September 2023: Fairey Gannet contra-prop may fly again, to return to the UK eventually…. Navy Wings…

I really hope she back across to the UK .

Thanks for the most informative update J Boyle. Great to hear that the Gannet’s still alive and well. Yes, very wise to share with your info discretion – I certainly am not asking for anything to be shared that people aren’t happy to have shared.

I’ll keep those fingers crossed for a flying Gannet back in Britain at some point in the future…

Wondefull, I love the Gannet especially in dayglo

On Aug 20, I received an email from the owner.

“Last week we ran the Gannet and did all the ground checks in Wisconsin”.

So, the plan still seems to be to fly it to Spokane Washington for further work.

I’m in regular contact with the owner, and will keep you apprised of things as the occur. I do not believe he wants me to release information prematurely.

Is there any news on this – I take it no ferry flight has happened yet?

I really hope we have a Gannet flying in British skies again one day, but I won’t get too excited about this project yet…

Just heard from the new owner, ferry flight to Washington will probably be delayed until spring….North American weather being what it is.

In the meantime, it is secure in a hangar (important in Wisconsin).

I was told it also has had recent paint as well as mechanical work.

So, its future looks good with hopes for an eventual return to the U.K

I would love to see, and hear an airworthy Gannet in the UK again especially XT752 as it is an example of, in my eyes, the prettier if that’s possible, of the two airframe versions.

XL500 was being worked on by Kennet Aviation in Wales a few years back but that project stalled when no one could overhaul the propeller. As for XT752, the US are more relaxed than the CAA when the aircraft is operated under the experimental catagory which might allow it to fly there but then moving it the UK would come up against the same problem.  

I learned about this several months ago when John Sessions mentioned the Gannet was coming to Spokane.  I assumed it would be an exhibit at the Historic Flight Foundation museum which he founded.

But since one of the calling cards of the museum is that all the aircraft are airworthy, I wondered how it would fit into the collection, since regularly operating a Fairey in the U.S. (or anywhere else for that matter) would be quite an undertaking. Sessions is quite the Anglophile and has a lot of friends in the UK historic aviation community.

But if it is coming here for service before heading back to the UK, that makes more sense. The HFF has a large maintenance hangar and a few mechanics…who obviously don’t have any Gannet or Double Mamba (my favorite engine name, by the way…) experience.

If it does come to Spokane, I hope it moves along soon, I would hate to see it stay and become a derelict ramp queen.

I’m a firm believer in displaying aircraft where they will be most appreciated, even if that means repatriation to their country of origin.