A Gander at the Gannet (Fairey Gannet AEW.3) at Pima Air and Space Museum 

This is a good move on Sophie's part, since many of us are interested in both armor AND aircraft. 👍🏅

Good video Sofi: I like the way you let the experts talk themselves rather than "interpreting" it and thereby introducing a source of error (Chinese Whispers and all that). Some extra points about the Gannet : 1. The choice of co-axial props was mainly due to it being the most compact arrangement for a twin-engined aircraft, however another huge side benefit was that it eliminated asymetric thrust in the event of an engine failure. Powerful conventional twin-engined aircraft are hard enough to handle trying to land them on runways: trying to do it on a pitching, rolling carrier deck that might need last-minute corrections is a nightmare. 2. The reason for the double-fold wing was that all British post-war carriers had been designed and built (or at least laid down) during WWII and so had hangars sized for WWII aircraft. Because it was Royal Navy policy to have armoured hangars and flight decks, and in some cases double-deck hangars, the individual hangars were kept as low as possible to minimise topweight. The rapid growth in the size of aircraft post-WWII made this a thorny problem and some later, "lower-mileage" carriers were actually retired earlier than older ones due to thier particularly low hangars. Why not just rebuild them? Well the armour made this a much more expensive and complicated job than it would have been had the armour been at hangar deck level (as in US carriers) than at flight deck level, because the armour was also a load-bearing component of the ship's structure. It was tried on one carrier (HMS Victorious) but that project turned into a long-drawn-out, over-budget, over-timescale nightmare, and although the resultant ship was decent enough, the experience put the RN and the UK goverment off the idea of carrier rebuilds forever. Brand new carriers were planned in the 1960s, but then changing government policy and sheer lack of money saw them cancelled in 1966. 3. The extra fins on the tailplanes were added late in the development of the ASW version (which came first) due to the addition of a third crew member and a bigger radar. The ASW version was originally supposed to have two crew in tandem up front and a small radar under the rear fuselage. However it was then found that a third crew member was needed to handle the workload and a bigger radar, in a retractable "dustbin" radome, was specified. The third crewman's canopy and the bigger radome (when extended) increased side area and thus decreased yaw stability. On a land plane you'd just increase the fin area to compensate, but on a carrier aircraft, particularly one that needed to fit in the low hangars with which British airccraft carrier were cursed, that wasn't an option, hance the addition of the extra fins instead.

Would love to see the insides (cockpit/crew positions) of some of these aircraft if possible.

I enjoyed this. Thanks. This man knows his job. Ive visited certain air museums and the management don't know their backsides from their elbows but this chap is very knowledgeable.

i love the obscure aircraft that support and help the fighter and attack aircraft do their job! great video! it's been 40+ years since i visited pima. watching these videos has put visiting back on the top of the bucket list. thanks for the great work!

The Gannet has always been one of my favorites. I have a soft spot for odd looking ugly planes that just do their job really well.

Two thumbs up Sofi! A warning though, if you spend too much time around the airplanes you might start thinking “target, land, slow moving” when you see a tank! You’ll know then it is time to step back😎

There are some remarkable aircraft designed for the Royal Navy. Some good, some not so good. My favourites are the Swordfish and the Buccaneer.

Nice. First vid in the new series. Gannet seems an odd start, but it's a cool bird and I'm looking forward to the series.

One of the best looking aircraft out there. Pure function can be a beautiful thing.

There is a story that a US pilot saw it with a stopped prop and couldn't understand why it was still flying.

Great video. I love the old Gannet. I was a UK MoD Avionics guy back in the 80s, so not that long after they left service. The one thing I'd add about the dual engine setup is the inherent safety when flying over water. With a single engine over the ocean you have nowhere to land if the engine goes deadstick. With a two engined design you can usually get back to the carrier if one fails. Being based on first gen jet engines that was a much more likely scenario than today, prior to advances in turbine metallurgy et al.

Keep heading north and go to Oregon. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, at McMinnville. It's got WW2, WW1, and Space exhibits; the Spruce Goose, SR-71, two huge pavillions. You'll love it. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

Great channel! Was a nice surprise, featuring a Gannet. I remember seeing a AEW Gannet as a gate guard at Royal Naval Air Station Prestwick AKA HMS Gannet, adjacent to Prestwick International Airport on the south west coast of Scotland. Was also a USAF C-5 Galaxy on HMS Gannet apron at the time.

