Fairey Gannet AEW3, XL502

First flown in 1949, the Fairey Gannet entered FAA service in 1953 and was finally retired on 15 December 1978 – 34 years ago this week. Originally designed for anti-submarine warfare, the type enjoyed a new lease of life as an AEW (Airborne Early Warning) platform, fitted with that distinctive ventral radome. Other distinctive Gannet features include its contra-rotating propeller arrangement, giving it a very characteristic sound. Post-FAA retirement, one Gannet AEW3 was restored back to airworthiness and