Fairey Gannet at White Waltham

[777fly]

I happened to look behind the 'black hangar' at White Waltham today and was very surprised to see a complete Fairey Gannet tucked into the gap between the hangars. It obviously was not airworthy and had been there for some time. Does anyone know the current status and past history of this aircraft?

[thetexpat]

'Google' for 'Fairey Gannet Survivor XA459'!
Believe this is the 'beast' you saw!

[Herod]

Shows up well on Google Earth.

[Wander00]

How long has it been there. remember Gannets there when I went with the AEF and when I flew with WLAC

[DaveReidUK]

How long has it been thereSince 2006.

[777fly]

I found all the information on Google, as directed, thank you! The aircraft looks restorable but the finance and determination to do it appear to be missing.

[DaveReidUK]

The aircraft looks restorable but the finance and determination to do it appear to be missing.Maybe, though even 5 years ago it looked to be in pretty poor condition:

XA459 Still shots - YouTube

And of course there is already a preserved T5 a few miles down the M4 at Woodley:

http://home.comcast.net/~aero51/jpeg/exhibits/gannet.jpg

[Mr Oleo Strut]

All this Gannet stuff and reference to White Waltham airfield reminds me of regular train journeys to and from from Reading in the 1960's when I am sure that the only Fairey Rotodyne ever made was parked on the edge of the airfield for a long time. It looked so revolutionary in those days that it seemed a great shame that it did not 'take off' as it were. I have read that it was just too noisy. I wonder what else lurks in the long grass at Waltham!

[wrecker]

In answer to your Question
I wonder what else lurks in the long grass at Waltham!
BUMPS and in the short grass as well!

[dh83]

exact date of arrival at White Waltham was 4/11/06

dh83

[thetexpat]

I had the 'honour' of being stationed at R.A.F. White Waltham in 1962 while 'holding' for #2 A.N.S!
Offices Mess was a thatched single-storey country residence with the usual 'massed-produced' outer buildings for the 'officers'!
I was attached to 25 Group, C-in-C. Publications and the Mess Manager was Tommy Doran, a fellow Liverpudlian! When his staff were serving the old 'vino roto', life became very dangerous!
Seem to remember the ol' Rotodyne operating from Fairey's ramp on the other side of the airfield!
Happy Days!

[gwbert]

"I wonder what else lurks in the long grass at Waltham!"

Old thread, but only just found it. In the good old days when I wandered WW watching the Rotodyne/ Gannets etc, I was a kid hanging around & photographing delightful aircraft like the AA's DH89. Whilst so doing, I got wind of an interesting relic & headed off to the north-east of the club/ Personal Plane Services hangars. Walked about half a mile down a track, crossed the railway, & found in a garden the remains of the Helmy Aerogypt, built at WW in the war, & wrecked later, reputedly when it fell off a crane at Northolt. Fuselage was pretty much complete, still in original [blue?] colour, marked as G-AFFG. Was then occupied by a large group of chickens.

I first flew out of White Waltham with Peter Franklin in his Hornet Moth. He took up my wife first, who had never flown. Peter was not a chatty chap, & cut the engine without telling my wife what he was doing -- took several years before I got her back into an aeroplane willingly....... Happy days.

[603DX]

I am sure that the only Fairey Rotodyne ever made was parked on the edge of the airfield for a long time. It looked so revolutionary in those days that it seemed a great shame that it did not 'take off' as it were. I have read that it was just too noisy.

I can recall just how noisy the Rotodyne was when compressed air was being fed into the main rotor blades during vertical take-off and landing, when I saw it being demonstrated at the Farnborough Airshow in the late 1950s. It was almost painful externally, and I can only imagine what it was like when a passenger.

The load of nurses in uniform being discharged at the end of this video could have told you! (A bit reminiscent of an episode of the Benny Hill show, as they all trot out!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJqcVVnk3DM

(Click on the URL at the top, to view)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I logged a Gannet - XL474 - on 11 June 1961 at Waltham. Memory fails me now but presumably awaiting delivery??

[chevvron]

When I lived in Chesham (Bucks), they used to fly over south to north about once a month. You could hear them coming AGES before they came into view!!

[DaveReidUK]

I logged a Gannet - XL474 - on 11 June 1961 at Waltham. Memory fails me now but presumably awaiting delivery??Delivered Feb 1960, so maybe back at Fairey's for trials or mods?

W/o near Yeovilton in June 1972.

[lauriebe]

XL474 was at Waltham from 28 Sep 60 until 26 Jun 61 for "mods and repairs".

It had previously lost the nosewheel and gone into the barrier on-board Ark Royal on 11 Jul 60. On return to port, the aircraft was taken to RNAY Fleetlands before being delivered, by road, to White Waltham.

After the work had been completed by Fairey, it was placed in short-term storage at AHU Culdrose on 26 Jun 61.

