Revell – 03775 – Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4

Description:

The Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4 was a British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft developed for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its most distinctive feature was its unusual powerplant: a double Mamba turboprop engine driving two contra-rotating propellers through a shared gearbox. This setup gave the Gannet a unique sound and appearance, along with excellent efficiency and endurance — essential qualities for long patrols over the ocean. The AS.1 was the initial production model, followed by the AS.4, which included structural improvements, a strengthened undercarriage, and more powerful engines for better performance.

Designed to operate from aircraft carriers, the Gannet had folding wings for compact storage, an internal weapons bay for torpedoes or depth charges, and a three-man crew consisting of a pilot, a navigator, and a weapons officer. It could loiter over the sea for hours, searching for enemy submarines with its onboard radar and sensors. Though the Gannet’s design appeared somewhat awkward, it was extremely effective for its role, serving into the early 1960s before being replaced by more modern helicopters and fixed-wing ASW aircraft. Its versatility also allowed it to evolve into electronic countermeasure (ECM) and carrier onboard delivery (COD) variants later in its career.

Update with new decal sheet of the 2007 tooled kit by Revell. Kit consists of 120 parts and include decal sheet with 3 markings for Australian, German and British markings.