Gannet Question

[Conan the Librarian]

Just a daft question for the community. Was the Gannet (Double Mamba) classed as a single or twin? In a like vein, what would have been the requirement for those operating the dear old thing on the Airshow circuit?

Anyone out there with memories or anecdotes, maybe? This could be your golden opportunity to share them with all.


Toodlepip!

[Genghis the Engineer]

As a military aircraft, I think that it would just be a Gannet, that sort of distinction doesn't really exist in that environment - you simply become (strenuously and thoroughly) qualified on type.

G

[Onan the Clumsy]

In the jolly old us of a they have a restricted multi engine certificate called Center [sic] Line of Thrust

The Cessna 337 comes to mind as the perfect example. Another example would be...erm...

The Cessna 338 :ok:

[treadigraph]

Another example would be...erm...

Hows about the Rutan Defiant? Or the Ryan Fireball (well, sort of! Prop at front and a jet up the jacksy)

In Europe, the Moynet Jupiter and the Dornier 335...

Lookming forward to seeing a Gannet back in the air... any news?

[Schiller]

It was a long time ago, and I never flew the aircraft, but I seem to remember that the Double Mamba fitted in the A/S versions had a common oil sump for both engines. The later versions in the AEW3's had two separate sumps and so could be regarded as a valid twin. Certainly it was usual to shut one down (for increased endurance) when on low level barrier patrols.

An AEW Gannet came up to Lossie one year for the annual Air Day. The enthusiastic driver shut one down to demonstrate the aircraft's ability to fly on one, but made the mistake of trying to carry out an air start as he was turning onto the display line. The combination of high drag, the turn and lack of altitude resulted in the aircraft subsiding gracefully onto the grass in front of the spectators. The aircraft wasn't much damaged: the radome and ANAPS-20E took the load. The crowds thought it was wonderful and all put on for their benefit.

[andrewman]

"Lookming forward to seeing a Gannet back in the air... any news?"

T5 XT752 is stuck in Canada awaiting a new engine.

AEW3 XL500 is with Kennet Aviation and is under rebuild to fly.

Also XL502 is now at Elvington and will be rebuilt to taxing condition.

[ICT_SLB]

Beleive Boeing actually had a Gannet back when they were looking at UnDucted Fans (UDFs) in the 80s. A then-Boeing aero guy told me they were re-researching contraprops as a lot of the data had been lost - understood it all ground to a halt when they ran out of serviceable tyres!