1845 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1 June 1944 - 5 April 1945 1 June - 24 October 1945 [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
Role | Fighter squadron |
Size | Twenty-four aircraft |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
Home station | See Naval air stations section for full list. |
Motto(s) | Pluribus optimum (Latin for 'The best out of many') |
Engagements | World War II |
Battle honours | Okinawa 1945 |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge Description | Blue, in base wavy of five white and blue two eagles volant. Unofficial, 1944 [2] |
Identification Markings | 1+V7 7A+ (December 1944) 139+ |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | Vought Corsair |
1845 Naval Air Squadron (1845 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick, United States, in June 1944 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk III fighter aircraft. It embarked in HMS Puncher on 30 August , disembarking to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on 18 September and joining the 10th Naval Fighter Wing. It re-equipped with twenty-four Vought Corsair Mk IV, and embarked HMS Slinger in December, sailing for the British Pacific Fleet, the squadron was disbanded in April 1945, and its aircraft and personnel absorbed into squadrons aboard the aircraft carriers HMS Formidable and HMS Victorious. On 1 June it reformed in Australia as a single seater fighter squadron at HMS Nabsford, RNAMY Archerfield, Queensland, and it shortly later became a spare squadron in the 3rd Carrier Air Group at HMS Nabbington, RNAS Nowra, New South Wales. With the end of the Second World War the squadron disbanded on 24 October.
1845 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 June 1944 in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, which was located at United States Naval Air Station (USNAS) Brunswick, Maine, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron, [3] under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) D.G. Parker, RNVR. [4]
It was equipped with eighteen Vought Corsair aircraft, an American carrier-borne fighter-bomber. These were the Brewster built F4U-1 variant the F3A-1 and F3A-1D, designated Corsair Mk III by the Fleet Air Arm. [5] Training consisted air combat, low altitude and formation flying and navigation. On 3 July the squadron began Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings (ADDLs) utilising the nearby US Naval Auxiliary Airfield at Bar Harbor, Maine. [6]
On completion of working up in late August, the squadron prepared to embark in the Ruler-class escort carrier, HMS Puncher for passage to the United Kingdom. [6] With the squadron on board, the escort carrier sailed for New York City arriving on 1 September and then joined with the United Kingdom bound Convoy CU 38 for the Atlantic crossing, with the squadron disembarking to Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard Belfast (HMS Gadwall) on 18 of the month, [7] before moving to RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), where along with 1843 Naval Air Squadron, the squadron formed the 10th Naval Fighter Wing. [8]
On 23 the squadron flew to RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail), it returned to RNAS Eglinton on 6 November and its strength was increased to twenty-four aircraft [2] and these were the Goodyear built FG-1D variant, designated Corsair Mk IV by the Fleet Air Arm. [9] The squadron embarked in HMS Slinger, a Ruler-class escort carrier, on 19 December to begin working up and the escort carrier sailed for the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet. [4]
Upon arriving at Australia, the squadron disembarked and spent a couple of weeks at RNAS Schofields (HMS Nabthorpe), (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 3), which was situated at RAAF Station Schofields, New South Wales, around the end of February to the beginning of March 1945, [10] before reembarking in HMS Slinger.
HMS Slinger was tasked with replenishing elements of the British Pacific Fleet, Task Force 57, when it prepared for Operation Iceberg, the initial invasion of Okinawa, as demand for replacement Vought Corsair aircraft and aircrew was high. [11] However, this impacted on 1845 Naval Air Squadron and it was therefore disbanded on 5 April, with its aircraft and personnel absorbed into the Fleet Air Arm squadrons aboard the Illustrious-class aircraft carriers, HMS Formidable and HMS Victorious (R38). [2]
1845 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 1 June 1945 in Australia at Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Archerfield (HMS Nabsford) (Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard No.1), which was located at RAAF Station Archerfield, was a Royal Australian Air Force station at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron, [12] soon afterwards under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) R.J.H. Grose RNVR. [6]
It moved to RNAS Maryborough (HMS Nabstock) (Mobile Naval Air Base No. VI), which was situated at RAAF Maryborough, at Maryborough Airport, Maryborough, Queensland, on 23 June and was equipped with a mix of Vought Corsair Mk II and IV. The squadron moved again on 14 July, to RNAS Nowra (HMS Nabbington) (Mobile Naval Air Base No. I), which was at RAAF Nowra, New South Wales, [13] where it formed part of the 3rd Carrier Air Group (3rd CAG) which formed at HMS Nabbington on 2 August, as a spare CAG for a Illustrious-class fleet carrier. [14] On 19 October the aircraft were flown to RNAS Bankstown (HMS Nabberley) (Mobile Naval Air Base No. II), at RAAF Bankstown at Bankstown Airport, Sydney, New South Wales, [2] and the squadron disbanded on 24 October at HMS Nabbington. [13]
1845 Naval Air Squadron flew different variants of only one aircraft type: [2]
The battle honours awarded to 1845 Naval Air Squadron are: [15]
1845 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, and overseas, a couple of Royal Navy escort carriers: [2]
List of commanding officers of 1845 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: [4] [2]
The 3rd Carrier Air Group was an aircraft carrier air group of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in August 1945, based at HMS Nabbington, a Royal Navy, Mobile Naval Operating Air Base (MONAB), established at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra at Nowra, New South Wales, in Australia.
