Coda

This month, the sources named in the captions are all that I shall list specifically. Over the years, I have read many other relevant books and articles - too many to mention or remember - especially during the latter 1970s, when we lived in Bethpage, adjacent to the head of the Grumman runway that was used early every morning by Hawkeyes. For those who are interested in reading more about Grumman, there is ample material available online, in libraries, and in larger bookstores.

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As with people who serve in uniform, after retirement from the military, a number of Trackers and Traders continued to serve in other ways. Many of them began new careers as water bombers in Europe and in the Americas. Although they could at best carry "only" about 1,200 gallons at a time, the Grummans were agile fliers, and with good piloting they were able to drop their loads more precisely than could many larger aircraft./p>

I leave you with this recent picture of a Grumman Tracker in France, one of the few Tracker water bomber conversions still flying.

Turbo Firecat of the Sécurité Civile, the civil defense arm
of the French Ministry of the Interior
This aircraft is one of 35 water bombers built in the 1980s by
Conair Aviation from former Canadian and American Navy
Trackers, many of them upgraded with more modern engines.
The Turbo Firecats of the Sécurité Civile are expected to keep
fighting fires in France until they are retired in 2022.
skiesmag.com
Anthony Pecchi photograph

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Ciao!