XT752 Fairey Gannet engine start

The XT752 is now the worlds oldest surviving Gannet, and the worlds oldest turboprop aircraft flying of any type. She is the spokesman for the Wings of Steel Foundation, and was on her way to make an appearance at the Menomonie, WI airshow. (June 27, 2015)

[@Avio033]

Stupidly big, stupidly powerful, stupidly overkill. I love this aircraft so much...

[@andrewsmith271]

Do miss the old keresene burner over this side of the pond, remember sitting in the cockpit of one of these on the fire dump on Gibraltar many, many moons ago.

[@timothynataliegoh2404]

I saw this as a young boy of 11 outside the Juanda airport in Surabaya, Indonesia. It was a static display but the unusual shape of the aircraft left a lasting memory on me. Last year as an old fart of 56 year old I was back in Surabaya and the static display was still there. This time I did my research and found the name of the aircraft, Faiery Garnet. All along I thought it was a Soviet plane.

[@JustAnotherDayToday]

Magnificent plane. I'm sure it served its purpose well.

[@assrabbi]

Hell, she's ungainly....but she's a goddamn subhunter! Does a puffin look like it could fly gracefully? No! but it's one of the most finest fisherman you'll ever see!

[@bradleyjames1340]

It looks ungainly on the ground, but it aint built to drive on the freeway. Walruses are funny looking too till you see inderwater footage of them.

[@colgatetoothpaste4865]

Airplanes are male fucking stupid ! Idiot

[@plapbandit]

@@colgatetoothpaste4865 Bitch did you just assume my F-15s gender

[@cfranko1860]

ARMOR PIERCER since when?

[@Astranamic]

I just now came across this plane. Love at first sight. People say it's ugly, but I think it looks really cool in it's own beautifully bulky way. If anything else, it's so ugly I love it!!

[@albatross8361]

The mechanical complexity of it is just amazing. So much stuff packed into very compact airframe.

[@nigelterry9299]

I'd always thought contraprops started simultaneously. Interesting!!!

[@bgm1958]

This is actually a twin-engined aircraft. One engine runs the front propeller and one engine runs the rear propeller. That way once on station the aircraft could shut down one engine to increase its loiter time.

[@richardoakley8800]

@@bgm1958 the propwash can be used to start the other engine

[@fw1421]

Smokes on startup like an L1011. Cool aircraft.

[@tonyguest9744]

Cartridge start.

[@truthhurts9241]

And we all sing together "There once was an ugly duckling....etc". Damned useful one though.

[@masondegaulle5731]

Charles Fairey, the founder of the Fairey Aviation Company was my great uncle. Heathrow Airport used to be the FAC testing grounds. British govt. commandeered it for use during WW2, then didn't want to give it back. FAC had to sue for compensation. Always good to see one of the last true FAC built aircraft in operation!

[@jonyallen5769]

Wow, neat to hear more history like that!

[@slicer819]

Wow. The hairs on the back of my neck rose at that Mamba howl at about 4 minutes...I used to lie in bed in the married quarters at RNAS Culdrose as a kid listening to the Gannets night flying..brought it all back in an instant. My fathers squadron..831 NAS, had a number of ECM variants on charge. Great aircraft, great post. Thanks so much.

[@peterjackson2625]

It was a very distinctive sound.

[@rogerc46]

@@peterjackson2625 Indeed..my father was once flying in Gannet as a passenger when the pilot announced that they had lost half the Double Mamba engine..he called an emergency divert to RNAS Yeovilton and dad was somewhat alarmed as on landing, they were pursued down the runway by the station fire service...all was 👍

[@ApplyWithCaution]

... contra-rotating dual turboprop was quite revolutionary at the time

[@GPR111]

Wow, that is a brute ! What an aircraft, love it 😮

[@cameronalexander359]

Jesus those revs just don't stop climbing! Brits had such an innovative and diverse aerospace industry.

[@passwordbosco407]

I built a model of this plane way back in the 1960's because it was so unusual looking, much different than all of the Mustangs, Lightenings and Thunderbolts I had been building. Plus it had a great history behind it. Love this aircraft.

