Grumman C-1 Trader

The Grumman C-1 Trader is a carrier onboard delivery (COD) variant of the Grumman S-2 Tracker. It was replaced by a similar version of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound.

Design and development

The C-1 Trader grew out of a need by the United States Navy for a new anti submarine airplane. In response to this Grumman began development on a prototype twin-engine, high-wing aircraft which it designated the G-89. In 1952 the Navy designated this aircraft the XS2F-1 and flew it for the first time on December 4 that year. During the rest of the 1950s three major variants emerged, the C-1 Trader being one of them. The C-1 (originally the TF-1) was outfitted to carry nine passengers or 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg) of cargo and first flew in January 1955.

Operational history

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the C-1 Trader carried mail and supplies to aircraft carriers on station in the Pacific Ocean during the Vietnam War and also served as a trainer for all-weather carrier operations. Over its production life 83 C-1 Traders were built, of which four were converted into EC-1A Tracer electronic countermeasures aircraft. The last C-1 was retired from USN service in 1988; approximately ten are still airworthy in civil hands, operated as warbirds.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2010, Brazilian Naval Aviation announced that it will buy and modernize eight C-1 to served in the carrier onboard delivery (COD) and aerial refueling roles for use on its aircraft carrier São Paulo.^[1]

Variants

Grumman C-1 at Willow Grove

C-1A onboard USS Coral Sea

TF-1

Carrier Onboard Delivery version of the S-2 Tracker with enlarged fuselage for 9 passengers, redesignated C-1A in 1962, 87 built.

TF-1Q

Electronic Countermeasures conversion of the TF-1, redesignated EC-1A in 1962, four conversions.

TF-1W

Airborne Early Warning project that was developed in the WF-2 Tracer.

C-1A

TF-1 redesignated in 1962.

EC-1A

TF-1Q redesignated in 1962.

KC-2 Turbo Trader

Marsh Aviation modernization project for Air-to-Air Refueling, requested for the Brazilian Navy.^[2]

Operators

 United States

• United States Navy

 Brazil

• Brazilian Navy

Preserved aircraft

• C-1A C-1, BuNo 136754, on static display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida^[3]
• C-1A, BuNo 136790, on static display at the Grissom Air Museum, Grissom ARB (former Grissom AFB), Indiana^[4]
• C-1A, BuNo 136792, on static display at the Quonset Air Museum, (former NAS Quonset Point), North Kingston, Rhode Island. This aircraft was modified with the Grumman E-1 Tracer type radome assembly (but no radar) and twin tails and served (under the designation XTF-1W) as the aerodynamic prototype for the E-1. After testing, it reverted to the transport role, (as C-1A) with radome removed but retaining the twin tails. Throughout, this aircraft retained the S-2/C-1 upward folding wings, not the E-1 wing fold which were necessitated (by the radome atop the fuselage) to fold wings back along the sides of the fuselage.^[5]
• C-1A Trader, BuNo 146034, on static display at the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, former NAS Willow Grove, Horsham, PA^[6]
• C-1A, BuNo 146036, on static display on the USS Midway Museum, San Diego, California.^[7]
• C-1A Trader, BuNo 136778, the only remaining airworthy example, based out of Eufaula, Alabama.^[8][9]

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 42.2 ft (12.9 m)
• Wingspan: 69.6 ft (21.2 m)
• Height: 16.3 ft (4.9 m)
• Empty weight: 18,750 lbs (8,504 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 29,150 lbs (13,222 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1820-82WA Cyclone 9-cylinder radial piston engine, 1,525 hp (1,137 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 287 mph (462 km/h)
• Range: 1,300 miles (2,092 km)

See also

• Carrier onboard delivery

Related development

• Grumman S-2 Tracker
• Grumman E-1 Tracer

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Grumman C-2 Greyhound

References

External links

Media related to C-1 Trader at Wikimedia Commons