Kennet Gannet XL500

ET, even in those shots she looks great, ty for sharing them. Bex

Another try at some Uncorrupted pics. Gannet XL500 arrival at N Weald

WB – Although the radar was not installed in XL500, it should not be too much of an issue as it sits very close to the C of G. The aircraft seems quite nose heavy unballasted as there is some serious steel where the boxes were in the radar operators station and also a fair chunk of lead in tail near the hook.I suspect it could have flown in that configuration as its last flights were for prop testing with Dowty.

Bex – I recall Tornado F2s had Blue Circle initially, and our Phantoms used it for ferry flights to major servicings.

C6 – photos soon (both). Clue – there is only one other;)

Sounds like an interesting history to the aircraft ET, when you sort ya photos out are we gonna get some internals? Ive got a sort of internal shot of the Rad Ops position of XL472 if anyone wants a look, but its too big for the forum, PM me with an email addy folks.

I didnt know Phantoms were fitted with Blue Circle, kewl,(Shame ive finished my 1/48 FGR2 LoL) didnt the AEW Nimrods get it fitted for a while?

Bex

Really? There isn’t the partial remains of another in the U.K then?

WB – Although the radar was not installed in XL500, it should not be too much of an issue as it sits very close to the C of G. The aircraft seems quite nose heavy unballasted as there is some serious steel where the boxes were in the radar operators station and also a fair chunk of lead in tail near the hook.I suspect it could have flown in that configuration as its last flights were for prop testing with Dowty.

Bex – I recall Tornado F2s had Blue Circle initially, and our Phantoms used it for ferry flights to major servicings.

C6 – photos soon (both). Clue – there is only one other;)

I will try and post some uncorrupted photos tomorrow if the boss will let me.
Watch for new thread;)

ET,

Did your boss give you approval for any images, either of XL500 or the new project? Can you hint at what it might be??????:D

C6

No doubt over indulging in alcoholic refreshment caused that mishap:)

If Wessex Boy didnt then bet he did AFTER trying to fly without wings or in his case, without Rotors LoL

Ok serious question time now, if as Ive mentioned before the radars were pinched from the Gannets to go into Shacks, surely the ex Gannet / Shack equipment would be knocking around……… just me thinking aloud but any comments on this?……….. and before any of u get in there first, yes there was a loud ticking noise from the cogs :p Bex

No doubt over indulging in alcoholic refreshment caused that mishap:)

Moi? Hardly touched the stuff;)

The Monkey Harness was aptly named that day:D

I was briefly the Talking Baggage in the back, before I was hurled out for bad behaviour (the RAF, not the Wessex, although I did fall out of a Wessex once:D )

No doubt over indulging in alcoholic refreshment caused that mishap:)

I was briefly the Talking Baggage in the back, before I was hurled out for bad behaviour (the RAF, not the Wessex, although I did fall out of a Wessex once:D )

Oi! I must admit to a little Mental deficiency, you had to have something slightly wrong to climb into a 25 year old collection of vibrating spare parts every day, that seemed to defy the laws of Physics, probability and Sod almost every time we flew….One of my instructors had been in 6 crashes, had had 2 tracheoctopies and wore an eye patch:eek: …..in 120 hours I only had 2 forced landings, 3 engine/computer failures and 1 Brake Fire hmmm:rolleyes:

Easy Tiger, I assume that you will have to fit Blue-Circle Radar in order to get the CofG correct:D 😉

Wessex Boy, that is one way of describing a Whirlythingybob LoL but for 120 hours that aint bad I guess, Ive meant to ask u before, where u flying them or where u in the back?

Ah the delights of the Infamous Blue-Circle Radar, thats gotta be one of the British Armed Forces most successful bit of kit. Is it worth its own thread to see if we can work out exactly how many birds have been fitted with it?

Bex

yes!

Well, apart from Wessex Boy – and he likes helicopters (and is therefore, a mental):diablo:

TT

Oi! I must admit to a little Mental deficiency, you had to have something slightly wrong to climb into a 25 year old collection of vibrating spare parts every day, that seemed to defy the laws of Physics, probability and Sod almost every time we flew….One of my instructors had been in 6 crashes, had had 2 tracheoctopies and wore an eye patch:eek: …..in 120 hours I only had 2 forced landings, 3 engine/computer failures and 1 Brake Fire hmmm:rolleyes:

Easy Tiger, I assume that you will have to fit Blue-Circle Radar in order to get the CofG correct:D 😉

XL500 in her natural element.Prestwick 1978

Ah the days when 849 were based at Lossiemouth and we used to get Navair flights going over on the top of Turnhouse with various Gannet COD aircraft.

C6
I could hardly call the Gannet attractive, but it does have character. We call it the FUGLY.

Bex
XL500 is an AEW3 and is UK registered as G-KAEW (Kennet AEW). I think you could be right on the radar thing. There was none in ours when we got it.

I have to admit Gannets are a bit of an Ugly Duckling, but youre right, character they have lots 😀 XL472 was gutted to, Radar Bump stripped and the navs stations totally stripped out too, I er managed a sneaky peak oneday, but when I joined GAM I was asked what aircraft I wanted as my project, and I narrowed it down to the PR7 or Gannet, but I chose the PR7 after what I saw of the Gannet, the Old Girls a bit of a mess. 🙁 Bex

C6
I could hardly call the Gannet attractive, but it does have character. We call it the FUGLY.

Bex
XL500 is an AEW3 and is UK registered as G-KAEW (Kennet AEW). I think you could be right on the radar thing. There was none in ours when we got it.

Oh forgive me for being blonde, another question re XL500, is she A/S or AEW? And I heard somewhere but I might be wrong and open to correction here, didnt the Radar from Gannets get put into Shackletons?

Bex

same place as my chinook flight, pretty good view with door open

Ive not got any pics of XL500, but if anyone wants photos of our Gannet @ GAM then Ive got a few. As for those Whirlythingymebobs, a Chinook ride through the Sennybridge training areas was a bit brown trousers specially as the loadmaster (not sure of his correct title) thought it would be funny to show my cadets how low we actually were by opening the door 😮

Finally is XL500 privately owned or have the FAA got it?
Bex

i like helicopters too, ive never flown in a plane, military or domestic but a chinook ride on excercise is pretty good and the gannet at elvington is in pretty good nick but not a flyer