DeHavilland CS2-F Tracker 12131 - Slemon Park - Summerside, PEI
Posted by: 
jiggs11
N 46° 25.916 W 063° 49.736
20T E 436315 N 5142373
DeHavilland Canada-built Tracker antisubmarine warfare aircraft on display at Slemon Park, former Canadian Forces Base Summerside.
Waymark Code: WMPE0X
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date Posted: 08/15/2015
Views: 6
Well-maintained aircraft located at the Slemon Park airpark on once was CFB summerside.
The CF and its predescessors,the RCN Fleet Air Arm, flew Tracker aircraft in the antisubmarine surveillance role until the early 1990s. The Tracker was originally based on Canada's last aircraft carrier, HMCS Bonaventure, but when the ship was paid off, the Trackers were assigned to the Air Force, this time with land-based squadrons. Aircraft were stationed at Summerside, PEI, Halifax, NS and Comox, BC in support of Naval operations on both east and west coasts.
12131 was built by DeHavilland Canada under contract from Grumman.
Information on its history is sketchy, but appears to have served with VS 880 in RCN days, and later with 880 MR Sqn and 420 Sqn, both base at CFB Summerside.
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): DeHavilland Canada CS2-F Tracker
Tail Number: (S/N): 12131
Construction:: original aircraft
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Slemon Park Summerside, PEI
inside / outside: outside
Other Information::
The entire fleet of 18 serviceable Tracker aircraft were sold to a fire-fighting company based in British Columbia.
The Great Tracker Hop of 1990 saw all 18 in the sky (some for the first time since the early 1970's) at the same time. The aircraft were flown from the east coast to CFB Trenton, ON, where I was stationed. They then picked up another 8 aircraft that had been in storage since the '70s, and all 18 then made their way west.
Access restrictions:
Available for viewing 24/7. Visitors should note this is considered hallowed ground and should conduct themselves accordingly.
|
Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.