Wi: Fairey Gannet

What if the Gannet is built with twin engines built-in to the wings, would we see it built and would it be upgraded to AEW.7?
 
I doubt if wing-mounted engines would improve Gannets.

OTL The original Gannet configuration worked well for the abritish and West German Navies. Those twin Mamba engines were mostly separate. One engine drove one propeller while the other engine drove the other propeller. YouTube.com video shows Gannets starting engines with the first engine spinning a propeller at ground-idle while the s come propeller is stationary. Twin engines reduce the risk of forced ditching due to engine failure. They also dampen pesky asymmetrical thrust while the pilot is already busy landing on a tiny deck..

Gannet’s closest competitors were the Bregeut Alize and Grumman Tracker. Tracker was the only competitor with a pair of wing-mounted engines.

The ‘Grumman Iron Works’ Tracker was built with two engines on the wings and it sold well to 13 other navies. Since Trackers were designed for catapult launches and arrested landings, they were tough and enjoyed long service lives.

Even though the RCN decommissioned it’s sole aircraft carrier (HMCS Bonaventure) in 1970, they kept Trackers in service (fisheries patrols) until 1990. As (Wright R-1820) radial engine parts grew scarcer, many were converted to turboprops. The Firecat conversion is still popular for fighting forest fires.
 
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What if the Gannet is built with twin engines built-in to the wings, would we see it built and would it be upgraded to AEW.7?

I think the rotodome AEW7 is a myth, it would be too great a change aerodynamically to be practical. The same basic Gannet design could accomdate a decent radar a small fighter direction suite, much like the Sea King AEW2.
 
What if the Gannet is built with twin engines built-in to the wings, would we see it built and would it be upgraded to AEW.7?
Well, we actually know that one because an aircraft to pretty much the same spec with twin wing-mounted engines actually flew - the Short Sturgeon SB.3
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The problem is that single-engined handling (required for long duration anti-submarine missions, the Gannet's original task) was lethal so the two prototypes were rapidly scrapped. Once you make that a requirement (and for any first-generation turboprop it's more or less inescapable - the Tracker was piston engined so fuel burn was rather lower), the Gannet configuration is about the only acceptable one.
 
Well, we actually know that one because an aircraft to pretty much the same spec with twin wing-mounted engines actually flew - the Short Sturgeon SB.3
The problem is that single-engined handling (required for long duration anti-submarine missions, the Gannet's original task) was lethal so the two prototypes were rapidly scrapped. Once you make that a requirement (and for any first-generation turboprop it's more or less inescapable - the Tracker was piston engined so fuel burn was rather lower), the Gannet configuration is about the only acceptable one.

Despite the perfectly capable Mosquito being available to be converted into the CV bird, let's skip it and burn the money on the Short Sturgeon. Horray.
 
What if the Gannet is built with twin engines built-in to the wings, would we see it built and would it be upgraded to AEW.7?
It's folded wingspan would be increased from 19ft 11in to 27-30ft. That would allow for a larger fuselage with more space for crew, fuel, sonar buoys, weapons and electronics, which might produce a better ASW aircraft. However, instead of the Gannet it would effectively be the Gannot because it would be a different aircraft.

It the roomier fuselage would make the Gannot a better COD aircraft that the Gannet.

The Gannot AEW Mk 3 would have the APS-83 fitted to the E-1 Tracer or the APS-91 which AFAIK was the radar on the E-2A Hawkeye instead of the APS-20 fitted to the Gannet AEW Mk 3. There might also be space for the Hawkeye's ATDS or a British equivalent.

However, there were two prices to pay for that. The first was space. The greater folded dimensions of the Gannot meant that British aircraft carriers would have smaller air groups. The second was weight. The Gannot might break the 30,000lb weight limit imposed on British aircraft carriers from roughly the middle 1940s to the middle 1950s. Therefore the ASW version might be too heavy for Eagle, Albion, Bulwark and Centaur as completed. Though the ships fitted with steam catapults should be able to operate it.

As it was the Gannet was too heavy for the unmodified Colossus and Majestic class carriers (IIRC the Majestics were limited to 20,000lbs and the Colossus class even lighter aircraft) and the Short Seamew was developed to operate from aircraft carriers that could not operate the Gannet.
 
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