[@kevvywevvywoo]

Built to do a job, which it did, luckily not in anger. Some of the best tools are also the least beautiful. Proud to say I used to go to one of Fairey's factories to fix cnc machines that drilled ventilation holes in turbine blades.

[@peterjackson2625]

The original engine start was by a cordite cartridge. The starter was made by Rotax and held 2 cartridges. It had fins and looked like a motorcycle engine. When the cartridge fired, it spun a turbine which was geared to the single shaft turbo prop engine. If the engine failed to pull away on the first attempt, the pilot could fire the second cartridge. The engine was the Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba which comprised 2 identical engines driving contra-rotating propellers via a common gearbox. Each engine had its own starter, so 4 cartridges in all.

[@sski]

Amazing! Why are there none left flying but this one? I know the UK retired them last century but I would think there would be flying examples still around.

[@unclegreybeard3969]

Probably because of the low number of them that were built, only 44 Gannet AEW3 were ever commissioned by the Royal Navy, and 303 of the Gannet 5 anti-submarine version featured here.

[@Ka9radio_Mobile9]

This plane is so ugly, its hard not to like it! Its one the best of many aircraft ever built!

[@rentaghost]

A classic British aircraft and a mainstay of the Fleet Air Arm / Royal Navy in her day. Nice to see an excellent preserved example such as this. Great video, thanks for posting :-)

[@mikecawood]

Superb. Love the Gannet. Also love the Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turboprop.

[@jimfowler5930]

Note, too, that the Deutsche Marine (German Navy) flew this ASW-type successfully. Great video...thanks very much.

[@Rog5446]

There's an Aviation Museum at the end of my road that has has a Gannet sitting outside looking rather sad with a couple of tarpaulins over it.

[@michaelmcmurtrey8543]

I saw a Gannet on the ramp at Pratt & Whitney’s East Hartford, Connecticut, plant in about 1980. No idea what it was doing there, and of course I didn’t have a camera with me.

[@joehollow2505]

I think it looks beautiful.

[@davesherman74]

I'm curious, is the second engine started by compressor bleed air from the first engine, or is it starting by virtue of having the first propeller's wash turning the second propeller?

[@grahamj9101]

On engine test, it was certainly possible and common practice to 'windmill' start the second engine from the prop wash of the running engine. I witnessed it on several occasions on Double Mamba test, back in the 1960s.

[@animalian01]

Its started by the wash from the front prop

[@sgkingly8392]

Thank you to the owners for keeping this amazing aircraft running. I will always love the Gannet

[@mikdavies5027]

I remember as a lad seeing these amazing aircraft at Chatham Navy Days, many years ago. Many thanks for the post and memories!

[@emmanuelsavage4538]

Like the strobing effect on prop blades....

[@taketimeout2share]

Now thats what I call a happy plane. She always has a smile for anyone. Maybe the cart full of Nitreous Oxide helps. I think she is related to Mickey Mouse. Thank you America for looking after her. Hi from the UK.

[@deeremeyer1753]

Nitrous oxide? ROFLMAO. Yeah. Right. Try dry nitrogen to power the starter motor or possibly CO2. Nitrous oxide tanks are BLUE because its an oxygen-bearing gas. Those tanks are black and that autpmatically makes them INERT GAS bottles.

[@taketimeout2share]

Re-read what I wrote. I was referring to the fat grin the plane appears to have. Maybe you inhaled from the blue tank before you commented. If so could I have some too.

[@Absaalookemensch]

She knows how beautiful she is.

[@techmaniac43]

Because she know the beauty she is ;)

[@justcheck6645]

As an air cadet I was fortunate enough to fly in a Gannet. I occupied the rear cockpit, one of my friends the second cockpit and of course the pilot. All thirty of us on a field trip, managed to go up on the day. The Gannet had only been in service a couple of years and it was a fantastic experience, and a fantastic aircraft. It did what it was designed to do and very effectively. Of course this was a training flight and so they were used to flying with students, the most important instruction was "don't touch anything". However we did have to get into survival gear as we would be flying over the sea.

