Fairey Gannet A.S.4 - XG789
In 1945 the British Fairey Aviation Company designed a carrier borne Anti-Submarine Warfare(ASW) aircraft at the request of the Royal Navy(RN). A folding mid gull wing aircraft with a nose wheel tricycle undercarriage with a crew of three and powered by a single Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turboprop engine driving contra rotating propellors. The prototype named Gannet, first flew in September 1949, went into production, and as the Gannet AS.1 entered the RN Fleet Air Arm(RNFAA) service in 1954. The Gannet became the choice to replace the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Air Arm (RANFAA) aging Fairey Fireflys.
In March 1956 HMAS Melbourne newly modified for jet aircraft operation sailed for Australia with 22 Gannet AS.1s along with 39 Sea Venom aircraft for the RANFAA. The Gannets were reinforced in 1957 with 3 trainer variants followed by 10 replacement aircraft in 1958. The aircraft was equipped with an under fuselage bomb bay and under wing hard points that could accommodate an array of ordnance, including sonar buoys, bombs, depth charges, acoustic torpedoes and RP-3 air to surface rocket projectiles. A retractable sonar radome was located in the rear fuselage.
The pilot sat directly over the engine giving excellent visibility, a Navigator/Observer was in a separate cockpit behind the pilot, and a second Observer was in yet another separate cockpit located over the wing trailing edge.
The Gannets served in Squadron Nos 724, 725, 816 and 817 and for many years after the Korean War took part in regular joint exercises with South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) navies conducted by the RN, RAN, RNZN and the US Navy. Though they were not involved in hostilities Gannets were also used in a reconnaissance and surveillance role during the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesian Confrontation events of the mid 1960s.
After 12 years of service the Gannets were withdrawn from active service, classified redundant and replaced by Westland Wessex helicopters and Grumman Tracker aircraft.
Most of the retired Gannets were sent to the scrappers, with the remainder used as fire fighting trainers. Fortunately 5 aircraft escaped, one of which XG789, side number 841, was delivered to the RANFAA in September 1958. It served on HMAS Melbourne on Squadron Nos 724 and 817 until withdrawn from service in October 1969 and put up for disposal from where it was acquired by the Museum.
Gannet XG789 was transported to Melbourne on board HMAS Sydney, now a troop and supply carrier, and is currently in restoration at Moorabbin.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : 3
Power plant : 1 x 2,950 shp Armstrong Siddeley ASMD-1 Double Mamba turboprop engine.
Length : 43'00'' (13.11m) Wingspan : 54'04'' (16.56m) Height : 13'09'' (4.19m)
Weights : empty - 15,069lbs (6,835kg) Maximum - 19,600lbs (8,890kg)
Speeds : maximum - 270kt (310mph) (500km/hr)
Endurance : 5 - 6 hrs
Avionics : Ekco ASV Mk19 Radar.
In March 1956 HMAS Melbourne newly modified for jet aircraft operation sailed for Australia with 22 Gannet AS.1s along with 39 Sea Venom aircraft for the RANFAA. The Gannets were reinforced in 1957 with 3 trainer variants followed by 10 replacement aircraft in 1958. The aircraft was equipped with an under fuselage bomb bay and under wing hard points that could accommodate an array of ordnance, including sonar buoys, bombs, depth charges, acoustic torpedoes and RP-3 air to surface rocket projectiles. A retractable sonar radome was located in the rear fuselage.
The pilot sat directly over the engine giving excellent visibility, a Navigator/Observer was in a separate cockpit behind the pilot, and a second Observer was in yet another separate cockpit located over the wing trailing edge.
The Gannets served in Squadron Nos 724, 725, 816 and 817 and for many years after the Korean War took part in regular joint exercises with South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) navies conducted by the RN, RAN, RNZN and the US Navy. Though they were not involved in hostilities Gannets were also used in a reconnaissance and surveillance role during the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesian Confrontation events of the mid 1960s.
After 12 years of service the Gannets were withdrawn from active service, classified redundant and replaced by Westland Wessex helicopters and Grumman Tracker aircraft.
Most of the retired Gannets were sent to the scrappers, with the remainder used as fire fighting trainers. Fortunately 5 aircraft escaped, one of which XG789, side number 841, was delivered to the RANFAA in September 1958. It served on HMAS Melbourne on Squadron Nos 724 and 817 until withdrawn from service in October 1969 and put up for disposal from where it was acquired by the Museum.
Gannet XG789 was transported to Melbourne on board HMAS Sydney, now a troop and supply carrier, and is currently in restoration at Moorabbin.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : 3
Power plant : 1 x 2,950 shp Armstrong Siddeley ASMD-1 Double Mamba turboprop engine.
Length : 43'00'' (13.11m) Wingspan : 54'04'' (16.56m) Height : 13'09'' (4.19m)
Weights : empty - 15,069lbs (6,835kg) Maximum - 19,600lbs (8,890kg)
Speeds : maximum - 270kt (310mph) (500km/hr)
Endurance : 5 - 6 hrs
Avionics : Ekco ASV Mk19 Radar.