Grumman E-1 Tracer – Photos & Video

The Grumman E-1 Tracer was the first purpose built airborne early warning aircraft used by the United States Navy. It was a derivative of the Grumman C-1 Trader and first entered service in 1958. It was replaced by the more modern Grumman E-2 Hawkeye by the 1970s.

Source: Grumman E-1 Tracer on Wikipedia

The Grumman E-1 Tracer was an airborne early warning aircraft used by the United States Navy from 1958 to 1977. It was the first carrier-based aircraft designed for this role and the precursor of the modern E-2 Hawkeye. The E-1 Tracer was based on the Grumman C-1 Trader, a derivative of the S-2 Tracker anti-submarine aircraft. The main difference between the C-1 and the E-1 was the addition of a large radome above the fuselage that housed a long-range AN/APS-82 radar. The E-1 also had a distinctive tail with twin vertical stabilizers to improve stability at high altitudes.
The E-1 Tracer had a crew of four: pilot, co-pilot, and two radar operators. The aircraft could detect and track enemy aircraft and ships up to 200 miles away and relay the information to other aircraft or surface vessels. The E-1 Tracer served in several conflicts, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the Six-Day War. It was eventually replaced by the more advanced E-2 Hawkeye in the early 1970s. The last operational E-1 Tracer was retired in 1977 and only a few examples survive in museums today.