The Fairey Gannet: Unattractive, Lethal, Fierce

[@Dwaynesaviation]

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[@therealrobertbirchall]

Stop hiding ads in the videos. What's the point in me paying for KZbin premium if I have to put up wit ads anyway?

[@Temp0raryName]

@@therealrobertbirchall Because KZbin decided to pay less add revenue to creators and more to a megacorporation. So have to top it up to make a living. I suggest you petition them to undo that change.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

@@Temp0raryName thanks for the reply. I wish the Internet had not been hi jacked by the oligarchs.

[@minhthunguyendang9900]

The Gannet could have become the British Skyraider.

[@macdodd]

I was there at the scrapping of the last Gannets of B flight 849 Sqdn Royal Navy at RAF Lossiemouth. I was the Corporal Storeman tasked with overseeing all the paperwork & weighing of the scrap which was reduced to metal ingots for transportation. A really sad day as I used to love watching them fly, a lovely aircraft

[@steveclark5357]

respect

[@354sd]

Now that's interesting

[@Steven-p4j]

I have always found this a significantly practical and attractive aircraft. Love it.

[@jtjames79]

Unconventionally attractive. Every single bit of the plane is beautiful. You put it all together and you got a Steve Buscemi.

[@steveclark5357]

I appreciate the fairey gannet , she was a real tough plane

[@philalcoceli6328]

​@jtjames79 No need to compare. Just as it is, the Gannet is a lot better looking than Buscemi and a lot more useful.

[@IdeasBox]

The RAN have one in their naval museum and it's my wife's favourite. I love them, a perfect example of.. who cares how it looks, it works.

[@justintrett9663]

I’m feel the same as you and your wife.

[@flybobbie1449]

One in RNAS Yeovilton museum.

[@Kimdino1]

The Falklands War shows a classic case of HMG spending a pound to save a penny. Saving the cost of 3 or 4 AEW Gannets cost 5 ships plus several others damaged. Hermes had carried Gannets as part of its wing just a few years previously and was capable of deploying them again. But the bean counters said "We've got helicopters so why should we spend the money to put the Gannets back in the air?" - Big mistake.

[@aerotube7291]

They spent a fortune hiring ex RAF short Belfast's I think in the same war.

[@24279706]

The why is because they weren't on any ship they were at home, nice and safe.

[@jameshall1300]

I've actually always loved how these looked, and I'm not even British. There's just something unique and purely function-over-form about then that makes them look good to me.

[@AlphaWhiskey_Haryo]

fun fact, in the 1980s an Indonesian gannet pilot was selected to be one of the final four of the future astronauts that was planned to launch with the space shuttle in 1987. but the program was cancelled after the Challenger incident.

[@andi346208]

There was one of these parked up outside a technical college in North Wales for decades. I used to pass it everyday. It was in pretty poor condition but occasionally they'd start it up and run it for a while. It was a huge (and loud) machine - loved it.

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

That was Kelserton College, Deeside. I attended that college between 1971-75 on day release and remember that aircraft well. The college had an aeronautical engineering department as Hawker Sidley had a large aircraft factory in the area (later owned by British Aerospace and now Airbus UK) and there was also an RAF maintenance unit at nearby Sealand which employed civilian workers. Many of the apprentices from those two organisations were sent to that college as were apprentices, like myself, who worked for other local businesses.

[@andi346208]

@@KevinRudd-w8s Yes, it was quite sight sat outside there. Apparently it was flown to Hawker's airstrip and then towed with tractors to the college. It's supposed to be being restored now but was reportedly badly damaged in the move from Kelserton in the 90s.

[@johnlucas9477]

The Gannet isn’t “unattractive”, it’s steampunk funky.

[@andyronayne7947]

I agree!

[@capt_benry593]

Steamfunky

[@wildolan]

it's gorgeous. and even prettier in real life!!

[@mikemulligan5731]

@@wildolan I can only imagine..

