765 Naval Air Squadron

Last updated

765 Naval Air Squadron
765 Naval Air Squadron Badge.jpg
765 NAS badge
Active24 May 1939 - 25 October 1943
10 February 1944 - 23 April 1946
14 February 1955 - 25 March 1957 [1]
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
BranchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Basic Seaplane Training and Pool Squadron
  • Travelling Recording Unit
  • Transport Squadron
  • Piston Engine Pilot Pool
Size Squadron
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Motto(s)Praesidium navibus
(Latin for 'A safeguard for ships') [2]
Insignia
Squadron BadgeBlue, a dragon statant gold armed and langued red holding in his dexter claw a stabbing spear point downward also gold (1945) [2]
Identification MarkingsY8A+Swordfish & Seafox
L3A+ & LB3A+Walrus
BL3A+Kingfisher
L8A+Wellington [3]
individual letters (1945-1946)
272-280 & 329-336Firefly
623-624Oxford
717-724Firefly (from January 1956)
729-730Oxford (from January 1956)
791-794Sea Balliol [2]
Tail CodesCU (1956 - 1957)
Fleet Air Arm Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft, flying in close formation, an example of the type used by 765 NAS. The Royal Navy during the Second World War A24215.jpg
Fleet Air Arm Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft, flying in close formation, an example of the type used by 765 NAS.

765 Naval Air Squadron (765 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), in May 1939, as a Seaplane School and Pool squadron. The squadron moved to RNAS Sandbanks, in August 1940, where it undertook the Seaplane Flying Training Course Part I. Lieutenant Commander J.B. Wilson was appointed as dual officer in charge of the air base, and Commanding officer of 765 NAS. By the middle of 1943, dedicated Seaplane Training schools ended and the squadron disbanded in the October. 765 NAS reformed at RNAS Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II), in early February 1944, as a Travelling Recording Unit. The squadron moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) in March, before moving to RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel) on one month later during April, then in May it moved to RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap), were it remained during June.

Contents

The squadron returned to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) at the start of August 1944, it was equipped with Vickers Wellington, a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber aircraft, which were fitted with radar and used to record the effectiveness of other radar units. It moved to RNAS Twatt (HMS Tern) in September, operating there until the November, when it flew to RAF Eastchurch and then onto RAF Hornchurch. The squadron provided naval co-operation in liaison with No. 567 Squadron, an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force; after the end of World War II, the squadron moved to RAF Manston in June 1945. 765 NAS's next move was to Malta, in the October, based at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon), it provided air transport for personnel, stationed within the Mediterranean Rim, to return home, via Malta. It disbanded at Hal Far in April 1946.

765 Naval Air Squadron reformed for the third time, in May 1955, at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) as a Piston Engine Pilot Pool and it also provided refresher flying for Fleet Air Arm pilots. For almost two years, it trained over two hundred pilots, on either Fairey Firefly, a carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft, or Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane trainer aircraft, with the squadron disbanding, at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), in March 1957.

History of 765 NAS

Basic Seaplane Training and Pool Squadron (1939 - 1943)

Fairey Seafox, Fleet Air Arm spotter / reconnaissance floatplane, of the type used by 765 NAS Fairey Seafox.jpg
Fairey Seafox, Fleet Air Arm spotter / reconnaissance floatplane, of the type used by 765 NAS

765 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), situated next to Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, on the 24 May 1939, [4] as a Basic Seaplane Training and Pool Squadron. It was initially equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, along with, Fairey Seafox, a reconnaissance floatplane and Fairey Swordfish seaplane variant, a torpedo bomber aircraft. The squadron trained pilots in operating seaplane aircraft and provided a pilot reserve for Fleet Air Arm catapult squadrons. In February 1940, 765 Naval Air Squadron received two Blackburn Roc turret fighter aircraft fitted with floats, for evaluation. [5]

On the 26 August 1940, the squadron moved to RNAS Sandbanks, located on the premises of the Royal Motor Yacht Club (RMYC) at Sandbanks, Poole Harbour, Dorset, which had been requisitioned as a Seaplane base by the Admiralty, taking its collection of Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft, and Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Seafox and Blackburn Roc floatplane aircraft. Here it had a new role, providing the Seaplane Flying Training Course Part I, of the basic Seaplane training. [6]

In June 1941 both the Fairey Swordfish and Blackburn Roc aircraft were withdrawn from squadron use; The Fairey Seafox aircraft were withdrawn one year later in June 1942, however, at the same time, United States built Vought Kingfisher seaplane aircraft arrived. [5] By mid 1943, the need for dedicated Seaplane Training squadrons had passed and on 25 October 1943, 765 Naval Air Squadron disbanded. [6]

Travelling Recording Unit (1944 - 1945)

765 Naval Air Squadron reformed, on the 10 February 1944, at RNAS Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II), situated in the hamlet of Sigwells in Somerset, England, as a Travelling Recording Unit. The squadron briefly moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), on the 18 March 1944. [7] One month later, on the 18 April 1944, it relocated to RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), located 3.5 miles (6 km) north of Winchester, Hampshire, England, then on the last day of May, it travelled to RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap), in the village of Appleton Thorn, south of Warrington, in Cheshire, England. However, at the beginning of August, the squadron returned to RNAS Lee-on-Solent. [5]

In the same month, the squadron was equipped with Vickers Wellington, initially designed as a medium bomber aircraft. [4] It received three Vickers Wellington GR Mark XI, maritime reconnaissance aircraft. They were ex-RAF Coastal Command and were fitted with ASV Mark II radar. A fourth Vickers Wellington aircraft arrived, a T Mark XVII training aircraft, in the following December and this was fitted with a nose-mounted Airborne Interception radar. The squadron primarily operated these aircraft to test the efficiency of radar units, however, as the Vickers Wellington was also capable of, and used for, long-range aerial reconnaissance, experienced aerial photographers were assigned to the squadron.

