Conair Firecats at their Abbotsford Air Tanker Base

1988 Conair Firecat, c/n 34, C-FJOH, “76”, Conair Group Inc., Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, operating as Conair Aviation, based at Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), Abbotsford, B.C.; powered by two 1,525-hp Wright R-1820-82WA Cyclone supercharged nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines with constant-speed three-blade Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers; single-seat, airtanker/firefighter; retardant tank; rebuilt by Conair Aviation Ltd.; built as Grumman S2F-1 Tracker (Model G-89), c/n G-254, BuNo 133283 USN; crew of four (pilot, co-pilot, two detection systems operators), long-range deep-water ASW (anti-submarine warfare) surveillance and protection; built by The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, New York, USA at Bethpage, Long Island, New York (F); converted to S2F-1T Tracker (multi-engine flight training and ASW training); redesignated as TS-2A Tracker in 1962; N424DF, California Department of Forestry, Mather, California; rebuilt as Conair Firecat; owner registered since September 24, 1991.

1957 Conair Firecat, c/n 19, C-FOPY, “69”, Conair Group Inc., Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, operating as Conair Aviation, based at Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), Abbotsford, B.C.; powered by two 1,525-hp Wright R-1820-82WA Cyclone supercharged nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines with constant-speed three-blade Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers; single-seat, airtanker/firefighter; retardant tank; converted by Conair Aviation Ltd.; built as Grumman CS2F-1 Tracker (Model G-103), c/n DHC24; crew of four (pilot, co-pilot, two detection systems operators), long-range deep-water ASW (anti-submarine warfare) surveillance and protection/with decommission of aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure, became shore-based and given role change, crew of three (pilot, co-pilot, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator), shallow-water anti-shipping surveillance, northern sovereignty surveillance, fisheries protection and maritime patrol; built by de Havilland Canada, Toronto, Ontario at Downsview, Ontario; taken on strength as 1525 RCN in 1957; renumbered as 12125 CAF in June 1970; redesignated as CP-121 Tracker; not clear if CAF serial marked before being struck off; struck off strength on November 12, 1970; CF-IOF, later CF-OPY, “58”, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources from September 28, 1978; C-FOPY, converted to Conair Firecat by May 1985; registration as CS2F-1 Tracker cancelled on September 24, 1991; re-registered as Conair Firecat the same day.

1958 Conair Firecat, c/n 31, C-FEFX, “75”, Conair Group Inc., Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, operating as Conair Aviation, based at Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), Abbotsford, B.C.; powered by two 1,525-hp Wright R-1820-82WA Cyclone supercharged nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines with constant-speed three-blade Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers; single-seat, airtanker/firefighter; retardant tank; converted by Conair Aviation Ltd.; built as Grumman S2F-1 Tracker (Model G-89), c/n G-527, BuNo 136618 USN; crew of four (pilot, co-pilot, two detection systems operators), long-range deep-water ASW (anti-submarine warfare) surveillance and protection; built by The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, New York, USA at Bethpage, Long Island, New York (F); converted to S2F-1T Tracker (multi-engine flight training and ASW training); redesignated as TS-2A Tracker in 1962; N425DF, California Department of Forestry, Mather, California; converted to Conair Firecat; owner registered since October 11, 1991.

Three Conair Firecats preparing for departure. In all, four of these vintage birds left one after the other between 10:30 and 10:44 am for a fire at Seton Portage, B.C., situated between Pemberton and Lillooet. The 47th Annual Abbotsford International Airshow, Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), Abbotsford, B.C. at 10:30 am, Friday, August 7, 2009.

© Copyright video by Stephan Alexander Scharnberg, August 2009