719 Naval Air Squadron

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719 Naval Air Squadron
719 Naval Air Squadron Badge.gif
719 NAS badge
Active15 June 1944 - 2 January 1945
1 March 1946 - 27 December 1949
14 June 1950 - 17 March 1959
17 May 1960 - 5 October 1961 [1]
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Fighter Air Firing Training Squadron
  • Strike Training Squadron
  • Anti-submarine Training Squadron
  • Naval Air Anti-submarine School
  • Joint Anti-Submarine School Flight
Size Squadron
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Insignia
Identification MarkingsS1A+ [2]
Gannet T.2 XA508, Dual control trainer version of AS.1, at Midland Air Museum, Coventry, externally similar to those used by 719 NAS Fairey Gannet Midland Air Museum.jpg
Gannet T.2 XA508, Dual control trainer version of AS.1, at Midland Air Museum, Coventry, externally similar to those used by 719 NAS

719 Naval Air Squadron (719 NAS) 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 RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture), within the School of Air Combat. At the start of 1945 the squadron disbanded into 794 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron reformed in 1946 at RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl) as a Strike Training Squadron, before moving to RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), where it became an Anti-submarine Training Squadron, disbanding there in 1949.

Contents

The squadron reformed at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) as the Naval Air Anti-submarine School in 1950 and remained there becoming the Naval Anti-Submarine Operational Flying School and eventually disbanding in 1959. However, in 1960, the squadron reformed, again at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), as the Joint Anti-submarine School Flight, this time operating helicopters. The squadron was granted first line status on the 5 October 1961 and renumbered to 819 Naval Air Squadron.

History of 719 NAS

Fighter Air Firing Training Squadron (1944 - 1945)

719 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture), located 7.35 miles (11.83 km) northeast of Newquay, Cornwall, as a Fighter Air Firing Training Squadron, on the 15 June 1944, as part of the School of Naval Air Warfare. It was equipped with a variety of Fleet Air Arm aircraft including, Vought F4U Corsair III, an American carrier-based fighter-bomber, Miles Master II, a British two-seat monoplane advanced trainer, Supermarine Seafire Ib & IIc, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, of which the squadron operated the Vb variant and Grumman F4F Wildcat IV, an American carrier-based fighter aircraft. [3]

The squadron provided weapon training and air firing exercises as part of a Naval Air Firing course, however, six months after forming, on the 2 January 1945, the squadron disbanded into 794 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture). [4]

Strike Training Squadron / Anti-submarine Training Squadron (1946 - 1949)

A line up of Fleet Air Arm Barracudas, examples of the type used by 719 NAS The Royal Navy during the Second World War A20060.jpg
A line up of Fleet Air Arm Barracudas, examples of the type used by 719 NAS

719 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl), located 5.4 miles (8.7 km) southeast of Tain, Scottish Highlands, as a Strike Training Squadron on 1 March 1946. It was initially equipped solely with Fairey Barracuda, a British carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber aircraft. Two months later the squadron relocated to RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), located 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north east of Eglinton, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on 14 May 1946, here, along with 718 Naval Air Squadron, it formed the 51st Training Air Group, [4] which itself was disbanded on 13 November 1946.

The squadron started to be equipped with Fairey Firefly FR.1, the "fighter/reconnaissance" variant, of the carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft. However, from 24 to 31 October 1946, the squadron operated from the aircraft carrier and lead ship of her class, HMS Implacable (R86), using its Fairey Barracuda III aircraft. 719 NAS became an Anti-submarine Training Squadron, where it bought together aircrew, trained them and passed onto 744 Naval Air Squadron for more advanced training and it continued in this role until the 27 December 1949, when it disbanded at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet). [4]

Fairey Firefly AS5, Royal Navy, an example of the type used by 719 NAS Fairey Firefly AS5, UK - Navy AN1099448.jpg
Fairey Firefly AS5, Royal Navy, an example of the type used by 719 NAS

719 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), on the 14 June 1950, as the Naval Air Anti-submarine School. Along with 737 Naval Air Squadron, the squadron formed the 53rd Training Air Group. 719 NAS was initially equipped with Firefly AS.5 aircraft and in then in 1951, it received Firefly AS.6 aircraft. Whilst the 53rd Training Air Group disbanded on 31 January 1952, the squadrons remained operational at Eglinton.

In March 1953 Firefly T.7 aircraft were received and the AS.5 and AS.6 were withdrawn throughout the following three months. During 1955 the squadron started operating the anti-submarine variant Fairey Gannet AS.1, carrier-borne aircraft, which were followed later by T.2 and these eventually replaced the Fairey Firefly aircraft. In 1957, 737 Naval Air Squadron disbanded but was absorbed into 719 NAS and the squadron became titled the Naval Anti-Submarine Operational Flying School. The squadron disbanded at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) on the 17 March 1959. [4]

Joint Anti-Submarine School Flight (1960 - 1961)

Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 XL878 PO-514 771 NAS, an example of the type used by 719 NAS Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 XL878 PO-514 771 Sq Portl 200767 edited-2.jpg
Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 XL878 PO-514 771 NAS, an example of the type used by 719 NAS

719 Naval Air Squadron reformed on the 17 May 1960, at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), as the Joint Anti-submarine School Flight. It was equipped with three Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 helicopters. From 4 to 14 October 1960, it operated its Whirlwind helicopters off the Centaur-class aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes during its deployment in the North Sea. 719 Naval Air Squadron was granted first line status on the 5 October 1961 and renumbered to 819 Naval Air Squadron. [4]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions: [1]

719 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the UK and two Royal Navy aircraft carriers [4]

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 719 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment and end: [4]

1944 - 1955

1946 - 1949

1950 - 1959

1960 - 1961

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References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 40.
  2. Wragg 2019, p. 117.
  3. "RNAS St Merryn". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "719 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 13 February 2023.

Bibliography