Role Fire-fighting aircraft
National origin Canada
Manufacturer Conair
Introduction 1978 (Firecat)
1988 (Turbo Firecat)
Retired Retired in Canada 2012, Retired in France in 2020
Primary users Conair
Sécurité Civile
Number built 35
Developed from Grumman S-2 Tracker
The Firecats are retrofitted Grumman S-2 Trackers. Conair bought a large number of Trackers formerly operated by the Canadian Navy and a small number of ex-United States Navy aircraft as well. The Trackers are modified for aerial firefighting as Firecats by raising the cabin floor by 20 cm (8 in) and fitting a 3,296-litre (870 U.S. gal) retardant tank where the torpedo bay is normally located. All superfluous military equipment is removed and the empty weight is almost 1,500 kg lower than a Tracker's The first aircraft was modified in 1978. Some examples have been re-engined with turboprop engines and are known as Turbo Firecats, these feature a larger tank and extra underwing fuel tanks; the Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) is increased by 680 kg (1,500 lb) to 12,480 kg (27,500 lb), while the lighter turbine engines also reduce the empty weight. The first Turbo Firecat was produced in 1988
Conair commenced Firecat operations in 1978. Firecats and Turbo Firecats were previously in service with Conair and the Government of Saskatchewan in Canada and were also used by the Government of Ontario. The Sécurité Civile organisation in France took delivery of 14 Firecats over a period of five years commencing in May 1982Ceiling
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Firecat
Original version, fitted with Wright R-1820 radial piston engines as fitted to standard Grumman Trackers,
Turbo Firecat
Version fitted with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67AF turboprop engines
The Canadian Museum of Flight was beyond excited to hear they were getting a Firecat from Conair Group Inc.
This is a bit of footage from the flight into Langley that included two passes with a water drop!