[@Chad-xh8zs]

i actually like it more than the "attractive" hornet

[@davidhouston1729]

The engine inlet was a single casting which included the complex gearbox that allowed 2 A S Mamba gas turbines to drive the co-axial airscrews together, or separately (so that either turbine could be shut down in flight). The boxing for this sand casting was over 6 feet high!

[@flybobbie1449]

Yes people forget all those that draw up, solved manufacturing problems. Being former draughtsman i look at museum pieces with some sadness to think of the effort to make the parts, just to now sit in a museum.

[@Parawingdelta2]

When you get to 12:05 into the video and see the spread of photos, you'll notice the Gannet on the top left has the letter 'V' on the tail (HMS Victorious) and the number 3 on the forward fuselage. I have a photo of that same aircraft taxiing after landing at RAF Luqa in Malta in 1966. I got into a lot of trouble because I was sixteen years old and had gone to work with my father, who was on duty in the control tower. He had allowed me to accompany the fellow driving the 'Follow Me' Land Rover but hadn't counted on me jumping out in the middle of the airfield taking photos. The Gannet pilot saw me and did a 'folding wings' demonstration for me as he taxied past. Met him later in the control tower. I remember him being soaked in sweat. Must be hot in those things.

[@retepeyahaled2961]

I bet they first tried to modify a double decker bus into an airplane. That would explain the large surfaces covered with red paint.

[@aerotube7291]

Haha yeah, interesting plane

[@AishaShaw-cl6wc]

Good point.

[@aerotube7291]

@@AishaShaw-cl6wc impressive amount of people and kit onboard. Bet it was hi-tech as for the era!

[@terrystevens5261]

One never says "THE" HMS Eagle etc, just HMS Eagle. you got it correct later when you refered to a HMAS vessel though. Good video.

[@COIcultist]

That and there isn't a British Navy, it's the Royal Navy!

[@DrivermanO]

This is an irritating common mistake on the "dark ..." channel. American, but this accent here is English, so I suspect AI!

[@JTA1961]

Props (multiple) to you for making this video.

[@bobroberts6155]

Turbo props?

[@terrystevens5261]

@@bobroberts6155 Yes, Mambas.

[@Anymouse6980]

When on exchange tour to the Royal Navy my father flew the Gannet AEW version. He had a few adventures. The neat thing is that he flew the Gannet in residence at RAF Duxford, part of the imperial War Museum. Duxford is an amazing visit for any air enthusiast.

[@cluckingbells]

I'm sure I read somewhere the Gannet had a really slow landing speed. Something like 70mph ? They could be rebuilt and used without traps.

[@philreading3836]

Not only low landing speed but in the right wind conditions could take off without using catapult. Also as a laugh used to line up behind each other start the first with palouste then the ones behind started using the prop flow

[@tectorama]

I remember as a youngster, camping in S.Wales not far from RNAS Brawdy. There were Gannets flying around all day long.

[@rossmansell5877]

Had these on board EAGLE..great aircraft....Did the job.On landing on board they just cruised in solidly.

[@lornecunningham326]

Love the Gannet, such a cool aircraft.

[@mrentertainer47]

Brings back fond memories of HMS Hermes which had one or two AEW Gannets and a mail delivery unit also (1967 to 1969).

[@kikufutaba524]

I saw this type of aircraft at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson AZ, USA. It was so cute. I was fascinated by it.

[@melangellatc1718]

The Pima Air & Space Museum is a nice place to visit. Prepare to get toasty... desert and all.

[@frglee]

There's a Fairey Gannet at the entrance to the Dumfries aviation museum in South West Scotland - I drive past it quite often.

[@colcot50]

I remember these being in the hangar when I went through training at HMS Daedelaus back in the 80’s as well as lots of Wessex helicopters

[@joaogomes9405]

I think it looks cool. The twin propellers, the thick body, the curved wings. It's like a corsair, a wildcat and a wyvern got frisky together

[@billfarley9167]

Not even close dude.

