Fairey Gannet AEW.3

what is it?

The Fairey Gannet AEW.3 is a variant of the Fairey Gannet anti-submarine warfare aircraft intended to be used in the airborne early warning (AEW) role on aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy. It was introduced to service in 1959 to replace the obsolete Douglas Skyraider, and was intended as an interim solution until the planned introduction of a new, purpose built AEW platform for use on the planned CVA-01 aircraft carriers. Neither the new aircraft carriers nor the new AEW aircraft were proceeded with, and the Gannet AEW.3 remained in service until the last aircraft carrier that could operate it was retired in 1978.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 turboprop · 16.6 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 402 km/htop speed
• size 11.3 tmax take-off weight
• built 44made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 68 years ago, in 1958.
• 🏎️Top speed is 3.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 16.6 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

turboprop: A jet-style turbine turning a propeller: efficient on short hops.

spec sheet

first flight

1958-08-20

introduced

1959

retired

1978

status

retired

number built

44

role

airborne early warning aircraft

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

engines

1× Armstrong Siddeley ASMD.4 Double Mamba

crew

3

length

13.4 m

wingspan

16.6 m

height

5.1 m

max take-off weight

11.3 t

top speed

402 km/h

range

—

ceiling

7,620 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.