RNAS Lee-on-Solent 1994

[Cessna954]

In 1994 the FAA Museum decided to sell off surplus items within their reserve collection by auction and a viewing day of the lots was held at Lee-on-Solent. After signing in at the guard house we were met by RN staff and taken to a room adjoining one of the AES hangars (full of Wessex and a few Wasps) so that we could scrutinise the log books for the particular aircraft we were looking to bid for. After that we were taken over to the other side of the airfield where the reserve collection were kept, in far from ideal conditions, you'll note the open cockpit canopy of the Gannet T5 and it was a very wet day - we did the right thing and secured the aircraft before we left.

It was a truly dark and grey November day, so the slide scans aren't great.

Hawker-Siddeley P.1127 Kestrel FGA1
Hawker-Siddeley P.1127 Kestrel FGA1 XP984 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Fairey Gannet T5 XT752
Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XT752 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

XT752 again but with three Sea Hawks behind
Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XT752 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XT752 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XT752 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XT752 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Two more Gannets, the AEW3 is XL500 and now at St Athan and the T5 XG888 was withdrawn from auction and donated to the Australian Naval Aviation Museum as Nowra.
Royal Navy Fairey Gannet AEW3 XL500 & Gannet T5 XG888 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Royal Navy Fairey Gannet T5 XG888 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

The Supermarine 510 VV106 now in store at the Cobham Hall at Yeovilton
Supermarine 510 VV106 by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Hard to believe it was 25 years ago now.

Gannet XT752 went on to fly again and I caught up with it at Oshkosh in 1997.
Fairey Gannet T2 N752XT by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

Neil

[Punkrunner62]

Pure Gannet heaven and a Lossie marked example as well.
Cheers.

[Nighthawke]

Lovely beast the Gannet. Just wish I'd been spotting when they were still active.

[mustang5861]

Dayglo heaven! Brings back great memories of watching Gannets bashing the circuit at what was then RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Osprey) along with Dayglo-trimmed Sea Princes; definitely at least two (if not all) of the Gannets in the photos. Then the RAF came along and it was all change to loads of Jaguars: feline heaven! Great posting, thanks for sharing.

[Thunder]

Dayglo heaven! Brings back great memories of watching Gannets bashing the circuit at what was then RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Osprey) along with Dayglo-trimmed Sea Princes; definitely at least two (if not all) of the Gannets in the photos. Then the RAF came along and it was all change to loads of Jaguars: feline heaven! Great posting, thanks for sharing.

RNAS Lossiemouth was known as HMS Fulmar until it transferred back to the RAF in September 1972, fortunately 849(HQ)Sqn RNAS, remained at RAF Lossie with it’s Gannets until it’s disbanding in December 1978. I can just about remember them circuit bashing over Elgin in the Summer evenings, and seeing them taxi round the 05 end.

HMS Osprey was located at a Portland, Dorset.

[eLaReF]

In Scottish terms, Lossiemouth was 'local' to Edinburgh, where I lived, so we had a few holidays up there. Camped in Silver Sands Caravan & Camping site under the approach and spent our days in the infamous pill-box.
This was the sort of Gannet view you got
XG889 Fairey Gannet T.5 by eLaReF, on Flickr

[mustang5861]

RNAS Lossiemouth was known as HMS Fulmar until it transferred back to the RAF in September 1972, fortunately 849(HQ)Sqn RNAS, remained at RAF Lossie with it’s Gannets until it’s disbanding in December 1978. I can just about remember them circuit bashing over Elgin in the Summer evenings, and seeing them taxi round the 05 end.

HMS Osprey was located at a Portland, Dorset.

Thanks for the correction, Thunder. I was only a young 'un back then, but that's no excuse for my mistake. For some reason I've had it in my mind for a good few years that Lossie was HMS Osprey; don't know where I picked up that duff gen. Yes, I do clearly remember sitting atop the pillbox with other spotters watching the 849(HQ)Sqn Gannets with their black-and-yellow trim, and an all-over dark blue/grey Gannet COD, but I probably didn't pay them the attention they deserved because I was 'distracted' by the shiny, loud Jags. Oh for a time machine!

[mustang5861]

In Scottish terms, Lossiemouth was 'local' to Edinburgh, where I lived, so we had a few holidays up there. Camped in Silver Sands Caravan & Camping site under the approach and spent our days in the infamous pill-box.
This was the sort of Gannet view you got
XG889 Fairey Gannet T.5 by eLaReF, on Flickr

That's a great photo - yes, hours spent atop the pillbox, scanning the skies for Gannets and whatever else might be coming in. A very clear memory from those days: early 1970s, build-up to an airshow, just about to leave to return to our caravan at the Silver Sands campsite when suddenly there was 'activity' among the spotters on and around the pillbox; something coming in. So my dad, brother and I stayed put and were rewarded with an Italian Air Force C-119 - yet more Dayglo trim, this time on grey/green camo - arriving in support. I can still hear the chug of its engines as it crossed the fence. Happy days!

[Thunder]

Certainly were happy days from a spotters perspective as you just didn’t know what exactly was going to turn up, but knew something would. Right up until the mid 90’s, then it went all downhill. As you say wish we all paid a bit more attention and had the camera equipment we have today.

[paddyboy]

Hi Neil

Lovely stuff

I haven't seen a Gannet fly since Norwich 1988

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[alhenderson]

Lovely Gannets! I saw XG888 at Nowra in 2001, sadly the picture doesn't really do her justice:

Long way from Lossie! by Alistair Henderson, on Flickr

Al.