page_title: Fairey Gannet AEW.3
section_title: Surviving aircraft
hierarchical_section_title: Fairey Gannet AEW.3 / Surviving aircraft
caption_attribution_description: Fairey Gannet AEW3 at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, Surrey, England (Moved 2014 to Horizon Services)
context_page_description: The Fairey Gannet AEW.3 is a variant of the Fairey Gannet anti-submarine warfare aircraft intended to be used in the airborne early warning role on aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy. It was introduced to service in 1959 to replace the obsolete Douglas Skyraider, and was intended as an interim solution until the planned introduction of a new, purpose built AEW platform for use on the planned CVA-01 aircraft carriers. Neither the new aircraft carriers nor the new AEW aircraft were proceeded with, and the Gannet AEW.3 remained in service until the last aircraft carrier that could operate it was retired in 1978.
context_section_description: The majority of Royal Navy Gannets were scrapped following withdrawal. The drawdown of the Gannet force in the late 1960s and early 1970s however led to a significant amount of electronic equipment being removed from the Gannet airframes for installation in Avro Shackleton aircraft of the Royal Air Force, which allowed the RAF to undertake its own AEW operations. In addition, a handful continued flying operations in the hands of civilian operators into the 1980s – one was used by Hamilton Standard in the United States for propeller vibration trials, while another was used by Dowty Rotol for propeller development purposes. In addition, a further AEW3 was used as a private display aircraft at airshows until the late 1980s. As of 2012, one aircraft (XL500 civil registered as G-KAEW), which was once flown by Prince Charles, was undergoing comprehensive restoration to airworthy condition by Hunter Flying.
  Germany
  Gannet AEW.3 XL450, is displayed at the Flugausstellung Hermeskeil in Germany
  United Kingdom
  Five aircraft are on display:
  Gannet AEW.3 XL472 at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, Surrey, England
  Gannet AEW.3 XL497 at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Scotland
  Gannet AEW.3 XL502 at Yorkshire Air Museum, England
  Gannet AEW.3 XL503 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton
  Gannet AEW.3 XP226 at the Newark Air Museum, England
  United States
  Gannet AEW.3 XL482 is displayed at the Pima Air & Space Museum, Arizona
caption: Gannet AEW.3 XL472 at Gatwick Aviation Museum
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