HMS Nabbington, was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB), that was established at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra at Nowra, New South Wales, in Australia during the final stages of the Second World War. HMS Nabbington was also known as MONAB I and Royal Naval Air Station Nowra.
HMS Nabberley was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Bankstown in Sydney, Australia. HMS Nabberley was also known as MONAB II and Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown.
HMS Nabthorpe was a Royal Navy, (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) situated at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Station Schofields located at Schofields, New South Wales during the final year of the Second World War. HMS Nabthorpe was also known as MONAB III and Royal Naval Air Station Schofields.
706 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Established as a fighter and torpedo-bomber training unit in Australia at the end of World War Two, it was briefly reformed as a helicopter squadron in the early 1950s, before becoming a helicopter training unit in 1962, and operating until 1998.
719 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in 1944 as a Fighter Air Firing Training Squadron, at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, within the School of Air Combat, but at the start of 1945 it disbanded into 794 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron reformed in 1946 at HMS Owl, RNAS Fearn, as a Strike Training Squadron, before moving to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, where it became an Anti-submarine Training Squadron, disbanding there in 1949. The squadron reformed the following year at HMS Gannet as the Naval Air Anti-submarine School and remained there becoming the Naval Anti-Submarine Operational Flying School, eventually disbanding in 1959. However, in 1960, the squadron reformed, again at HMS Gannet, as the Joint Anti-submarine School Flight, this time operating helicopters. 719 Naval Air Squadron was granted first line status on 5 October 1961 and renumbered to 819 Naval Air Squadron.
721 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). 721 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Gadwall, RNAS Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of March 1945, as a Fleet Requirements Unit for the British Pacific Fleet. Initially equipped with Vultee Vengeance target tugs, it arrived at HMS Nabaron, RNAS Ponam, Admiralty Islands in May 1945, and commenced operations towing targets. The squadron moved to HMS Nabsford, RNAMY Archerfield, Brisbane, Australia, during October and then relocated to Hong Kong at the beginning of 1946, moving to HMS Nabcatcher, RNAS Kai Tak, where it eventually disbanded at the end of 1947.
732 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was initially formed in 1943 from a requirement for an Operational Training Unit for United States trained FAA pilots flying Vought Corsair fighter-bomber aircraft, at RN Air Section Brunswick, USNAS Brunswick, Maine, United States, and disbanded during 1944. In 1945 it was reformed for a brief period, as a Night Fighter Training Squadron, operating out of HMS Nighhawk, RNAS Drem, East Lothian, Scotland. Notably equipped with six Avro Anson 'flying classrooms', amongst other aircraft.
748 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed, at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, as a Fighter Pool Squadron, before becoming No. 10 Naval Operational Training Unit. The squadron moved to HMS Dipper, RNAS Henstridge, in February 1944 and then onto HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton in the March. In September 1944, 748 Naval Air Squadron moved to HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, in Wales, remaining for just under twelve months, before moving back to HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn in August 1945, where it disbanded in February 1946. During its existence, the squadron was equipped with numerous aircraft and various marks, operated by the Fleet Air Arm.
757 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was first formed as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron in 1939, operating out of RNAS Worthy Down, but after three months it went into abeyance, only to reform again in the same role, at the same location, in 1941 and operating until 1942. It then reformed as a Fighter Pool Squadron & Operational Training Unit at RNAS Puttalam, in Sri Lanka, in 1943. After a brief spell at RNAMY Tambaram, in India, the squadron finally disbanded at RNAS Katukurunda, in Sri Lanka, at the beginning of 1946.
768 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It last disbanded at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland, in March 1949, having been formed as a Deck Landing Control Officer Training Squadron, in December 1948, to ensure one American-style signal trained DLCO could be located at every FAA station. It first formed as part of the Deck Landing Training School at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, in January 1941, as a Deck Landing Training Squadron. Advanced training was in HMS Argus, for which a detachment was maintained at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihanish, where it wholly moved to in March 1943. September saw a move to RAF Heathfield, Ayr, followed by a further move to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch in January 1944. Training used escort carriers on the Firth of Clyde and a detachment was maintained at (Heathfield)Ayr throughout this period, with the squadron returning there in July 1945, at this time HMS Wagtail, RNAS Ayr. In August the squadron moved to HMS Corncrake, RNAS Ballyhalbert in Northern Ireland but then in October it joined up with the Deck Landing School at HMS Peewit, RNAS East Haven, Scotland, where it disbanded in April 1946.
