Grumman C-2 Greyhound
Grumman · United States · first flew 1964 · transport aircraft
The Grumman C-2 Greyhound is the US Navy's carrier onboard delivery transport, sharing the E-2 Hawkeye's wing, engines and four-fin tail but with a deep freight fuselage and rear loading ramp instead of the radar disc.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | No rotodome: the fuselage above is clean where the E-2 Hawkeye carries its radar disc |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- No rotodome: the fuselage above is clean where the E-2 Hawkeye carries its radar disc
- Wide rear-loading ramp and cargo door beneath the twin tail — the entire tail section hinges up
- Deep wide fuselage for cargo pallets and up to 26 passengers, same high straight wing and four-fin tail as the E-2
Identify it from the E-2 by the complete absence of a rotodome and the presence of a rear loading ramp. Both share the distinctive four-fin tail assembly and high straight wing with two turboprops.
Specifications
- The Grumman C-2 Greyhound has a length of 17.32 m (57 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 24.15 m (79 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 635 km/h (395 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed to use as many E-2 components as possible to reduce cost, the C-2 first flew in 1964 and replaced the earlier C-1 Trader. It carries personnel, mail and high-priority cargo from shore bases to carriers at sea in the COD mission.
Variants
The original C-2A was replaced by a remanufactured second batch of C-2As in the late 1980s; the CMV-22B Osprey has begun replacing it in US Navy service from 2021.
Where you'll see it
The C-2 has served with US Navy carrier air wings continuously since the late 1960s, but the type was never operated by British forces; UK observers occasionally see examples at US carrier visits to allied ports.
Related aircraft
- Grumman C-2A Greyhound
- E-2 Hawkeye
- Grumman A-6 Intruder
- Grumman EA-6B Prowler
- De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
- Douglas AC-47 Spooky
- Fairchild Swearingen Merlin
- Hawker Siddeley Dominie T.1
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