Thunder & Lightnings

Fairey Gannet - Photo Gallery

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Fairey advert from December 1953. Fairey advert from early 1955. I love this one - I wonder if such a flock of Gannets was ever actually seen? Fairey advert from 1956. Trumpeting the Australian buy, early 1956. Baltic Gannets - Fairey advertise the West German buy, mid 1957. Rather surreal advert from a sheet metal company, 1958. Nice front page advert from Rotol, 1958.

Gannet Selection

The pictures in this section were kindly donated by various people. They are for your personal use only and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any form.

Type Q VR546 prior to the first flight, White Waltham, 1949. AS.4s XG790 and XA457 of 825 NAS, 1957. AEW.3 prototype XJ440, 1958. Gannet T.5 UA99 prior to deliver to the Bundesmarine, 1958. AS.1 XA429 on HMS Centaur, circa 1960. AEW.3 XL455, 1960s. Early production example. AEW.3 XL500 at Hal Far, Malta, 1964. AEW.3 XL500 at Hal Far, Malta, 1964. COD.4 XG790 on HMS Eagle, 1965. Long exposure - the flash is a Sea Vixen doing a bolter. COD.4 XA430 on HMS Eagle, 1970. COD.4 XA454 at RNAS Yeovilton, 1972. AEW.3 XL449 at RNAS Yeovilton, 1970s. ECM.6 XG797 as originally painted when retired to Duxford.

The Deacon Collection

The pictures in this section were kindly donated by Ray Deacon. They are for your personal use only and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any form. Ray has a sizeable collection of photos of aircraft, taken throughout his service in the RAF and available for publication - contact him for details.

The Fairy Gannet played an important role while participating in operations against dissident tribesmen in Aden and incursions by aircraft from the Yemen during the 1960s. As well as a flight of AEW.3 early warning Gannets from 849 Squadron, each carrier operated at least one mark COD.4 for general use and communications with shore-based stations. This series of photographs was taken at RAF Khormaksar.

Seen parked outside the RAF Khormaksar Station Flight hangar in 1963 is AS.4 XA430 from HMS Ark Royal. Painted in overall dark blue grey, it carries the white ensign on the nose and the acronym 'FOAC' (Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers) on the tailfin. As the title might suggest, it was used as a 'taxi' to ferry high-ranking naval officers to on-shore briefings and planning meetings, but more importantly from a sailor's perspective, the collection of mail from home. When later converted to full COD.4 status XA430 lost the radar 'dustbin' from the rear lower fuselage and gained some extra aerials in common with the other COD.4s. With its double-folding wings ground-locked in the upright position and it's propellers neatly aligned, AEW.3 XL496 '421', of 849 Squadron's A Flight and several Sea Vixens from HMS Centaur, await another spell on patrol in 1963. XL498 '423', another 849 Squadron, A Flight Gannet AEW.3 assigned to HMS Centaur, is seen taxiing-in at RAF Khormaksar in 1963. Two points to note are; the pylon-mounted, Palouste-type starter that was used to start its own engines and those of the Scimitars and Sea Vixens when ashore; that the aircraft is being taxied on one of it's two Mamba engines, the pilot having stopped the other. C Flight of 849 Squadron was operating this AEW.3, XP199 '431', from HMS Ark Royal when it was photographed at RAF Khormaksar in 1963. A visiting Canberra can be seen taxiing-out behind the Gannet's neatly aligned propellers.

The Eacott Collection

All these pictures are kindly supplied by John Eacott from his collection taken during his time in the Fleet Air Arm. If you want to use them for anything other than personal use, contact John.

Dawn breaks over HMS Ark Royal and one of her Gannets awaits the day's action. AEW.3 '041' (XL502) sits with engines running awaiting her take-off slot. The Phantom in the background is a USMC example, which has had complete 892 NAS markings applied to its tail - a severe zapping! AEW.3 '073' (possibly XP226) launches in leisurely fashion from HMS Eagle's bow catapult. More Gannets from HMS Eagle, a 4-ship flypast with each aircraft having one half of the Twin Mamba engine shut down and the appropriate prop feathered. Nose numbers are '071', '072' (XL4??), '073' (XP226?) and '074' (XG844?). Everything hanging down, AEW.3 '073' over the round-down on HMS Eagle. AEW.3 '044' (XL472) lands on HMS Ark Royal, taking the 1 wire. This picture graphically demonstrates the cramped deck of the RN's last flat-tops - no room for error with those Phantoms parked there! The Wessex hovering off the port side is on plane guard duty, waiting to pluck any unlucky aviators out of the water if things go badly wrong. XL472 again, taxiiing forward and folding her wings. 849B NAS flight line at RNAS Lossiemouth, with XL502 closest to camera.