740 Naval Air Squadron

Last updated

740 Naval Air Squadron
Active4 May 1943 – 5 August 1943
30 December 1943 – 1 September 1945 [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
  • Observer Training Squadron
  • Communications Squadron
Size Squadron
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Insignia
Identification MarkingsM9A+ (all types 1944-1945) [2] [3]
Stinson Reliant I, an example of the type used by 740 NAS Stinson Reliant I N1943S FB735 (5920015276).jpg
Stinson Reliant I, an example of the type used by 740 NAS

740 Naval Air Squadron (740 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active between May and August in 1943, formed as an Observer Training Squadron at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. From December 1943 to September 1945 it was a Communications Squadron formed at and operated from HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

Contents

History of 740 NAS

Observer Training School (1943)

740 Naval Air Squadron formed on 4 May 1943, at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), as an Observer Training Squadron, as part of No. 2 Observer School. It was equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, plus a few Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber and Vought Kingfisher, an American catapult-launched observation floatplane. [4] The squadron also dispersed flying to Dundee, on the River Tay and where the squadron disbanded into 751 Naval Air Squadron on 5 August 1943. [3]

Communications Squadron (1943 - 1945)

740 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 30 December 1943 at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), as a Communications Squadron. [2] It was formed out of the communications flight of 772 Naval Air Squadron. It used the amphibious maritime patrol aircraft Supermarine Walrus and later Supermarine Sea Otter for transportation around the Islands, Lochs and Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Clyde. [3] The squadron also operated various types of other aircraft including Stinson Reliant, a four-five seat liaison and training aircraft, Beech Traveller, a utility aircraft, de Havilland Dominie, a six–eight passenger short-haul airliner, Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine training aircraft and Avro Anson, a twin-engine multi-role training aircraft. [2]

740 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) on 1 September 1945, [3] the squadron having been one of its permanent residents between December 1943 and September 1945. [5]

Aircraft flown

The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including: [4] [3]

Supermarine Walrus Supermarine Walrus.jpg
Supermarine Walrus

740 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom:

1943

1943 - 1945

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 740 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment: [2]

1943

1943 - 1945

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References

Citations

  1. Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 63.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wragg 2019, p. 121.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 46.
  4. 1 2 3 "Arbroath". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  5. "Machrihanish (Campbeltown) (Strabane)". www.abct.org.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  6. Thetford 1991, p. 421.
  7. Thetford 1991, p. 163.
  8. Thetford 1991, p. 397.
  9. Thetford 1991, p. 404.
  10. Thetford 1991, p. 402.

Bibliography