According to
one article the Tracker payload is:
These aircraft were later sold to Conair Aviation of Abbotsford, BC which produced the single-seat FireCat waterbomber with a fuselage-mounted 3,296 litre water/retardent tank, larger wheels and updated wiring. The later Turbo FireCat waterbomber sported twin turbo-prop engines, on-board computer delivery control and an increased water/retardent capacity of 3,455 litres.
According to the
manufacturer's web site, Air Tractor 802F Hopper Capacity is 820 U.S. gal (3,104 L).
Those references would appear to indicate the S2 Tracker has a payload of 3,296 litres (3,296 kg), whilst the Air Tractor has a payload of 3,104 litres, a difference in favour of the Tracker of only 6%.
Whilst the Tracker is no doubt faster, I suspect the economics are well and truly stacked in favour of the Air Tractor 802F with one 1,350 HP P&W PT6A-67AG, rather than a converted S2 Tracker with twin Wright R-1820-82WA engines.
I'd guess the cost to put the ex RAN Trackers back into the air could be astronomical, especially in Australia. Dealing with CASA would break the will and bank account of the most patient of multi millionaires!
According to the internet there is one flyable Tracker in Australia, apparently on the civil register:
S-2F Tracker, s/n 153600, RAN Historic Flight, HMAS Albatross, Nowra, New South Wales. Flyable. Civil registered but owned and operated by the Royal Australian Navy.
Does that aircraft still fly?