That’s a great museum. They have one of every aircraft that has ever been at Davis Monthan AFB next door. If you get a chance to tour that place you should. It’s just as amazing as The Pima Air Museum. Thanks for sharing.

For a person who loves the Swedish Flat iron this was a natural choice for you. Interesting video. Geek Mode: 07:30 on you can see a wedge shaped piece on the wing leading edge, the Gannet had a nasty left wing stall that was rather 'awkward' especially flying the curved approach to a British carrier (to keep the landing officer station in sight). Adding that piece meant both wings stalled together which, while not nice, was a lot easier to recover from. The B-29(?) with jet engines looks interesting...

Pima is amazing! I was blown away by just how GIGANTIC the B-36 was, that is one big boy.

Scott is a very knowledgable man and it was nice to listen to him. I am hoping you can do videos on the Shackelton which also has contra rotating propellers and also the Bristol Bolingbroke and the EE Lightning.Sorry my choices are UK biased 😆

A plane only a mother plane could love. The Avro shackleton on the other hand is beautiful, and there's is even more beautiful would love to see it!

I looked the place up after the last video...that place is awesome and so many different aircraft! Has to be a cool place to hangout and walk around!!

I love this aircraft and I really love this paint scheme - on Gannets and or other RN/RAN aircraft of the period.

Thumbs up ! Nice to see a forgotten aircraft that's not usually covered-great start to the series.

Always looked like function over form was the design objective. I agree, so ugly that it is attractive.

A rare plane, thx Sophie and Scott!

Been to Pima air and space maybe 6-7 times in the last couple years lol. They’re adding a ground vehicles portion too. And they got that t72 parked out front

Awesome new content Sofilein 🤩✈️🛩️🚁💺 Congratulations on this new direction 👍🏻👍🏻 See you & more of your content soon 🫡 🇬🇧🤝🏻🇺🇸

Hi Sofi. It's great that your branching out into looking at Aircraft as well as Tanks/AFV's....especially as I love both also. I was actually in the US for 8 weeks back in Dec 2014 to Jan 2015. I visited many of the Aircraft & Military Vehicles museums within the US during those 8 weeks as I made my way across the country. & Yes I spent a number of hours at the Pima Air & Space Museum, looking around their outside open area where the Gannet is as well as their inside exhibits. Like you, I could have spent days there looking around, but I was with a large family group & sadly they don't share my passion (they would say "obsession") with Aircraft & AFV's. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺

Great first episode , so Sofilein to choose the Gannet . Lovely aircraft , we would have lost fewer sailors in the Falklands if these had been around to provide early warning . Funny watching them fold their wings , they are so ungainly . Well loved by FAA crews and ground crews .

The Gannet always has a place in my heart, in High School I could look out and see a Gannet parked up in the College next door to my school. The College had a lot of students on day release from the local aircraft factory/airport.

She is a rare beauty! thanks for showing her to us 😊😊 B-58, PBY, B-52

Oh, Pima is cool. Yeah!

more into planes than tanks but still a fan!!! thanks for this series sofi!!!

Already commented, but I want to also say this was a great video! As a lifelong Avgeek this definitely scratched the itch! Thank you!! Also, any interior shots we can get of these birds would be much appreciated! Keep up the good work! (And I enjoy the tank content as well)

I spent some time with those when I was in VA-42. We hosted them and Buccaneers off the Ark Royal.

I visited RNAS Culdrose as a cadet in 1969 during our summer camp at Penhale in Cornwall- I can recall seeing Hawker Sea Hawks there- probably in store awaiting disposal. A few years earlier, where I lived, Gannets regularly flew over our house, while as a small boy in 1961, another Fairey flying machine- a truly remarkable one- the Rotodyne flew over- which was really exciting. A very good talk by a clearly highly knowledgeable expert who kept us fully engaged.

Man I LOVE the way that plane looks

Love the videos keep them coming Beautiful! 🤘🖤🔥

Great video, nice to see you start with such an unlikely aircraft. It's a great example of form following function. English Electric Lightning | Boeing YC14 | Piper Enforcer | North American OV-10D 😊👍

I can see the attraction to the fairy, it looks like something designed on a Friday afternoon after a liquid lunch😊all the best from sunny Troon Scotland

I am amazed at a coincidence this trip to Tucson, and the Pima Air Museum. I found your website during my search for WW2 Tank Destroyers. My father was a tank destroyer, (M-18), commander during the war and was involved in many battles in the Hellcat. Your site is very informative to a tank fan. Then suddenly you are in Tucson. My Military career kept me there for my assignment as a Titan 2 Missile Combat Crew member in the 571st SMS. The Missile Museum there was a site I had pulled occasional "ALERTS" at. But the Pima Air Museum has been on my mind due to my career at NASA Armstrong on the SOFIA aircraft. It is now at Pima Air Museum. I started on SOFIA in 2007 on the day that NASA first cancelled the program, until the 2016 deployment to Christchurch New Zealand. On SOFIA I was the Avionics/ Instrumentation lead and eventually was a Flight Operations engineer. I know everything about that 747SP and the Telescope installation. Keep up the good work! You site is very good!

