Fairey Gannet

Weaver · March 05, 2011, 12:30:04 PM

Quote from: kitnut617 on March 05, 2011, 10:24:03 AM
Not as rare as you might think Weaver ---

http://www.aim72.co.uk/page27.html

Yeah, but I qualified it by "sane price": at nearly £100 I'd start scratchbuilding from a piece of plastic pipe rather than hack one of those around.

kitnut617 · March 05, 2011, 01:05:06 PM

Not sure why the prices are so high for these kits, the first 747 I bought back in the 90's, was only 70 pounds, the second one was 120 pounds, now they're nearly 160 pounds. They're made with the same mould so I can't see that the plastic is that much more expensive.

rickshaw · March 05, 2011, 04:09:13 PM

Speaking of the Herald, I've finally managed to sort out how to register on a Russian hobby shop website which offers the Maquette one for 206 Rubles (about $Au5.00) a pop. Only problem is the postage is ruinous.

If anybody is interested, PM and I'll give you the link (and the secret of how to get past their weird Russian registration process!)

Mossie · June 20, 2014, 06:27:26 AM

Does anyone know if the RAF considered buying the Gannet? I ask as they were going to buy the MR.2 version of the Short Seamew before it was cancelled, it seems natural that they would at least think about taking on it's big brother.

Captain Canada · June 20, 2014, 06:40:21 AM

I like that idea.....who's gonna build it ?

Mossie · June 20, 2014, 07:35:20 AM

I'm wondering about it. I've got two Revell kits that are allocated, I might be able to persuade a friend to part with one for a whiff family.

DarrenP · June 20, 2014, 07:48:45 AM

what role would Gannets have played in the RAF?

I do wonder if the Thorn-EMI ARI 5930/3 Search water radar could have been fitted into a Gannet airframe as a Fixed wing AEW aircraft for the Fleet air arm?
Or some converted to ELINT platforms

Mossie · June 20, 2014, 08:07:46 AM

Not sure, but I don't know what part the RAF's Seamew MR.2's were to play either. The Seamew's short range doesn't seem suited to a land based anti submarine aircraft and the Gannet is capable of carrying a heavier load faster and further.

Searchwater radar would make for a good whiff, an upgrade to the AEW.3 for CVA.01? There were plans for various home grown platforms as well the Hawkeye. It would be a very British way of doing things to instigate a major program, cancel it in favour of an American one, then cancel that and have to upgrade an obsolescent aircraft!

PR19_Kit · June 20, 2014, 08:33:16 AM

The Seamew Mk 2 was going to be allocated to Costal Command as a 'close in' Shackleton IIRC. So the Gannet MR4 could have been a 'Half way out' Shackleton....

TallEng · June 20, 2014, 09:55:13 AM

Hmm.... Fairey Gannet MR4 so you could have white undersides/ sides and Dark sea grey top, or if later
All over Dark Sea Grey- would that then have those red outlined white serials and Sqn codes?

Regards
Keith

Thorvic · June 20, 2014, 11:15:57 AM

Quote from: Mossie on June 20, 2014, 08:07:46 AM
Not sure, but I don't know what part the RAF's Seamew MR.2's were to play either. The Seamew's short range doesn't seem suited to a land based anti submarine aircraft and the Gannet is capable of carrying a heavier load faster and further.

Searchwater radar would make for a good whiff, an upgrade to the AEW.3 for CVA.01? There were plans for various home grown platforms as well the Hawkeye. It would be a very British way of doing things to instigate a major program, cancel it in favour of an American one, then cancel that and have to upgrade an obsolescent aircraft!

The Gannet AEW7 with the avionics upgrade was the final choice for CVA-01, although i suspect this was to be a stopgap until they could order Grumman Hawkeyes.

Mossie · June 21, 2014, 03:54:57 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 20, 2014, 08:33:16 AM
The Seamew Mk 2 was going to be allocated to Costal Command as a 'close in' Shackleton IIRC. So the Gannet MR4 could have been a 'Half way out' Shackleton....

Thanks Kit, that's my way in then. Either a greater post war commitment to Coastal Command with a plethora of types or replacing the Hi-Lo mix with a bit higher low.

Quote from: TallEng on June 20, 2014, 09:55:13 AM
Hmm.... Fairey Gannet MR4 so you could have white undersides/ sides and Dark sea grey top, or if later
All over Dark Sea Grey- would that then have those red outlined white serials and Sqn codes?

Regards
Keith

I've found a reference in the Flight archives that says the Seamews were painted white with Medium Sea Grey. I think the earlier scheme would mark it apart from any other Gannet, I like the later scheme but it might be easily confused with the COD.4. Here's a photo of a RAF liveried Seamew with two RN prototypes, it's in B&W but it's easy to visualise what an early Coastal Command Gannet would look like:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16622848@N02/4967924380/in/photostream/lightbox/

rickshaw · June 21, 2014, 06:23:37 PM

Out of a matter of interest, were (or were meant to be) the RN's Seamews carrier capable? I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Seamew. It's just one of those ugly duckling looking sort of designs.

jcf · June 21, 2014, 10:18:17 PM

Well, yes. Seeing as it was intended to replace the Avengers.

The Wooksta! · June 22, 2014, 04:14:34 AM

You've got a choice of two kits for the Seamew:

The Contrail vacform which is a bit rough and ready, also long OOP and hard to find. Ebay examples go for about 20 quid.

Magna do a resin one. His original is an appallingly horrid kit to build and I still bear the scars. He's since redone it but I've never bought one since - too traumatised by the original tooling.