Fairey Gannet clips

[Royzee617]

Fairey Gannet was a stalwart in the FAA and sorely missed when they phased out the carriers.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Beautiful clip, Roy!
I love the old colour carrier vids from the post-war years. Unfortunately the sound on my PC is being finicky, so it was soundless for me.
I'll try again a bit later.

 

[Royzee617]

Thanks - it might not be you. I might have forgotten to switch the sound on... I have the PC connected up so I can either make mp3s or vids. To compensate another clip is coming tomorrow.

 

[trackend]

Super stuff Roy the sound worked alright for me.
Funny enough up until 2 years ago I worked on equipment that had been originally designed as detection equipment used by the Gannets wing locking gear.

 

[Royzee617]

Vital stuff - must have been a worry that either it would not fold or worse, fold up in mid-air. Can't have been many planes with double wingfolds. Maybe the Alize.

 

[Royzee617]

This is another extract from this vid shows weapons practice plus the intriguing sight of it flying on one prop then re-starting.

 

[trackend]

Terrific stuff Roy it was never what you could call much of a looker was it?, but that seemed to be a common trait of Fairey aircraft in general but it was very effective in its roll and like the old Stringbag had bundles of character.

 

[Nonskimmer]

It looked great to me.
Another nice one. Except for the sub getting killed part.

 

[evangilder]

I'm sure Joe will enjoy the sub getting killed!

 

[Royzee617]

I have been reading a great book on the Swordfish "War in A Stringbag" by Charles Lamb. Superb personal account of the man and his adventures in one of the more under-estimated and under-appreciated flying machines of WW2. How they took out the Italian Navy at Tarranto must be one of the most impressive and efficient missions of its day. Sadly the Japanese Navy was one of its biggest fans too and re-interpreted it for Pearl Harbor.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I'm sure Joe will enjoy the sub getting killed!

 

[Glider]

There's a Gannett at Duxford and it was parked next to the Shackleton. There were two Americans looking at these beauties while I was taking a photo. One leant over and asked if Pilots in the RAF were allowed to to refuse to fly planes that were so pug ugly.
I had to admit that in the beauty stakes they are somewhere at the back of the field.

 

[trackend]

I have been reading a great book on the Swordfish "War in A Stringbag" by Charles Lamb. Superb personal account of the man and his adventures in one of the more under-estimated and under-appreciated flying machines of WW2. How they took out the Italian Navy at Tarranto must be one of the most impressive and efficient missions of its day. Sadly the Japanese Navy was one of its biggest fans too and re-interpreted it for Pearl Harbor.

Ive got that book too Roy he certainly saw some action didn't he and he hated the mine laying more than anything else.

 

[Royzee617]

Yes, it is a great read - I have just got to the bit where they are attacking Taranto. It is a funny book too though. Who knows what effect the mine laying had - shows once again how versatile the Stringbag was. Especially with the long range fuel tank as a passenger! Argh! I had never heard of that trick. Ahead of its time c.f. the Mustang etc.

Great photo of the Duxford machine. It was inside when I went there last - probably have it on a vid.

BTW I was lucky enough to be around to see the last airworthy Gannet fly at Coventry airshow I think it was some time in the 80s then it went to the USA. Strange sound that DM engine has.

 

[solnar]

There is the famous story about the Gannet when it first appeared at the Franbrough show. Someone was over heard asking the pilot of the gannet, "Did anybody survive the crash"?

 

[evangilder]

hehe that's funny, solnar!

 

[Nonskimmer]

I may be a bit simple or something, but I honestly don't find the Gannet to be that bad looking.
Hmmph. No accounting for taste, I guess.

 

[HealzDevo]

The designer definitely wasn't feeling like designing a beautiful aircraft that day. My advice to the original designer would have been lose the double prop and then we'll talk about whether it looks beautiful or ugly. Could maybe with the double props qualify as a hideous plane. Good idea for a poll maybe, ugliest aircraft of all time. (Please note: Includes helicopters, but not airships, balloons, gliders etc. Helicopters are heavier than air, Balloons etc are lighter than air, that is why they fly. Gliders work by being very light and therefore we are looking at powered flight.)
PS. Maybe someone could find a picture of the Alize to post here.

 

[Royzee617]

The Gannet was maybe the last of a line of ugly wuglies - you think of the Barracuda and even Avenger and Skyraider. Seems the FAA kept the nice looking planes for fighters such as Sea Hawk and Sea Vixen but liked its other planes to be purposeful looking.

 

[astore52]

Have seen the Gannet many times here in the midwest of the USA on airshows always a great show..start up one engine and windmill the outher, folding out of those double wings etc. 2 years ago I have seen the "last "flying Gannet takeing off at the Anoka airport Minnesota (USA) flight destination GB later was told they had to make a stop because of engine trouble in Newfoundland guess if you like to see the plane you have to go there..