Airfix 1/48 Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4 Export Schemes # 11007A

The Fairey Gannet AS.1 and AS.4 were British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft developed for the Royal Navy in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Designed by the Fairey Aviation Company to meet a post-war requirement for a dedicated submarine hunter, the Gannet became one of the most distinctive Fleet Air Arm aircraft of the Cold War era.

Design & Features

The Gannet had an unmistakable appearance:
- Large mid-mounted wing with double-folding outer panels for compact carrier storage
- Long fuselage housing a three-man crew (pilot, observer, and radar operator)
- A ventral weapons bay for torpedoes, depth charges, or sonobuoys
- A powerful Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turboprop engine driving contra-rotating propellers

The Double Mamba was particularly innovative — it consisted of two separate power sections driving a common gearbox.

In cruising or loiter mode (ideal for submarine hunting), one engine could be shut down to conserve fuel, greatly extending endurance.

AS.1 (Anti-Submarine Mk 1)

The AS.1 was the initial production anti-submarine variant, entering service in 1953.

It featured:
- Surface search radar in a retractable radome
- Internal weapons bay
- Provision for homing torpedoes and depth charges
- Carrier suitability for ships such as HMS Eagle, Ark Royal, and Bulwark

The AS.1 quickly proved effective and reliable, although crews often described it as heavy on the controls and demanding during deck landings.

AS.4 (Anti-Submarine Mk 4)

The AS.4 was an improved and rebuilt version of the earlier AS.1 and AS.3 aircraft.

It featured:
- Upgraded avionics and radar
- Improved cockpit layout
- Structural updates
- Enhanced ASW equipment

Externally, the AS.4 looked very similar to earlier versions, but internally it benefited from mid-life modernisation to keep it effective against increasingly capable Soviet submarines during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Operational Service

The Gannet served with multiple Fleet Air Arm squadrons and saw active deployment during Cold War patrol operations.

Although later replaced by helicopters such as the Westland Wessex in the ASW role, the Gannet remained in secondary roles — including airborne early warning (AEW) — well into the 1970s.

Why It Matters

The Fairey Gannet represents a transitional moment in naval aviation — combining piston-era thinking (large crew, endurance loitering) with early turboprop innovation. Its ungainly but purposeful design reflected the urgent need to counter submarine threats in the early Cold War.