The Fairy Gannet is one menacing beast. The gaping mouth, huge mesh of prop blades on the oversized spinner, and cavernous fuselage all conspire in giving the Gannet a look that elicits fear in other airplanes.
What makes the Gannet so gargantuan in size is the powerplant. The appropriately named Armstrong Siddeley “Double Mamba” consisted of two turboprops coupled together, each driving a contra-rotating propeller independently. This allowed the pilot to shut down either engine in flight to save fuel. Standard ops had the pilot switching engines every 30 minutes.
It was tough. In one incident, the Gannet was launched from an aircraft carrier, had an engine malfunction and had to return. As it was fully loaded with rockets, it launched them into the sea to reduce weight, but in the process ripped off the flaps which were still deployed for takeoff! The Gannet still flew on as if nothing happened! They landed on the ship at an alarmingly high speed, and stopped safely with a crash barrier. No injuries.
Because of its size, engineers were challenged to design the aircraft to fit below the decks on an aircraft carrier. And hence, the first (and only?) double-hinged wings were created. The Gannet could use the same diesel fuel as the ship, eliminating the need to store jetfuel on board. Each crew member had their own cockpit, with pilot sitting smack on top of the turboprops. The observer occupyed a lonely spot towards the back of the aircraft, separated from the rest of the crew. In spite of its questionable aesthetics and quirkiness, it was well-liked by pilots and crew, and enjoyed a rather long operational life (1953-1978), being all replaced by Westland helicopters for the same role.
Perhaps lacking in sex appeal like the Spitfire, the Gannet nonetheless is a feast for avgeeks’ eyes.
Source:
Last Flying Fairey Gannet!
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