[@schmidtyschmidty5118]

Pretty wild bird. How far into her rotations range does she have to get for her engines to quit oscillating like that?

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

Good gawd the Gannet was one ugly beast. Typical fleet air arm to accept such an ugly thing.

[@ralphcraig5816]

That's where the stiff upper lip comes from...

[@SB-tp3yw]

A Gannet just like this one currently resides at the Berkshire museum of aviation, outside in the elements... for years... tis a sorry sight to see every time I pass.

[@MrSensible2]

The aeronautical equivalent of Susan Boyle...

[@donaldstanfield8862]

I'd never seen one, amazing, to say the least!

[@daniellebron8127]

First time i see one too.

[@jesjoking]

Donald Stanfield I

[@fw1421]

Donald Stanfield I had no idea there were still any flying.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@MooseWolfBear]

You have to Love the Gannet.🤗

[@PenDragonsPig]

I used to love seeing them around where I lived. It worked, what was wrong with that? I’ll tell what was ugly- the Sea King. A helicopter crossed with a Short Sunderland.

[@camsbits1]

So this is a twin that you can fly without having a twin endorsement? What's not to like about that idea?

[@timj41]

No cans of Guinness were harmed in the starting of this aircraft

[@MrLarryC11]

The props are turning at different speeds during warm-up. How is this possible?

[@johnkelinske1449]

Because they are connected to two different engines.

[@MrLarryC11]

Makes sense for a Naval a/c. I am only familiar with contra-props geared together. Thanx.

[@birddog9708]

Witchcraft

[@richardoakley8800]

Out at sea pilots Really like two engines. Especially whe one of the engines stops being your friend

[@Platyfurmany]

Contra-rotating propellers always make me think some alien spider is attacking the airplane.

[@miles2378]

I kinda find it hypnotic.

[@birddog9708]

What were the sixties like for you.lol

[@acinad6]

It really is a "Supa mega-fugly with a bastard arsehole twist"! (A verse from a song by an infamous Australian comedian/singer & songwriter; Kevin Bloody Wilson).

[@thenoobletlego]

This video kept popping up in my suggestions. Now I know why...

[@MrMKH2010]

What is in the tanks that is used for starting?

[@MonastraOperaSymphonyClassical]

What a beautiful plane!

[@kevinwhite9761]

What a beast of a plane

[@birddog9708]

Kevin White it's kind of a shame they had to have folding wings. Can you imagine one fixed wing without all the extra weight. ? Wild

[@Rainhill1829]

First engine starts at 0:10, second engine started at 3:24, fascinating operating system.

[@rogertycholiz2218]

All those blades spinning around on the FLUFF.

[@Dunsay]

I can't find any info on these having more than one engine... Source?

[@Morrigi192]

+Dunsay It used the Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba, which is basically two turbines stuck together, one for each prop. Wikipedia has a page on it.

[@sidamarali3030]

No single-engine counter-rotating props !!!

[@richardoakley8800]

She powered by the double mamba engine.. two turbines linked to one gearbox

[@al-azimahmed1188]

Such a crazy lil aircraft

[@grahamj9101]

I've posted a comment on another channel to say that, in 1963, as a Bristol Siddeley apprentice at the Parkside works in Coventry, the Double Mamba was the first gas turbine engine on which I laid a spanner (that's a wrench for US readers). I do wonder how they keep both engine and airframe serviceable so far away from home, and with most of the engineers who were familiar with the aircraft long gone.

[@jonnybottle]

Good old reverse engineering - the bane of the OEM! ;)

[@imthefuckinglizardking4590]

Lots of jb weld

[@korolev-musictodriveby6583]

You didn’t mention that it runs on Diesel ! Be well

[@francisaje]

Really beauty, any chance to own it? 3 seated family plane :)

[@rudiknapen4863]

four seat

[@richardoakley8800]

I wonder if they could tweak them the fly of chuck and lizzy. Maybe rato take off. Ugly.. maybe.. effective.. yup

[@bertiewooster3326]

A large bird !

