Hobby Master 1/72 HA4807 Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000 165649, VAW-117 "Wallbangers", USS Nimitz, Feb 2008
Hobby Master 1/72 Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000 165649, VAW-117 "Wallbangers", USS Nimitz, Feb 2008 HA4807
Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000 165649, VAW-117 "Wallbangers", USS Nimitz, Feb 2008
The Northrop E-2 Hawkeye is an all-weather airborne early warning aircraft (AEW). The E-2 was a twin-turboprop developed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s for the USN. The E-2 is a carrier- the E-2C also receiving improved turbo-prop engines. The E-2 has been in production since the 1960’s making it the longest production run of any carrier based aircraft. The E-2C variant became operational in 1973. The early versions of the E-2 were nicknamed the “Super Fudd” but with the new turboprop engine sound the nickname is “Hummer”.
VAW-117 “Wallbangers” (formerly the “Nighthawks) was established at NAS North Island, California on July 1, 1974 and assigned to the Fighter Early Warning Wing of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. VAW-117 received the E-2B in October 1974 one year before deploying to the Mediterranean on the USS Independence (CV-62). In February 1979 VAW-117 began its first WESTPAC deployment on board the USS Ranger (CVN-75). After completion of WESTPAC 1998/1999 cruise VAW-117 moved to NAS Point Mugu, California and deploys as part of CVW-7 on board the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).