Fairey Gannet AEW.3 – XP226 NAHR – Significant
XP226 arrived at Newark from RNAS Lee-on-Solent in November 1983, later becoming the first aircraft to be moved onto the Southfield Site on a permanent basis, in spring 2002. By Jan McGeachie
Always such an unusual but unique looking plane, its inclusion was the choice of Newark’s own pictorial archivist, Caroline Adkins, as her Aircraft of the Week, just as the application of XP226’s detailed markings was being completed.
Designed as an airborne early warning aircraft flying from Royal Navy aircraft carriers, the Fairey Gannet was the first fixed-wing aircraft for anti-submarine operations. The mid wing monoplane with its tricycle undercarriage held a crew of three with an Armstrong Siddeley double Mamba engine (essentially two mounted side-by-side driving contra-rotating propellers on the nose through a common gearbox) allowing one engine to shut down during flight to extend the aircraft's range.
A long series of trials followed the prototype’s maiden flight from Aldermaston on 19th September 1949, which having crashed landed 25th November 1949, required three months of repairs before naval test pilots could return to the task of sorting out the handling issues that included the first deck landing on 19th June 1950 on HMS Illustrious, joined by the adapted second prototype with its third canopy so an additional crew member faced rearwards.
Further carrier trials were conducted aboard HMS Eagle before the MOD initial order for 100 began production with one shown at the Farnborough Air Show in 1953 before going into regular service.
Gannets were later adapted during the 1960s when the Royal Navy’s Westland Whirlwind helicopters took over their initial task for electronic countermeasures, for to the carriers. The Gannet AEW.3 was developed with a newer Double Mamba installed, a new radome mounted under the aircraft and the undercarriage lengthened. This was when the types role changed to become a carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft. They were withdrawn on 15th December 1978, following retirement of the last of the Royal Navy's large fleet carriers.
An AEW.7 version was proposed as an upgrade of the AEW.3, but none were built due to government spending cuts. The Gannets were flown to Lossiemouth and their AN/APS 20 radar fitted to RAF Avro Shackletons.
Built and first flown 30th March 1962, XP226 was delivered to RNAS Culdrose, joining 849 squadron. XP226 suffered an accident during a display at RNAS Lossiemouth Open Day, when its pilot switched down one half of the engine during a slow pass, only to then suffer a power failure in the other half. The resulting forced landing saw the aircraft sustain damage to its wing tanks, radome and propellers.
XP226 held an aircrew of three, had a wingspan of 54 feet 6 inches, length 44 feet and could reach a maximum speed of 250 mph with a range of 800 miles rising to 25,000 feet. From 1963 to 1978 XP226 served at RNAS Brawdy and aboard HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal before being transferred on 21st September 1978 to RNAS Lee on Solent serving as an instructional airframe (A2667) before becoming gate guardian at HMS Dryad (one-time RN Maritime Warfare School) until 1982, when it was acquired by museum President, Mich Stevenson and placed on loan with us. It was gifted to the museum along Mich’s other aircraft in 2003 as part of the partnership funding for our, Hangar 2 Heritage Lottery Fund project.
Photo credit: Jan McGeachie