[@227beau]

Didn't realise they had an airworthy Gannet, whow, well done ? In wikipedia, about the Gannet, this one is not even mentioned in the survivers list. Someone in the UK please offer a trade aircraft so we can bring back here to see.

[@mickkennedy1344]

The Furry Gonad

[@andrewward9601]

Didn't they try to bring this back home to the U.K but one of the mambas failed on route? What happened to her?

[@PorscheGTRSWeissach]

Another odd looking brit plane! ;-)

[@jerryumfress8340]

Never knew this aircraft existed, awesome

[@PeterNGloor]

how can one film the counter-rotating propellers with a phone?

[@haroldellis9721]

55 viewers were in Russian subs.

[@airlitex6488]

Ha ha :-)

[@maxbennedbk7085]

woosh, if the propeller being invisible wont give away that its running, the narly off line... white lines, sureley will, that sheewrsh looked trippy for a second there

[@jamespalm1866]

They should add this two Warthunder

[@daniellebron8127]

First time i see this airplane. Nice one but still don't trust those foldable wings.

[@ralphcraig5816]

My first thought, too many moving parts. And speaking of too many moving parts, Twin Mambas'. Being in a kranky mood, my first impression was something the French had designed and the Italians had built! And before anyone goes off on the slams, I lived in France for a number of years, and have see, from the 50s on, what the French can do with auto design. (the Renault 5 Turbo though, is totally bad, I want one forever)

[@johnkelinske1449]

No different than the Seafire.

[@johnkelinske1449]

I haven't checked, but I doubt you will find any ever crashed due to wing failure. The Royal Navy operated the type MANY years as did the West Germans. It is a large aircraft, and it had to fold up as compact as possible to fit the hangers on the British carriers.

[@daniellebron8127]

+John Kelinske John thanks a lot for your time to reply to me, i totally understand that the safety of this type of aircrafts is being probing but what i think about this foldable wings is due to weight and fragility. I know they tested this before but I still don't trust foldable wings.

[@johnkelinske1449]

Understood. Don't fly on an aircraft with them if it bothers you that much then.

[@davidgamble5756]

Engine was Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turboprop

[@kblackav8or]

Built for function to be sure. Not very attractive but effective.

[@UAPJedi]

kblackav8or True but it wasn’t built for Russian sub commanders to appreciate through the scope;)

[@tracygeddes5867]

I remember standing underneath them on an aircraft carrier with the Westland helicopters just to the side, great memories

[@tomcline5631]

That start cart,was that basically a wrack of gas/air bottles?? Cool if so,like an air starter on diesel engines. Love this wierd bird. The engine's arrangement and that wing fold mechanism are just so cool!

[@bruceburns1672]

I could only imagine the cost to the defense budget developing this aircraft and no doubt it probably went over by three times as it looks as complicated as you could possibly get for prop aircraft .

[@bruceburns1672]

Tabourba You are obviously totally and completely ignorant of Britain's decline and after war white elephant military programs , in the end their rocket programs were cancelled as they wee so broke and still are , Britain is not a first world industrial country any more as their industry was wiped out in the great Communist Union uprising back in the 60's and 70's , its all on KZbin for Knob heads that don't take notice of reality .

[@brendaproffitt1011]

Totally Beautiful plane Incredible engine I like the way the wings fold Awesome job on this video too..I do greatly appreciate it too..Thank you so much

[@jamie66233]

Sub killers!!

[@michaelwisdom1867]

i know of two thaT ARE AVALIABLE AND THREE GEARBOXES

[@imthefuckinglizardking4590]

What do they do with the nitrogen to start it? It's crazy to see we went from planes like this to the F14. There's so many things in this plane that could fail it's awesome this one's still flying

[@hygri]

That's compressed air to get number one running and cool the combustor as it starts. Two is started by revving up one, pitching two's prop and allowing it to windmill up before light off.

[@Tyler.i.81]

If pigs could fly this would be it.