Be pretty cool to see it fly again. I never seen this type of plane before. Thanks for showing us.

One of my favorite cold war unsung heroes. I will raise a cold one to every warbird on this new series. I plan on visiting the museum midsummer. Have fun Sofi.

Excellent first one out of the gate! You did a fabulous job but I'm not at all surprised. You always keep it top notch. We all need to hear the history of aircraft, especially those which even though might not be aesthetically appealing does solid and often superior work. The Gannet is one for sure. Well done, Sofi!

Interesting stuff :) The "Gannet" is certainly a... unique looking aircraft 😂 Cheers for making your videos, Sofi :)

Lots of nice aircraft to visit Sofi. Good for you. I have to once again visit the Reinbeck Aerodrome in Reinbeck NY. All WW1 and very old civilian aircraft. A Huge wonderful spectical watching them fly again. Have you ever been there its a real treat. My father knew the original founder.

We had these on HMS Hermes aircraft carrier in 1967 to 1970. Two were AEW craft as the one here and we had one for mail delivery in coastal waters. Fond memories!

I wasn't aware that there was a Gannet here in the 'States so thank you very much Scott and Sofi for this look at this unique bird. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and that is very true with the Gannet. This is a wonderful old bird. As for what to ask you to look into next ... there are so many historic and unique aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing in the collection I wouldn't know where to begin.

Great look at this rare, awkward but important aircraft

I used to work at the trucking company across the street. From about 6am to 8am, depends on the day, you can watch A-10's taking off and a lot of times doing touch and go's. On the rare occasion F-16's will use their runway. Also, you should do a video on the Supper Guppy. I know it's a transport craft but it's just so unique. Or on the B-39 or B-47. Both are great looking aircraft that have been overshadowed by the B-52.

Another very interesting video from the area of American aircraft development between 1950 and 1967. Thank you again and keep it up. Well done.

Always fascinated by FAA aircraft....Gannet, Sea Hawk, Westland Wyvern, even the Short Seamew!! Excellent commentary.

Excellent start to the series Sofilein! Opening up for a peak inside would be nice, but other considerations apply, so add photographs the museum has and they don't have to be original just a good representation of crew quarters. As for the bucket list, anything that is ancient, odd and/or rare. Cheers 🤠

Great video aerospace logistics (royal air force) then contracting was my career until the airports closed in 2020. I miss that adventure.

I love the Gannet! I was lucky enough to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum (I'm a Brit) on a few occasions, and it was great to see one of my favourite aircraft there.

That dual counter-rotating engine & propellor arrangement must have been a nightmare to maintain.

If you get the chance, National Museum of the Air Force is in Dayton, Ohio at Wright-Pat. Gigantic collection. 4 hangers large enough to make a B-52 look small.

I like oddball aircraft. We've seen all of the normal ones in movies and such over the years.

There are two Dash 7's being restored towards the rear of the facility that have some interesting stories.

Great aircraft choice! Everybody knows everything about mustangs and spitfires, but I find those ugly ducklings much more fascinating.

Excellent first choice. I would choose the Bede BD/5J, the Beechcraft Starship, Boeing 747 SP, Hawker Kestrel. This list is sorely inadequately incomplete for me; however my primary choice is the Kestrel.

I served on 849D Flight on HMS Eagle in 1966 during the exercise Highland Wedding after which we were supposed to go to the United States. Unfortunately the ship developed some engine problem and we returned to Plymouth. I finally made it "over the pond" on HMS Ark Royal in 1978 as a member of the SAR flight but with the trusty Gannets still operational. We did lose one to a deck landing accident when it struck the jumbo crane during recovery in very bad weather but no-one was injured and the airframe was eventually craned off in Gibraltar and taken to North Front to be used by the fire crews there for their exercises.

Absolutely amazing! Thank you for picking such a wierdly attractive looking plane.