Info from Air-Britain's book 'Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1945.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Thanks folks..

[Ian Meredith]

Great news! 5 Feb 2020! The Gannet has a new home!
After many years wherein the initial plan of its owners to turn XA-459 into a gate guardian met ever defeating set back, the aircraft had become ever closer to the point of no return even as scrap. I was looking at it just a few days ago and feeling beyond despondent - for quite some time now, even its spare dual mamba sat bare exposed to the elements in the long grass having lost its place in a hangar, presumably because space is money.

Tonight the Gannet and its spare engine(dual - so engines?) was aboard a low loader for a UK museum. A place of restoration, a place in the dry, a place where it will be loved, a place where young people will look on it in wonder and have the joy we knew as kids full of the imagery of sleek and swift elegant craft to go - "Bloody hell did that get smacked by the ugly stick or what!?...but that is exactly why we love it!

A super capable aircraft of immense character.

[Asturias56]

where is it going Ian?

[chevvron]

exact date of arrival at White Waltham was 4/11/06

dh83

Don't you mean 'return to White Waltham'? after all it was assembled and test flown there.

[Fournierf5]

where is it going Ian?

. . . . Lossie or Kinloss - as back-up perhaps

[DaveReidUK]

Overtaken by events, but I'm amused to see that Wikipedia lists XA459 as having been "on display" at WW. Hmmm.

[scarecrow450]

Blimey saw it at Cardiff museum ! in 88 !!

[Quemerford]

where is it going Ian?

Solway Aviation Museum.

[DaveReidUK]

New submarine-hunting addition to aircraft museum's collection (https://www.itv.com/news/border/2020-02-12/new-submarine-hunting-addition-to-aircraft-museum-s-collection/)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/680x383/gannet_at_solway_8575687973a3273dbee8341a15872651824575cf.jp g

[DaveReidUK]

Hopefully the outer wings were removed prior to transporting it, and didn't fall off somewhere on the M6. :O

[Lordflasheart]

...
It's the (first) Red Shrimp Gannet. Apparently arrived safely at Carlisle. I think the E on the fin, and the '89-something' squadron crest on the nose, starboard side, are bogus - ie not representative of it's actual service.

LFH
...

[DaveReidUK]

...
It's the (first) Red Shrimp Gannet. Apparently arrived safely at Carlisle. I think the E on the fin, and the '89-something' squadron crest on the nose, starboard side, are bogus - ie not representative of it's actual service.

The E-for-Eagle on the fin was applied some time between 1982 and 1986 while it was in the care of the Wales Aircraft Museum at Rhoose - so no, not genuine.

[Powers]

Re earlier (2013) posts: ‘I wonder what else lurks in the long grass at Waltham’

I was also at HQ 25 Gp in the 1960’s where life both on and off the station was very enjoyable. As a sporty teenager keen on keeping fit I would sometimes go for a run around the perimeter of the large expanse of grass that was White Waltham airfield, usually stopping for a rest at Fairey Aviation. From memory the distance all the way around was a little short of 3 miles.

On one of these runs I noticed a strange shape lying in the grass in the fairly remote south westerly part of the airfield far away from any centre of activity. Getting nearer it became obvious that it was an old RAF Vampire lying derelict in the grass with one wing in the air and the other resting on the ground. After examining the carcass I carefully I stepped up onto the grounded wing and shuffled up the incline to take a closer look into the cockpit area. Within a few minutes an open topped car with a single occupant approached and stopped on the peri-track a short distance away. The elderly (to me) driver then got out of the vehicle (possibly a Lagonda?) and slowly proceeded to do exactly what I had just done before joining me at the cockpit. After a brief hello he began to explain the aircraft’s controls and other interesting facts about the type. After maybe 10 minutes or so he said goodbye and retraced his steps back down the sloping wing and across the grass to his car and drove off. As a very young junior airman I was left feeling extremely elated as my ‘friendly’ lecturer was none other than ex Gp Capt Douglas Bader.

I‘d previously heard that the Gp Capt was often seen around White Waltham at the time and I’d been warned by my RAF boss to be polite and respectful to him if he turned up in the section even though he was no longer in the service. I was also aware of local rumours suggesting that he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. My brief encounter with him however was a most pleasant experience which, looking back, I’m pleased to have had. I regret that I know nothing further about the fate of the old Vampire!

Just one of many fond memories of the rather special place that was RAF White Waltham in the 1960’s. Regards…Paul

[Asturias56]

Bader had some sort of occasional consultancy job at Fairey' Surveys I believe

[dixi188]

Bader had some sort of occasional consultancy job at Fairey' Surveys I believe
IIRC he used to fly Shell's Travelair, G-APUB. I served him and his man tea at Hurn in 1969.

[Asturias56]

He retired from Shell in '69 - but he was seen at Faireys (Maidenhead & White Waltham) well into the 70's