Fairey Gannet AEW.3 – Billeder & Video

Den Fairey Gannet AEW.3 var en variant af Fairey Gannet anti-ubådskrigsførelsesfly, der var beregnet til at blive brugt i den luftbårne tidlige varslingsrolle (AEW) på hangarskibe i Royal Navy. Den blev taget i brug i 1959 som erstatning for den forældede Douglas Skyraider, og var tænkt som en midlertidig løsning indtil den planlagte introduktion af en ny, specialbygget AEW-platform til brug på de planlagte CVA-01 hangarskibe. Hverken de nye hangarskibe eller de nye AEW-fly blev gennemført, og Gannet AEW forblev i tjeneste indtil det sidste hangarskib, der kunne operere det, blev pensioneret.

Kilde: Fairey Gannet AEW.3 på Wikipedia

Den Fairey Gannet AEW.3 was a British carrier-borne aircraft developed in the 1950s for airborne early warning (AEW) duties. It was a variant of the Fairey Gannet anti-submarine warfare aircraft, modified to carry a large radome under the fuselage and a crew of three. The AEW.3 operated from the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers until the 1970s, when it was replaced by the Fairey Gannet EAW.1.
The AEW.3 was designed to provide long-range radar coverage for the fleet, especially against low-flying Soviet bombers armed with anti-ship missiles. The aircraft had a distinctive appearance, with a double tail and a contra-rotating propeller driven by a turboprop engine. The radome housed a modified AN/APS-20 radar, which could detect targets up to 200 miles (320 km) away. The radar operator and the observer were seated in the rear cockpit, behind the pilot.
Den AEW.3 entered service in 1959, and was deployed on board the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal, HMS Centaur, HMS Eagle, and HMS Hermes. The aircraft proved to be reliable and effective, but had some limitations, such as its slow speed, low altitude, and vulnerability to electronic countermeasures. The AEW.3 also had a short range of about 300 miles (480 km), which meant that it had to be refuelled in flight by a tanker aircraft or land on a carrier frequently.
The AEW.3 was gradually phased out in the 1970s, as the Royal Navy adopted a new generation of AEW aircraft based on helicopters and jet planes. The last operational flight of an AEW.3 took place in 1978, and the remaining aircraft were retired or transferred to museums. The Fairey Gannet AEW.3 was one of the last propeller-driven AEW aircraft in service, and played an important role in the development of naval aviation in Britain.