[@ianmangham4570]

Double Mamba Engine

[@clydesuckfinger7097]

Never heard of this aircraft, much less seen it.

[@marksimkins4124]

Such character in an aircraft design.

[@thomaslloyd8306]

Anti submarine patrol bomber?

[@banjobunny19]

Used to watch Fairey Gannets being started at Ringway Airport in the 1950s they were started by firing a large cartridge in the engine we used to run onto the tarmac at Fairey Engineering and pick up the empty cartridge case often chased off by ground staff, also watched a Swordfish being torched for fire practice on the fire dump what a shame.

[@benters3509]

This old girl is never going to win any beauty pageants, but she was good at her job!

[@HJBounell]

Now I have an overwhelming desire to launch torpedoes at soviet aircraft carriers. See what you caused?

[@rexross7086]

Well that's interesting so is it a jet or a propeller driven or what did they use this aircraft for

[@JamesJoker-wm2xd]

Awww, take off please.

[@pikeywyatt]

just like the Shackleton made in England. magic.

[@spoonnz]

What a absolutely stunning aircraft! such a beauty. love how the wash from the first engine stars the second one!

[@Tiltrotor86]

Not a specialist of this aircraft but I think it only windmill aft prop to a certain extent, not enough to to light off without a hot start, seems it has dedicated start system Correct me if I'm wrong I wanna learn !

[@johnkelinske1449]

Double Mamba engine.

[@concrete6935]

Note the rear view mirror above the cockpit !

[@Plainview200]

Suspect it is actually a periscope to give second seat person a view forward. They are sometimes seen on versions of combat aircraft used for introductory training. Or not, but that is what it looks like.

[@PercivalGull1]

Beautiful aircraft !

[@michaelwisdom1867]

once described as the ugliest aircraft to defy gravity

[@mitropoulosilias]

MK100?

[@curtcottrell6969]

It looks like seats 3, pilot, spotter, rear gunner...

[@johnkelinske1449]

Pilot, spotter/navigator, ASW operator.

[@colgatetoothpaste4865]

Its so cute that fat airplane

[@marco26muc]

The blast from the first Prop can start the 2nd Engine

[@Waxcoat]

Nice airplane with 2 separate gasturbines.

[@jeffbridges666]

What's happened to this Gannet, is it still flyable?

[@jonyallen5769]

I don’t know where she went; I haven’t been able to get ahold of the owners/pilot for several years.

[@nostrilnick]

Getting that close to spinning props gets your attention.

[@danielschannel444]

looks good. Stay away from the props!!!

[@7REDDRACO7]

kool

[@duanecotter1463]

This what happens when a plane is designed by a committee

[@TheEulerID]

Yes, you get a very successful aircraft that served half a dozen countries and was in service for almost 30 years.

[@allencrider]

Wow. Rube Goldberg has his day. From Wikipedia, "Power was transmitted from each engine by a torsion shaft which was engaged through a series of sun, planet, epicyclic and spur gears to give a suitable reduction ratio and correct propeller-shaft rotation."

[@grahamj9101]

It's almost fifty five years since I saw a Double Mamba reduction gearbox stripped down and on build, so I could be wrong. However, I don't recall seeing any epicyclic gearing in the gearbox. As the input from each engine was offset from its respective prop, a simple pinion and wheel reduction gear arrangement (with an idler gear for one engine) would have been the simplest solution, as in the T56, for instance.

[@Paiadakine]

MichaelKingsfordGray you need to watch married with children to understand reverend Al.

[@Sweden1589]

Ooooh...... he is sooo cute🥺

[@timmayer8723]

In the video narrative the cylinders are referred to as nitrous oxide. Didn't think this could be correct. Some other gas was used to assist the starting process. The tank start seems cumbersome and clunky compared to an explosive cartridge start.

[@noelwhittle7922]

turbine engine uses a pneumatic-motor starter to spin the high-pressure turbine shaft up to ignition speed then self sustaining speed. Any compressed air or inert gas will do the job, whether from a bottle storage or a compressor.

[@johnkelinske1449]

Probably easier to find today than the starter cartridges!