The 14th Carrier Air Group (14th CAG) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) carrier air group of the Royal Navy (RN). It was last active between January 1948, operating in the Mediterranean and then seeing action in Korea, before disbanding a third time in May 1952.[2]
The squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, stationed aboard the Royal Navy's Fleet and Light Fleet aircraft carriers for the British Pacific Fleet, were restructured into Air Groups in accordance with the policies of the United States Navy after the end of World War II in Europe. This reorganisation was intended to enhance operational effectiveness in the Pacific Theater against Japanese forces in 1945. The initial four Colossus-class carriers were designed to host Carrier Air Groups numbered from thirteen to eighteen. Each of these groups was to comprise a squadron of twenty-one Vought Corsair aircraft alongside a squadron of twelve Fairey Barracuda planes.[3]
On 21 July, 1846 Squadron disembarked to HMSNabbington in New South Wales,[5] while HMSNabswick received 827 Squadron before the carrier entered Sydney Harbour.[6] The squadrons remained on land until 13 August, when they re-embarked in HMS Colossus, which was preparing to depart for Manus in the Admiralty Islands. By 10 August, it became evident that Japan was inclined to accept the terms of surrender, prompting the reallocation of all ships in Australian waters to form Task Group 111, which was poised to reoccupy the former Crown Colonies in Hong Kong.[7]
HMSColossus, circa September 1945. Two Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers from 827 Naval Air Squadron are parked at the forward end of the flight deck.
Upon their arrival in Hong Kong on 12 October, both 1846 and 827 Squadrons deployed detachments of aircraft to operate from HMSNabcatcher, also referred to as RNAS Kai Tak. These aircraft were re-embarked on 18 October when the carrier set sail to return to Ceylon.[8]
On 26 October, HMS Colossus transferred her entire Air Group to RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa), located in Ceylon. The carrier was designated for a trooping mission, necessitating the clearance of the hangar deck and air group accommodations to maximise space. Following its trooping duties, HMS Colossus was then scheduled for a refit at HM Dockyard in Simon's Town, set to commence in the New Year. The 14th Carrier Air Group re-embarked on 30 December 1945, and the vessel departed for South Africa.[7]
On 17 January, both squadrons disembarked at RNAS Wingfield (HMS Malagas), Cape Town, prior to the ship's entry into the Dockyard. It was determined that HMS Colossus would return to the UK after the refit and be placed in reserve, with the air group disbanding upon arrival. The 14th CAG re-embarked on April 8 as the ship prepared to sail for Ceylon,[9] reaching its destination on the 27, where the air group disembarked at RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa). The final re-embarkation occurred on 17 May for the return journey to the UK. Upon arriving in The Solent in late July 1946, the squadrons disembarked,[7] with 827 Squadron transferring to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire, on the 22[10] and 1846 Squadron to RNAS Gosport (HMS Siskin), Hampshire, on the 23, where they were subsequently disbanded.[11]
In July 1949, 804 NAS swapped its Supermarine Seafire aircraft for Hawker Sea Fury, a British Naval fighter-bomber aircraft, and 812 NAS received the FR.Mk 5 variant of the Fairey Firefly. Four Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I "night fighter" variant aircraft were also received, enabling the squadron to form Black Flight, which became known as the 14th CAG Night Fighter unit. In November 1949, the CAG transferred over to another Colossus-class aircraft carrier, HMSGlory (R62).[2]
Aboard Glory, the CAG deployed to the Far East as the Korean War was now taking place. From April 1951 Glory and the 14th CAG, undertook a tour of nine, nine day patrols, off the West coast of North Korea. The aircraft carrier departed to Australia for a refit, but was back by February 1952, to undertake five more patrols, before returning home.[13]
The 14th Carrier Air Group spent 316 days on patrols, during its time operating in the Korean War, amassing ~9,500 operational sorties. It disbanded, upon returning home to the United Kingdom, on the 2 May 1952.[1]
Aircraft used
Aircraft used by the naval air squadrons that formed the 14th Carrier Air Group between 1945 and 1946, between 1945 and 1947, and from 1948 to 1952:
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