E-1B Tracers were built by Grumman for the US Navy with operations extending from 1958 to 1977 when the E-2 Hawkeye completely replaced the aircraft in service. |
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