Thread: The Fairy Gannet.

Originally Posted by bob10

I remember watching these things land on Melbourne.

Fairey Gannet - YouTube

It is really a Fairey, like the overdrive , Bob

not a fairy, like a sugarplum 😊

Got caught out typing 'Fairey' the other day and then watched the spellchecker change it to 'Fairy'. Stupid computer software......!

Originally Posted by 87County

It is really a Fairey, like the overdrive , Bob

not a fairy, like a sugarplum 😊

OOPS ! Birdies were a race apart, but not that much. Ta.

Here ya go.

HMAS Melbourne Gannets - YouTube

Can't believe they could land on the Melbourne. Quite a big machine when you stand next to them.

They are deceptive - because they look like a single engined plane you expect them to be comparable in size to other singles, forgetting that they are actually a twin.

Originally Posted by rocket scientist

Can't believe they could land on the Melbourne. Quite a big machine when you stand next to them.

More than one USN pilot commented that landing on Melbourne was like landing on a postage stamp.

I was told by a fleet air arm pilot of the time Sydney and Melbourne were in exercise together, as enemy to a USN carrier group, and Sydney was tricked up to look like Melbourne, with dummy planes on deck, and did not stick to correct secure radio procedure, Melbourne positioned herself for a night attack on the USN group, while the US pilots attacked Sydney. Melbourne's aircraft carried out a successful attack, according to the gentleman who happened to be my CO of the patrol boat I was on. And who was I to argue?