Fairey Gannet

[Mossie]

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.

It was designed to operate from the RN's Escort Carriers, to fill a gap as the Gannet could only operate from larger carriers.   The Gannet was also expensive and complex, so a cheap and more simple machine was attractive.

[PR19_Kit]

Most of the Seamews built were RN carrier capable versions, Shorts only made two RAF Coastal Command aircraft, without the hooks or folding wings and they were both converted to naval versions when the RAF lost interest.

[Captain Canada]

Great thread, lots of cool info....but now that the AEW kit is out I'd like to build at least 2, and need some info on the opening of one, the doors and what's inside and that little bomb bay in the aft fuselage ? Looking for some photos.

[philp]

I picked up the new AEW at the Nats.

This one will be done Real World as I have wanted to build the Bumble Bee version on Ark Royal for a long time.  Have a Yearbook from 1974 (I think) that one of my Uncles sent me with a nice article about them.

[Mossie]

Great thread, lots of cool info....but now that the AEW kit is out I'd like to build at least 2, and need some info on the opening of one, the doors and what's inside and that little bomb bay in the aft fuselage ? Looking for some photos.

Good photo set on flickr of the AEW Gannet, especially the observers station:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/56270329@N08/16895050577/in/photostream/

Not much detail, but Spyflight has a nice pic showing just how cosy it was:
http://www.spyflight.co.uk/gannet.htm

Several walkarounds on Primeportal, not really any internal detail though:
http://www.primeportal.net/the_airstrip.htm

I've got some photos of one the Bumblebees, mostly of the undercarriage that a friend asked me to take when I was there.  I'll upload them soon.

[Captain Canada]

Some good links Mossie, thanks. No info on what's behind those doors tho.

[PR19_Kit]

Which doors are they?

I had a ride in an AEW3 when I was at NAS Culdrose in 1961, and it was VERY tight in that rear compartment. You needed to be friendly with the other guy in there for sure, and there was almost zero view from the small windows in the doors, but then you were meant to be looking at the CRTs of course. 

[Captain Canada]

Not even sure if they are doors or what. Two pairs of them on the aft fuselage. The sure look like doors on the kit and some builds I've seen. I've also seen some pics of a derelict on Google and they look open.

[Gondor]

Not even sure if they are doors or what. Two pairs of them on the aft fuselage. The sure look like doors on the kit and some builds I've seen. I've also seen some pics of a derelict on Google and they look open.

They are doors in the rear fuselage Captain, and as kit pointed out you had to be rather friendly with your fellow operator. I would not be surprised if the flight deck crew used crow bars to pry the radar operators out of the aircraft at the end of each flight 

There was probably more room in the back seat of an MG B type 

Gondor

[Captain Canada]

These are underneath, almost like tiny little bomb bays.

[Gondor]

These are underneath, almost like tiny little bomb bays.

Ah, no idea and I don't have any pictures of them open either.

Please feel free to disregard the PM I have sent you regarding sending you information as that is now defunct.

Gondor

[Mossie]

Some good links Mossie, thanks. No info on what's behind those doors tho.

There is, honest!  The flickr album has a good set of images, you'll need to scroll to the right.  The first image I linked to shows the door open with a peek inside.  The Spyflight page shows how tight it is sat in there with two geezers rubbing knees.

It's hard to believe that anyone can fit through those doors, any kind of dignified entrance/exit must be impossible.  Reminds me of what Larry Hagman said about owning a Ferrari, you might look cool once inside, but it they are so low slung you've got to drag your b@lls along the sill and try not to fall over!  I've not been in a Gannet, but at museums I try to poke in as many holes as possible and 50's British aircraft are the tightest fits of all.

[PR19_Kit]

When I had my flight in an AEW3 I was almost 6 ft tall, but as thin as a rake at 18 of course, and I had to fold double to get in there! There was some trick move involved, but I'm afraid I can't remember what it was at this distance, sorry.

[Captain Canada]

I'm just a little guy, and I basically had to squeeze myself into the cockpit of the F-100 at the museum in Akron !

And just to clear up the confusion, it's not the crew access doors ( although the links provide some great pics as I want my second one all opened up ) it's what appear to be wee bomb or ordnance doors of some sort under the fuselage.

[Gondor]

I'm just a little guy, and I basically had to squeeze myself into the cockpit of the F-100 at the museum in Akron !

And just to clear up the confusion, it's not the crew access doors ( although the links provide some great pics as I want my second one all opened up ) it's what appear to be wee bomb or ordnance doors of some sort under the fuselage.

The Gannet AEW3 never carried ordinance because of its role and those doors, as shown on your blog page, rule out anything much larger than a flare which would be a little odd for a high flying radar picket or control aircraft to carry, so that's ruled out which unless its access doors for something I am out of options but I could be wrong.

Gondor