Title	"THE WATCHERS"
Artist	Charles McHugh A.G.Av.A.
Description	Fairey Gannet AEW 3 from HMS Ark Royal 849 Sqn FAA
Medium	Oil on canvas
Image Size	18" x 24"
Frame Size	22"x28"
Exhibited	GAvA Annual Exhibition - Mall Gallery - London 2002
Location	Exercise Northern Wedding - North Atlantic
Price	SOLD
Print Availibility:	Not available
Print Price	N/A

Depicting an AEW Gannet aircraft being launched by steam catapult off the waist cat of HMS Ark Royal. Also seen is an RN F4 preparing for recovery whilst the scene is witnessed by a Soviet Destroyer very much at the height of the Cold War. During the Falklands war the absence of an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft left the British Fleet vulnerable to air attack by Argentine aircrews. The Gannet is quite unique in that it is a 2 engined aircraft driving contra rotating props, which as this has the effect of a very powerful single engined aircraft, means that there would be no problems associated with asymmetric flying in the event of an engine failure, and it was quite usual to operate with only one engine/propeller in the cruise.

Comments from ex Gannet crews are welcome for inclusion here.

fairey gannet, gannet, aew, royal navy, fleet air arm, charles mchugh, global aviation art,aviation art,aero art

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