[@joaogomes9405]

@@billfarley9167 that's your opinion dude.

[@williamprice3929]

Who cares how it looked, it fulfilled it's function.

[@grantm6514]

11:25 With its wings folded it looks just like Private Baldrick doing his Sopwith Camel impersonation. 🤣🤣

[@johnfisk811]

Thank you for this. I always liked the Gannet but was it necessary to use some shots of American aeroplanes and sailors when referring to British naval aviation?

[@oddball_the_blue]

Elvington has a one of the AEW3 in their collection too. It was also the last one to ever fly a display in the UK.

[@richardjardine5864]

Legendary test,pilot Peter twiss,who broke the 1000mph barrier in the unique fairey delta,did loads of test flying on the gannet

[@justintrett9663]

I love it. Beautiful.

[@hingng9772]

Practicality over Beauty

[@lonl123]

I'm weird, but I think it's cool looking.

[@Gynra]

Why name a Naval aircraft after a bird known for hurtling into the sea at a high velocity? Seems like tempting fate to me. Joking aside, I have always liked the shape of the Gannet.

[@belperflyer7419]

Indeed. I used to sail in the Clyde estuary and loved watching the gannets in their headlong dives. Beautiful and large seabirds. I even landed on Ailsa Craig once and a lighthouse keeper took me up to the gannet colony - very noisy (and noisome :) )

[@ml219]

Kinda wondered, why noone continued the work of the Dornier DO335 "Pfeil", using two engines in push-pull configuration.

[@flybobbie1449]

4:20 if this is Dave Welch could be my first instructor when learning to fly in 1978. He was a keen photographer and pilot flight engineer in the 60's.

[@flybobbie1449]

My friends brother was in navy 60-70's. Saw a Gannet wing fold on take off, crew saved. Few weeks later same again, crew lost.

[@markrowland1366]

I, at age seven, had the observers, pocket, book of aircraft , 1960. I appreciated the style of the plane, discovering the difficulties in owning such a versatile complicated machine, I bought an air fix model. I, from memory, painted one in flight in art class and was obliged to bring in, my book to show it truely existed. Double Mambo, was questioned, as it was in a song by Soplia Loren, so that was found. He believed I made up the word. I had painted from memory with such acruity, , I was advanced to top artist in class, top in school and developed to be a leading member of my city's Art Society. Invited to speak on such matters and to grace, with my presence the opening of all art occasions. For the life of me I never understood until I reviewed my body of work. I had been passed over in my early years, assumed to be far older than I had stated. I was six foot three at thirteen, successfully athletic and unusually muscular. Carrying ID, for childrens discounts. Topping out at six foot nine.

[@belperflyer7419]

I was in the Naval Section of the school's CCF back in the early 50s and we visited RNAS Stretton on a couple of occasions. The Gannet was still in service and I loved it! True, it's ugly in a way but perhaps I have a soft spot for ugly aeroplanes that seem to be purposeful (Westland Lysanders were another favourite). The Wyverns were also in service at the time and I admired them, too. You have to allow for schoolboy tastes :) I build and fly RC models now and I'd build a Gannet if there was kit - I'm not clever enough to design my own.

[@DrTWG]

What difference do aesthetic qualities make to a military plane ? I've watched a few Gannet videos and they always kick-off with an apology for how 'ugly' it looks. It's the priority that's given to it and the grating clichés . It just seems pretty/very stupid to me.

[@gleggett3817]

By comparison the Short Seamew was ugly and a bad aircraft.

[@jaex9617]

I genuinely find it beautiful.

[@CH-tp4wz]

I've always loved these planes I don't know what's ugly about them I personally think their really cool looking...

[@davidpeters6536]

I always found the Gannet appropriately named and a fascinating bird. It is an engineering masterpiece not an elegant showpiece. Get close to one and you just want to pat it for being so good.

