[2] The Gannet was originally developed to meet a Second World War era requirement for a dual-role ASW and strike to equip the FAA.

Accordingly, several Gannets were adapted to perform alternative operations, such as an airborne electronic countermeasures platform and carrier onboard delivery aircraft.

Perhaps the most extensive variant of the type was the Gannet AEW.3, which was developed as a carrier-based airborne early warning platform and was operated exclusively by the FAA.

The service disposed of its Gannets on 15 December 1978, roughly aligning with the withdrawal of the last of the Royal Navy's large fleet carriers.

[4] Formal design work on the Gannet commenced in response to the issuing of requirement GR.17/45 in 1945, under which the Admiralty sought a new twin-seat aircraft capable of performing both anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and strike missions.

[2] For 18 months, Fairey investigated the use of a single Rolls-Royce Tweed turboprop engine to power their proposed aircraft, however, this option was discontinued to concentrate on other efforts.

Another reason was the relatively radical engine arrangement and the high proportion of original design features incorporated into the aircraft.

[9] These issues, such as sharp trim changes, did not delay the next stage of testing, which commenced in November of that year at Fairey's White Waltham facility.

Two months later, sufficient progress had been made to proceed with a formal assessment by naval test pilots at RAF Boscombe Down as well as to begun preliminary carrier trials.

[13] In May 1952, the first prototype returned to Boscombe Down to conduct deck landing assessments and trials, having been configured to represent a production-standard aircraft by this point.

[13] On 13 March 1951, Fairey received an initial order for 100 Gannet AS.1s from the British Government; this had been placed as a 'super-priority' on account of the Korean War.

[14] One serious flaw encountered during the later stage of trials was instances of compressor stalls; the type was grounded for two months while the propeller control system was modified accordingly.

[17] Production of the Gannet was shared between Fairey's factories at Hayes, Middlesex and Heaton Chapel, Stockport / Manchester (Ringway) Airport.

[20] In order to accommodate the systems required for this new mission, the Gannet underwent a significant redesign that saw a new version of the Double Mamba installed, a new radome mounted under the aircraft, the tailfin increased in area, the undercarriage lengthened and the weapons bay removed.

The pilot was seated directly above the aircraft's Double Mamba engine and behind the gearbox and contrarotating propellers in a position that conferred a favourable view over the nose for carrier operations.

[22] The wing of the Gannet folded in two places, forming a distinctive Z-shape on each side, to minimise its space requirements while being stowed onboard aircraft carriers.

[23] The length of the nosewheel shock absorber caused the Gannet to have a distinctive nose-high attitude, which was a common characteristic of carrier aircraft of the era.

Hard points beneath the outer wings could carry up to 16 Mk.8 or 24 Mk.5 rocket projectiles; other equipment included 100 gallon external fuel tanks.

[24] The primary search apparatus was the air-to-surface-vessel (ASV) radar, which made use of a retractable radome positioned underneath the rear fuselage just to the aft of the bomb bay.

Each engine drove its own propeller, and power was transmitted by a torsion shaft which was engaged through a series of sun, planet, epicyclic and spur gears to give a suitable reduction ratio and correct propeller-shaft rotation.

On 17 January 1955, the 826 NAS became the RN's first operational Gannet squadron, which promptly embarked on the modernised aircraft carrier HMS Eagle.

During 1963, the squadron was reassigned to MFG 3 at Nordholz Naval Airbase, where they remained until replaced by the newer and larger Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic three years later.