Grumman ES-2D Tracker

The Grummian ES-2D Tracker was a twin‑engine, carrier‑based anti‑submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft built by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in the early 1950s. Developed from the earlier S‑2 series, the ES‑2D entered service with the United States Navy in 1955 and subsequently was exported to several allied navies, including those of Canada, Japan, and Argentina. Its all‑metal low‑wing monoplane design featured a spacious internal bomb bay, a retractable landing gear, and a bubble canopy that gave the crew excellent visibility for maritime patrol missions.

Powered by two Wright R-1820 radial engines delivering 1,500 hp each, the Tracker could cruise at 200 knots and had a range of over 1,000 nautical miles, allowing extended loiter over the ocean. Equipped with sophisticated sonar, magnetic anomaly detectors, and a suite of air‑launched torpedoes and depth charges, it set new standards for carrier‑borne ASW capability. The ES‑2D’s reliability and ruggedness made it a workhorse through the Vietnam War and into the 1970s, when it was gradually replaced by jet‑powered platforms.

The aircraft’s contribution to Cold‑War naval strategy, its pioneering integration of electronic detection equipment, and its influence on later maritime patrol designs cement its place as a landmark in aviation history.

Grumman

Grumman ES-2D Tracker

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Design & Classification