[@Steven-p4j]

Absolutely, the Hornet was beautiful, building on the mosquito concept, visually, anyway. In its own right, it was a stunner.

[@PaulMcElligott]

Weird that the Blackburn entry was the most conventional looking one.

[@3.142-x3b]

Srange thing is that some consider that there is still a current unfilled AEW niche (long endurance, carrier launched) for the QEs.

[@NormanSilv]

The flight crews assigned to the Gannet loved it.

[@notreallydavid]

This is great. HMS Illustrious - no 'the' ('the His/Her Majesty's Ship') 'aitch emm ess' - not 'haitch' All best!

[@HDSME]

This aircraft is awesome built like a tank !!!!

[@unklejon4690]

The only thing that was left to,bolt on to it was a pair of fluffy dice on the rear view mirror. An engineers aircraft not a designers dream.

[@oxcart4172]

I hear that the aircraft at the beginning is being inspected by the Royal Navy Historic Flight (or whatever they call themselves now!) With a view to bringing it home

[@ianscoot2]

In your video featuring the Fairey Gannet you make several references to the "British Navy" - this is not only incorrect but irritating. It's the Royal Navy - please correct this inaccuracy.

[@TheWGLOVER]

I actually think it looks cool.

[@chuckcawthon3370]

Always good stuff.

[@rogerhudson9732]

It was a nuclear weapon carrier so very powerful. Very clever engineering.

[@vincentcondron588]

Very nice video on this rare aircraft all credit to you

[@MrArray1967]

I first noticed this airplane a few years ago and I must admit the first impression is not the one to last, because it was quite ugly. As ugly as it makes it so unique and beautiful in its own way. I love it.

[@alexwilliamson1486]

Great film, minor quibble, it’s the “Royal Navy” not “British”

[@jaex9617]

Great comment, minor quibble. It's a "video," not a "film."

[@terrystevens5261]

@@jaex9617 Yes, a video of maily film material. but i won't quibble.

[@wadde30]

An aircraft engineers nightmare for sure...can't imagine anything being worse....the amount of maintenance on that thing must have been astronomical...

[@robert-oq9jq]

All birds are beautiful you just don't know what you're looking at

[@billy5179]

What is a de haviland hornet? While showing the "mosquito".

[@HDSME]

I think she's a beautiful bird!!

[@gblan]

Pretty cool looking plane to me.

[@joebloggs8422]

I think they look great

[@GrahamMidwinter-hg5br]

Good solid aircraft.

[@jeanlavoie5598]

Its look like the search radar was the big American APS-20.

[@gleggett3817]

Yes, taken off the Skyraiders the UK had been using for AEW

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Please, it's HMS Eagle or the Eagle never the HMS Eagle.

[@Anmeteor9663]

No one cares. Get a life.

[@jimtaylor294]

^ Only you don't care. Get a life 😝 .

[@AlfieDoug]

​@@jimtaylor294 I don't care for the grammar police either you muppet, losers hanging around in youtube looking for minor things to criticise need to get a life.

[@billfarley9167]

You sound like another anal Englishman. Chill dude.

[@jamsstar2010]

Yeah don't care Who said anyway?

[@brianspendelow840]

Very interesting video. On the subject of looks, Fairey had experience building ugly aircraft. Check out the Fairey Barracuda.

[@alanbrown5593]

Not sure who the British navy is, the Royal Navy however......

[@stevetaylor8698]

Saying "the HMS......" is just wrong. What you are effectively saying is, "The His Majesty's Ship....."

[@christophermancrief4916]

Never ever say "The HMS --------", it is simply HMS, which stands for His/Her Majesty's Ship, hence putting 'the' in front of it makes no sense. Unfortunately this obvious error is common, presumably because people are ignorant of the proper title.

[@onlythatonetime]

On first glance I saw "fairly unattractive, lethal, fierce" and thought it was another F-35 video.

