"Bluetails take care of Bluetails!"
- One of two nicknames for VAW-121

The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft's performance has been upgraded with the E-2B, and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for its role, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.

The E-2 also received the nickname "Super Fudd" because it replaced the E-1 Tracer "Willy Fudd". In recent decades, the E-2 has been commonly referred to as the "Hummer" because of the distinctive sounds of its turboprop engines, quite unlike that of turbojet and turbofan jet engines. In addition to U.S. Navy service, smaller numbers of E-2s have been sold to the armed forces of Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a USN Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AEW aircraft that was attached to VAW-121 "Bluetails", then embarked upon the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), during September 2018. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 13-1/2-inches
Length: 9-3/4-inches

Release Date: September 2022

Historical Account: "Bluetails" - Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (VAW-121), also known as the "Bluetails", is an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Command and control (C2) squadron of the United States Navy, operating the E-2D Hawkeye. Established in 1967, the squadron is based at NAS Norfolk. It is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 7 and deploys aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

On returning from a mission on March 31st, 2010, an E-2C Hawkeye suffered a catastrophic engine failure. The condition of the starboard engine made the aircraft almost impossible to control. The pilot, LT Steven Zilberman, made sure the aircraft stayed level so the other three crew members could bail out safely. Seconds later, the Hawkeye crashed into the sea. After three days of a massive search, he was declared lost at sea. For his courage, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The squadron began using its first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft in 2014, ending 37-years operating the E-2C Hawkeye.