Prefab model 1/48 Fairey Gannet AS1AS4 Airfix A11007 An aircraft that must surely be considered one of the most outstanding types ever to see service with the Fleet Air Arm, the Fairey Gannet was as effective as it was unique, and was significant as the only post-war military contract won by the famous Fairey Aircraft Company . Probably the most unconventional aircraft designed by Fairey for full production, the Gannet was developed in response to the Royal Navy's 1945 requirement for an advanced deck-based turboprop anti-submarine hunter-killer that was tough enough to withstand harsh conditions. operations at sea.
Designed to counter the recent expansion of the Soviet submarine fleet at the start of the Cold War era, the Gannet was equipped with the latest electronic detection equipment and if an enemy submarine was detected it could be marked, tracked and if necessary attacked using bombs, depth charges, missiles and air acoustic torpedoes.
One feature of the Gannet that helped give it a unique appearance was the use of its power plant, the innovative Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba. This arrangement involved two gas turbine engines mounted side-by-side in the nose of the gantry, sharing a common gearbox, but both operating independently, each engine driving its own co-axially mounted counter-rotating propeller. In addition, the engines could run on kerosene and even diesel fuel, which was safer to use and less polluting than traditional aviation fuel.
This arrangement provided the Gannet crews with more than enough power for carrier operations, as well as quieting the two engines during extended ocean patrols. During flight, the pilot could shut down one of the engines to save fuel, and while this would reduce the Gannet's top speed, it would increase its idle capabilities. Typically, the pilot would alternate engine use during extended patrols, running each engine for about an hour before switching to the other engine - the port-mounted engine driving the forward propeller.
Another unique design feature of the Gannet was its bifold wing system, which was designed to allow this large aircraft to be safely operated and stored aboard one of the Royal Navy's relatively small aircraft carriers. When the pilot deployed the wing, this ingenious system not only prepared the wings for flight, but also automatically connected all flight control systems, hydraulic connections and fuel lines to the main system without intervention from the ground crew.
It is reported that the Gannet was so robust in service that when one aircraft lost the outer sections of both wings after performing a particularly brutal maneuver, the aircraft was still able to return safely to its home carrier, which may have only endeared the aircraft to its crews.
The Fairey Gannet proved to be an extremely robust and highly effective anti-submarine aircraft that could carry an impressive array of offensive munitions and was capable of attacking submarines both on the surface and underwater while attempting to evade its attention. . A hit with air and ground crews alike, 348 Gannets would eventually be produced and in addition to the British Fleet Air Arm, the aircraft would also see service with the Australian, German and Indonesian navies. What's inside: Plastic model kit, instructions, paint layout and decals Specifications:
Product length - without packaging (cm) 29
Item height - without packaging (cm) 8.73
Product width - without packaging (cm) 34.4
How many pieces are in the box: 334
The scale of objects is 1:48
Wingspan (mm) 344