[@babenberg]

Any Cessna is worthy to be called disgusting looking plane thousand times before this one.

[@rustycann6887]

clean in bomber form i think it is a good looking plane

[@Netcentric-fk6ek]

Someone at Fairey should have been brave enough to say to leadership 'Oh Honey, what you doin' ? '

[@aerotube7291]

Cool video

[@dartmoordave]

If the Ministry hadnt pensioned them off 10 mins before Falklands, we would have had an air defence over the Fleet. They'll circle all day on a gallon of AVGAS.

[@TommygunNG]

I kind a like the looks.

[@drcovell]

Looks like a British creation similar in functionality to the “Skyraider” that served in the post WWII era.

[@localbod]

It's almost as if aircraft designers of propeller-driven aeroplanes forgot all they had learned during the second world war. Very odd.

[@BlueJazzBoyNZ]

A Beast !!

[@martinsmith9054]

They commissioned a propellor plane in case the jets didn't work.

[@Temp0raryName]

Liked. As constructive criticism though, put off subscribing due to the the flickering transition effects of various sorts. They were too garish and distracting. Sometimes less is more.

[@gar6446]

Ugly birds are loyal, dependable, and grateful.

[@flybobbie1449]

Gannet was needed in Falklands war.

[@Taketimeout3]

This aircraft was function over form But it worked really well. How about two engines in line so it flies just as well one one. The French copied it with a prettier plane but less capable.

[@MikeHarland-m2g]

So why have we never heard of it?

[@paulfeaheny3055]

What rock have you been hiding under??????❤

[@jonathasfigaro4992]

Love it reminds me Ducktales

[@AcademyMike]

Did it fly, did it do the job? If the answer is yes, then what is the problem?

[@chrisknight6884]

There were a lot of factual errors in this. The Seaking AEW 2 was introduced in 1982 with a highly effective and advanced radar and was used right up until the Merlin replaced it. The installation of the Searchwater radar looked odd, but it was innovative and worked very well as was proven by its longevity. Why, oh why do people, such as this narrator, keep referring to Royal Navy ships as 'the' HMS Whatever? HMS is an abbreviation - for His Majesty's Ship, so to say 'the His Majesty's Ship' makes no grammatical sense. So please just call it 'HMS Ark Royal' or drop the HMS bit and simply call it 'the Ark Royal'. Additionally, the plural of aircraft, is aircraft - not aircrafts. This is another disturbing trend of corrupting the English language.

[@zogworth]

West Germany. I don't think Ulbricht was ordering many!

[@willhovell9019]

From Fairey Swordfish also from the same stable, so effective against the Nazi German and Italian Fascist navies

[@stephenconnolly3018]

Double Mamba.

[@throwabrick]

I don't like Gannets. They wet their nests. That is why I prefer the expurgated version of Olsen's "Standard Book Of British Birds"

[@Orangesjesus]

Expurgated...like, ejected from the nesting material?.

[@throwabrick]

@@Orangesjesus It's a Monty Python sketch about a very fussy customer in a book shop.

[@Orangesjesus]

@@throwabrick should have known, "albatross", pining for the fjords?..

[@williamromine5715]

Why would the Brits have to send planes to the U.S. to test propellers?

[@terrystevens5261]

I must have missed that bit. i did however hear him say they sent a plane to Dowtys for propeller testing, they are between Cheltenham and Gloucester in the UK.

[@johnking6252]

I'm pretty sure there's a kitchen sink in there, somewhere! Just saying ?

[@kampase]

This Simple English format is a bit annoying, but helpful for some I guess

[@TontonMacoute]

I believe the first plane shown was the De Haviland Mosquito? Not Hornet.

[@goodviewfromuphere120]

So ugly that it was banished out to sea.

[@garyjonah22]

'Haytch' EM ESS? What's the matter with you?

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

Form is following function and doesn´t care about aesthetics.