Lived near White Waltham aerodrome from 1957 to 67. Fairey Aviation were testing these Gannets there, so they flew pretty low on finals to land. Noisy, but not so much as the Fairey Rotodyne which also flew from time to time! Interesting times as a youngster.

I love how they look when wings are folded like eight times if I remember 😂!

So much bigger than I expected!

Good choice! I enjoyed this tremendously. Thank you!

I find it cool that the aircraft looks like a WW2 fighter with the canopy sat on top, yet the fuselage is so large that it can fit some guys inside the tail boom.

Saw the Gannet when she was at NEAM in Ct.. Always thought it was a neat looking aircraft.

Tanks, model making, now aircraft...I'm checking out all your content. And, that is not even a silly pun!!

This is excellent content as usual.

I appreciate that you always get out of the way of your guests. It seems like a mark of confidence on your part that you feel like you can do that and still make the video "yours." Great job!

Brilliant infomation. Truly remarkable knowledge. Ill look forward to seeing more in the future. Thanks

Thanks Sofi 🙏🙏, a great start, I can see why the Gannet appeals to you! Anything less 'conventional' is interesting!

Armour museum being built across the highway from Pima. B58, F14, B36, A10, SR71, F117, B57, B47, F101, F111, A5... So many more deserving air frames,,, Thanks Sofi.

When I saw that you were a Woman on YT reviewing Miltech, I liked in a fraction of a second and subbed! I love your channel! This is awesome!

New subscriber, because of the Gannet subject! 😃 we have five on display in Australia including one down the road from me in the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra. Definitely an aircraft that was designed based on function over form!

Wonderful! Thank you!❤

I visit Pima Air and Space every chance I get, probably been there 20+ times. This is one of my favorite "goofy" planes they have, hope she gets some love soon as she is getting pretty tattered.

Interesting, I knew nothing about this airframe!

Thank you Sofi I really enjoyed this ; I think you’ll just have to work your way through all of them over time Thank you Stuart in Ireland ☘️❤️

Excellent video! The series is off to a very strong start!

Two engines with one shaft prop drives. It was a design that was 100% function over form. It worked and worked well.

Probably the most sorely missed aircraft in the Falklands in 1982

A very rare bird if they have it would be the Goblin. It was designed to hang below a bomber and drop off defend the "mothership" and then reconnect when the danger had passed.

Excellent choice Sofilein. Thanks for another great vid.

Love these odd aircraft you never hear about but did an important job! A plane Id like to see? What about another workhorse, the C-130?

Very cool stuff. See you this weekend.

Comment for the algorithm. Always glad to see new Sofilein content.

love it, enjoy your time in Tucson. And give us more.

What an awesome talk about the Gannet! Can't wait to watch all these!

Nice to hear a very well informed guide to a classic aircraft 👍

Fairey Gannet. Queen of the Skies! Bloody good kite actually. Pip pip As you were. Carry on.

Sophie You really do a great job on all your videoes! You really should write a book with pictures of all your discoveries & there locations. Keep up the great work!

I worked in the Fleet Air Arm Museum in the late ‘90s. The Gannet there was an AEW too. I highly recommend you visit the FAAM when in Blighty. They have a Concorde too as well a cornucopia of excellent warbirds of the sea faring variety.

YC-125 Raider!! I you love the Gannet, you will LOVE the even **stranger** YC-125! Extremely rare for American aviation for a 3 motor aircraft, only 23 were ever built, served for a short time in USAF, only 2 left in existence. The cavernous cargo hold could carry just about any army vehicles expect tanks, and still land on a very short runway using enormous flaps, a technique that was not used for military transport again until the C-17. The Raider was ahead of its time. Second choice is the Budd RB Conestoga, while not much of it exists, it is very unique for being built completely from **stainless steel**! Pima is one of the top 5 museums in the world, you cant go wrong showcasing anything there.

Good video on a very unusual aircraft. Visited the museum this winter and its one of the best in the country. Keep up the good work.

One of the scale models I built as a teenager many years ago. I really liked this ugly duckling. Greetings from Australia .

I had never heard of this aircraft before! Thanks for the video, Sofi.

My very good friend's Uncle did the best design concept which was taken up by his bosses at Fairey. The team then went ahead and filled in all of the bits that made it what it is..... A very bright man who worked with a fantastic team...🎉

Its a beautiful aircraft. It must have been awesome sitting atop those engines starring out that windscreen into those fans running opposite each other at 3500 rpm.