Gannet AEW3

[Bathyman]

Just got back from hols in the States. Visited the Pima Air & space Museum. Yeh, I'm a spotter, very sad and you should feel sorry for me. Came across this old lady sitting in the desert and it was like meeting an old friend.

Serial number is XL482 with the USA reg N1350X. She has Heron Flight 78_ on the tail and EXPERIMENTAL under the pilots cockpit.
Any one know anything about her and how she ended up in the desert?

 

[Greenie]

Got a soft spot for Gannets ----thanks for the piccy


Used to watch them taking off and landing on the Hermes -1961-63
very stately compared to the jets and very reliable too. I think it was
849 flight in those days.

 

[slim]

The Falklands war would have been far shorter had we had a proper carrier a few gannets plus the good old buccaneers & phantoms

Bring back the real aircraft carriers and get rid of the little pretenders

 

[chockhead819]

there is one at Prestwick (previously HMS Gannet)

 

[Not_a_boffin]

History of XL482 on this link, plus other survivors.

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gannet/survivorspics1.html#XL482

 

[Old_Hand]

History of XL482 on this link, plus other survivors.

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gannet/survivorspics1.html#XL482

Some wonderful pics mate, brings back fond memories of good times on the Ark. Well done.

 

[Bathyman]

Thanks for the comments, guys, and the link. I was on the Vic '60 to '62 as an RP* and was watchkeeper on the AEW displayin the ADR. so soft spot for the Gannet.

 

[Nutty]

Chatham Historic Dockyard also have a fully and what appears to be complete Gannet tucked away in a forgotten corner which does not appear to be on th site you mentioned. JUST FOUND IT>

AEW.3 XL500 at Chatham, 27th June 2003

From the pictures I took the only numbers or letters I can make out are:

"CU" on the tail plane

"849
HQ" on a cowl around the propeller boss

"500" on the bottom of the starboard wing which is in its folded position

Nutty