794 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in March 1947. The squadron formed as an Air Target Towing Squadron, at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, during August 1940, although operated target tug aircraft out of the satellite, RNAS Haldon. In April 1943 it provided a detachment at RAF Warmwell as an air firing unit and three months later the squadron relocated to RNAS Angle and became the Naval Air Firing Unit. Further moves followed in quick succession, to HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, in September, HMS Dipper, RNAS Henstridge, in November and HMS Heron II, RNAS Charlton Horethorne in December and by which time the squadron was designated No. 1 Naval Air Firing Unit, but disbanded in June 1944. The squadron reformed at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, in January 1945, as the School of Air Firing and later in the year was tasked to support the newly formed Ground Attack School. It moved to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, during August, and at this point had three flights providing courses for aerial warfare, airstrike and aerial reconnaissance.
1850 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick as a fighter squadron in August 1944, with Vought Corsair aircraft before joining HMS Reaper to cross the Atlantic. On arrival in the UK it expanded its aircraft absorbing part of the disbanded 1849 Naval Air Squadron. After working up at HMS Gadwall, at RNAS Belfast, HMS Gannet, at RNAS Eglinton and HMS Wagtail, at RNAS Ayr, the squadron undertook deck landing training on HMS Venerable during February 1945, before joining her sister ship, HMS Vengeance. The ship sailed for the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet and the squadron went ashore to HMS Valluru at Tambaram and HMS Garuda, at Coimbatore, in southern India in June for weapon training and dive bombing practice, becoming part of the 13th Carrier Air Group. With the end of the Second World War it returned to the UK and disbanded at HMS Siskin, at RNAS Gosport, in August 1946.
1852 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick, in the United States on 1 February 1945 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk IV fighter aircraft. Following deck landing training aboard the USS Charger, it embarked in HMS Patroller for the United Kingdom on 5 May. It disembarked to HMS Gadwall, RNAS Belfast, on 25 May, but due to V-J Day it disbanded on 29 August.
1843 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm between 1943 and 1945 and then a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Squadron from 1953 to 1957. It formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, in May 1944, as a fighter squadron. It arrived in the UK aboard HMS Trouncer in August. Based at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland and training at HMS Wagtail, RNAS Ayr, Scotland, the squadron had deck landing training aboard HMS Patroller in December, before joining HMS Arbiter in February 1945, as part of the 10th Naval Fighter Wing. Sailing to Australia, the squadron became part of the 3rd Carrier Air Group, but saw no action before the war ended and disbanded in October 1945. It reformed as a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branch anti-submarine squadron, in the Scottish Air Division, from 1953 and disbanded in 1957.
1844 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm between 1943 and 1945 and then a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Squadron from 1954 to 1957. It formed in Northern Ireland at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, in December 1943, as a fighter squadron. It embarked in HMS Begum, in February 1944, for the Far East, arriving in Ceylon, in June and joining HMS Indomitable the following month. August, September and October saw the squadron undertake photographic reconnaissance and provide fighter cover for the attacks on Indaroeng and Emmahaven in Sumatra, then on Sigli, followed by the Nicobar Islands respectively.
1846 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick in July 1944 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk III fighter aircraft. It embarked in HMS Ranee in October, disembarking to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton at the beginning of November, where it expanded to twenty-four aircraft by absorbing part of the disbanded 1848 Naval Air Squadron. In February 1945, it re-equipped with Vought Corsair Mk IV, having joined HMS Colossus at the start of the year. The aircraft carrier departed for the Far East in February, and its aircraft formed part of the 14th Carrier Air Group when this formed in June at HMS Valluru, Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Tambaram. The squadron was too late for World War II, and eventually disbanded at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, in July 1946.
1848 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It officially formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, in July 1944 as a fighter squadron. It was quipped with Vought Corsair fighter aircraft. The squadron embarked in HMS Ranee in October for the Atlantic crossing back to the United Kingdom. However, soon after arrival it disbanded at HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, in November, its resources shared equally between 1843, 1845 and 1846 Naval Air Squadrons.
HMS Nabsford was a Royal Navy (RN), Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard (TAMY), which was situated at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield RAAF Station Archerfield situated in Brisbane, Queensland. HMS Nabsford was also known as TAMY I and Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Archerfield.
HMS Nabstock was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) which was located at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield RAAF Maryborough situated in Maryborough, Queensland. HMS Nabstock was also known as MONAB VI and Royal Naval Air Station Maryborough.