                    GRUMMAN C1-A TRADER
                     
  "GRUMMAN ON THE AIRCRAFT IS LIKE STERLING ON THE SILVER"

     THE GRUMMAN C1-A TRADER WAS THE CARRIER ONBOARD 
DELIVERY (COD) DERIVATIVE OF THE S2F TRACKER. THE "STOOF" 
WAS DEVELOPED AS AN ANTI-SUBMARINE HUNTER/KILLER. AS SUCH IT 
CARRIED 32 SONOBUOYS, 27 Mk 57 SUS, 26 MARINE MARKERS, 2 Mk 
46 TORPEDOES 9OR OR DEPTH BOMB) SIX 5" HVAR ROCKETS OR SIX 
ZUNI ROCKET PODS. THE C1-A WAS MANUFACTURED AS A CARRIER 
CAPABLE TRANSPORT FOR SHUTTLING PERSONNEL, PARTS, AND OTHER 
ACTIVITIES AROUND THE FLEET.
     THE "STOOF" FIRST FLEW 7 JULY 1953 AS THE "SENTINEL" 
UNTIL SOMEONE DISCOVERED THAN STINSON WAS USING THAT NAME. 
APPROXIMATELY 755 WERE BUILT WITH 625 GOING TO THE USN/USMC 
AND THE BALANCE WERE EXPORTED. FIFTY-ONE WERE CONVERTED TO 
US-2A'S WHICH WERE UTILIZED BY THE USMC. THE FIRST COD TYPE 
WERE CALLED TF-1 WHICH APPEARED 19 JANUARY 1955. THERE WERE 
MANY VERSIONS OF THE "STOOF" ; WF-2 OR E-1BS WERE EARLY 
CARRIER AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING (AEW). APPROXIMATELY 88 OF 
THESE WERE BUILT. THE "STOOF" LAST SERVED THE FLEET 30 
SEPTEMBER 1988 AFTER 35 YEARS OF SERVICE.
      THE AUTHOR HAD A SINGLE FLIGHT ABOARD A TF-1 IN 1958 
WHEN AIRLIFTED OFF THE INDEPENDENCE IN THE ATLANTIC TO NAVAL 
AIR STATION OCEANA, VA. WE WERE DECKED LAUNCHED RATHER THAN 
CATAPULTED.
      A GOOD LADY FRIEND OF MINE FLEW THE TRADER FOR VRC-40 
BASED IN NORFOLK, VA. IN THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 80S. SHE 
HAD MORE CARRIER LANDINGS ("TRAPS") AT ONE TIME THAN ANY 
OTHER FEMALE PILOT IN THE NAVY. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DEPICT 
HER AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL CODE "LP" ARE HER INITIALS.

     SPECIFICATIONS: (S2F-3S)

     Wingspan.........72'7"
     Length...........43'6" 
     Height...........16'7"
     Empty Weight.....19,033#
     Power............Two 1,525HP Wright radial engines 
     Max Speed........242 MPH
     Service Ceiling..18,000'
     Range............1,000 miles         
                   
     THERE ARE THREE FILES:
        C1A.TXT         (THIS ONE)
        C-1AGRUM.SIM    (INSTALL IN YOUR FS4 DIRECTORY)
        C1A_____.       (INSTALL IN YOUR FS4 DIRECTORY)
       
     THE C1A.AFX FILE WILL BE SENT TO ANYONE WHO REQUESTS 
     IT. 
     
     CARRIER LANDINGS REQUIRE REAL SKILL GAINED THRU MUCH 
     PRACTICE. BE THANKFUL THAT YOU WILL NOT GET WET.                 
     COMMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ARE WELCOMED. 


     BILL BARHAM
     CIS 71201,2015 

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