The Fairey Gannet is one of the most iconic post‑war naval aircraft ever built. Developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, it was designed primarily for anti‑submarine warfare and strike roles. Its airborne early warning variant, the AEW.3, entered service in 1960, replacing older fixed‑wing AEW aircraft on Royal Navy carriers. The Gannet’s unique design features a contra-rotating propeller system, a folding gull-wing configuration for carrier storage, and a hydraulically adjustable tailplane. Powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba engine, it could carry auxiliary fuel tanks or weapons in its large underside bay. Innovations such as self-shortening undercarriage legs further distinguished the aircraft, which served until the late 1970s, after which only a few airframes survived in museums or under restoration.
After military retirement, the aircraft entered civilian hands. In 1995, it was acquired by Wally Fisk for the Polar Air Museum in Anoka, Minnesota, and returned to flight in 1996, appearing at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. Between 2004 and 2010, XT752 was stored in Goose Bay, Canada, due to ferrying issues, before being returned to the U.S. on an Antonov AN-124 and transported to New Richmond, Wisconsin. A complete restoration began under the Wings of Steel Foundation, returning the aircraft to flight on August 9, 2013. XT752 subsequently appeared at major U.S. airshows, including Oshkosh, Duluth, Menominee, and Osceola. After Wings of Steel Foundation became insolvent in 2015, the aircraft remained hangared in New Richmond. In 2022, Vintage Aircraft Restorations, LLC acquired XT752, with the goal of returning it to the U.K. under Navy Wings.
The Gannet’s restoration was completed in 2013 with support from numerous sponsors. A safe and reliable engine start method using regulated high-pressure nitrogen replaced the scarce starter cartridges. In 2024, a 100-hour inspection checklist was created, hydraulic systems were tested, and minor cracks in one of three starboard wing spars were repaired according to Gannet technical manuals. In 2025, additional cracks were found in the wheel-well area, a common issue for carrier-based aircraft, and these were repaired following approved technical guidelines.
In October 2025, the Navy Wings Board of Directors confirmed it could not acquire, repatriate, or operate XT752 due to financial constraints. The aircraft is now offered for sale. XT752 is hangared in New Richmond, Wisconsin, and available for inspection. For inquiries or sealed bids, contact John Roznick at 651-202-7606 or via email. Sealed bids will be unsealed on January 15, 2026, with successful bidders above the reserve notified shortly afterward. Standard purchase and sale agreements and escrow arrangements will follow. This is a rare opportunity to acquire the last flying Fairey Gannet, a landmark of naval aviation history.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
Well, I hope the Gannet goes to a good home; it would be nice to see it in U.K. Skies once more – I had a (horribly painted!) Frog Model on the shelf back in my Sixties School Days.
Though the finance and ever-increasing Rules and Regulations make it unlikely.
It always amazes me how today’s aircraft get airborne … weighed-down with So Much Red Tape!