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FAIREY
GANNET A.S. MK 1 XA331
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01JUN55
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Delivered to Anthorn RDU. | ||||||
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15AUG55
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816 and 817 Squadrons reformed to operate Fairey Gannets. | ||||||
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27OCT55
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HMAS Melbourne commissioned at Barrow-in-Furness, England. | ||||||
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26JAN56
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HMAS Melbourne completed working up trials with Sea Venoms and Gannets. | ||||||
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14MAR56
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HMAS Melbourne sailed from Scotland. | ||||||
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09MAY56
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HMAS Melbourne arrived in Sydney. | ||||||
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Number 301 Fin Code Y (HMAS Melbourne). (Airborne photograph "Flypast" Parnell and Broughton p.250) |
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FEB58
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Embarked on HMAS Melbourne with 817 Sqn until JUL58. | ||||||
| Side Number 422 Fin Code B (816 Sqn) | |||||||
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JUL60
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Side Number 824 Fin Code M (HMAS Melbourne) to at least JUL62. | ||||||
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66-67
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Side
Number 859 Fin Code M (HMAS Melbourne). Gannets were withdrawn in 1967. |
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07APR75
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Letter from RANAS Nowra to Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Branch, Garden Island: "Gannet aircraft XA333, 514 and 517 have all been completely destroyed by fire. XA331 is still in existence, untouched by fire, but incomplete. This aircraft has been promised to the 'War birds' Museum at Newcastle, in exchange for the Sea Otter fuselage that they have loaned to the Museum at RANAS Nowra." | ||||||
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30OCT75
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Internal RAN memo states that the Royal Newcastle Aero Club no longer has an interest in XA331 "in view of the inability of the RAN to guarantee transfer of the aircraft to the club, and free transport from NOWRA to MAITLAND". RAN proposes not to use the Gannet for fire-fighting training until the Aero Club confirms in writing that it has no further interest. | ||||||
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20SEP77
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Aircraft was allotted to "Museum Aircraft Establishment". | ||||||
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21APR78
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Internal RAN memo states: "This aircraft has been the subject of a recent approach by a commercial aviation museum in Queensland to the Museum Curator. It is currently in poor condition and stowed at the fire ground as you are probably well aware. It has no main wheels, nose wheel, canopy, propellors or engine without mentioning damage done in moving it with bulldozers." Questions are raised about "whose charge the aircraft is on". There is a hand-written footnote as per the above entry for 20SEP77. | ||||||
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13SEP78
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Letter from RANAS Nowra to Dept of Administrative Services requesting that arrangements be made for the "on site" disposal of the aircraft at HMAS Albatross, Nowra. The letter refers to a request from the "Chewing Gum Field" museum at Tallebudgera and states that: "They wish to restore the aircraft to its original RAN configuration and place it on public display." | ||||||
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OCT79
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Noted on dump at RANAS Nowra carrying Side Number 859 and Fin Code M. | ||||||
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25APR92
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Transferred to QAM by Gary Volkers in exchange for Victa Airtourer VH-CPE. | ||||||
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08MAY92
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Arrived at Caloundra on two semi-trailers. | ||||||
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