Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft have never been sexy or sleek. Of larger girth and fitted with a multitude of external growth like sensors, ASW planes live a life on the margin of utility. But within their utilitarian skin lacks a raw beauty that never fails to inspire. The Fairey Gannet, having served with the UK Royal Navy, is just such bestial design inspiration. This particular example has been retrofitted to serve as an airborne early warning radar platform, hence the protruding belly. The ridiculous props, rudimentary markings, crude modifications, bleached patina, and bloated proportions are all quite magical – just like fairies.
