Page 24 - David Masters

David seen here climbing into a Fairey Gannet on a post production test flight.
This aircraft was developed by Fairey Aviation in response to a 1945
Admiralty requirement GR.17/45 for a carrier borne anti submarine airframe.
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Operational by the Navy’s Air Fleet Arm from 19 September 1949 until The
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Gannet was retired from Navy service on 15 December 1978 being replaced
by the Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 Helicopter.

Fairey selected an engine based on the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba, known
as the Double Mamba.Two Mambas mounted side-by-side and coupled
through a common Gearbox to two 4 blade coaxial contra-rotating propellers.
In the early models this gave an output of 2,950 Horse power rising in later
models to 3,875 Horse power, giving a top speed of 310 MPH and a service
ceiling of 25,000 ft.

A total of 348 Gannets were built for the Navy’s Air Fleet Arm in 8 variants.
Overseas sales of the airframe included Germany (16), Australia (36) and
Indonesia also bought a number as did various other countries.
Worldwide 28 airframes survive in museums with a further 4 as nose /cockpit
sections.

Overleaf, two more pictures of David flying the Gannet, one with the airborne
Radar fixture under the rear fuselage.