On the 30 September, 765 Naval Air Squadron moved to RNAS Twatt (HMS Tern), located near Twatt, Orkney, Scotland. It remained on Orkney for ten days, before relocating to RAF Hornchurch, located in the parish of Hornchurch, southeast of Romford, Essex, going via RAF Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, arriving at RAF Hornchurch on the 14 November, where the role of the squadron was to provide naval co-operation in liaison with No. 567 Squadron RAF, an anti-aircraft co-operation unit. However, seven months later, 765 Naval Air Squadron moved to RAF Manston, located in the north-east of Kent, on the Isle of Thanet, on the 14 June 1945. [5]

Transport Squadron (1945 - 1946)

In August, 765 Naval Air Squadron was repurposed as a Transport Squadron. It operated three Vickers Wellington B Mark X aircraft, however, these were equipped with troop transport type seating. [5] On 6 October 1945, the squadron moved to RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon), which was located at the southern extreme of Malta. [4] It provided air transport for personnel, to and from different parts of the Mediterranean Basin, but primarily bringing them back to Malta for onward travel home. [5]

765 Naval Air Squadron continued in this role until disbanding at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon) on 30 April 1946. [2]

Piston Engine Pilot Pool (1955 - 1957)

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II, an example of the type used by 765 NAS. RAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II Brown.jpg
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II, an example of the type used by 765 NAS.

765 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), [4] near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, England, on 14 February 1955, as a Piston Engine Pilot Pool. [2] The squadron was initially equipped with Fairey Firefly a Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft, but specifically the T.Mk 2, an armed operational training aircraft and T.Mk 7 an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training aircraft [4] and also provided refresher flying for FAA pilots. [2] In May 1955, the squadron added Airspeed Oxford II, a twin-engined training aircraft, to its inventory.

In February 1957, Boulton Paul Sea Balliol T.Mk 21, a Fleet Air Arm advanced trainer aircraft and de Havilland Sea Devon C Mk 20, a transport and communications version, for the Royal Navy, of the de Havilland Dove short-haul airliner, were also added, however, the squadron only lasted around one more month, with 765 Naval Air Squadron disbanding at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) on 25 March 1957. [4]

During its two years of existence, the squadron converted two-hundred and forty-four pilots to either Fairey Firefly or Airspeed Oxford aircraft. [2]

Aircraft operated

The squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including: [5]

Vickers Wellington B Mark X Royal Air Force Operations in the Far East, 1941-1945. CF154.jpg
Vickers Wellington B Mark X

765 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Scotland and England and a number of Royal Air Force stations in England: [4] [5]

AirbaseFromTo
Royal Naval Air Station LEE-ON-SOLENT (HMS Daedalus) 24 May 193926 August 1940
Royal Naval Air Station SANDBANKS (HMS Daedalus II) 26 August 194025 October 1943
disbanded25 October 1943
Royal Naval Air Station CHARLTON HORETHORNE (HMS Heron II) 10 February 194418 March 1944
Royal Naval Air Station LEE-ON-SOLENT (HMS Daedalus)18 March 194418 April 1944
Royal Naval Air Station WORTHY DOWN (HMS Kestrel) 18 April 194431 May 1944
Royal Naval Air Station STRETTON (HMS Blackcap) 31 May 19441 August 1944
Royal Naval Air Station LEE-ON-SOLENT (HMS Daedalus)1 August 194430 September 1944
Royal Naval Air Station TWATT (HMS Tern) 30 September 194410 October 1944
Royal Air Force Eastchurch 10 October 194414 November 1944
Royal Air Force Hornchurch 14 November 194414 June 1944
Royal Air Force Manston 14 June 19456 October 1945
Royal Naval Air Station HAL FAR (HMS Falcon) 6 October 194523 April 1946
disbanded30 April 1946 [2]
Royal Naval Air Station CULDROSE (HMS Seahawk) 14 February 1955 [2] 25 March 1957
disbanded25 March 1957

Commanding Officers

List of Commanding Officers of 765 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment: [4] [2]

1939 - 1943

1944 - 1946

1955 - 1957

Notes

  1. ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 82.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ballance 2016, p. 66.
  3. ↑ Wragg 2019, p. 128.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "765 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "A history of 765 Naval Air Squadron". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 "RNAS Sanbanks". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "RNAS Charlton Horethorne". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

Related Research Articles

RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS <i>Daedalus</i>) Former Royal Naval Air Station in Hampshire, England

Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent,, is a former Royal Naval Air Station located near Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, approximately 4 miles (6.44 km) west of Portsmouth, on the coast of the Solent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">778 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

778 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. During the Second World War the squadron was a Service Trials Unit (STU) initially based at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England before moving to HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland on 6 July 1940. The squadron tested all types of aircraft that could be used by the Royal Navy. Key to this was testing new types for deck landing on aircraft carriers. Such aircraft included various types of Supermarine Seafires, Grumman Hellcats, Grumman Martlets, Grumman Avengers, and Vought Corsairs. The squadron was reformed on 5 November 1951 with Douglas Skyraider AEW.1 but was disbanded on 7 July 1952 to form the basis of 849 Naval Air Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">751 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

751 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.1 Observer School. 751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath. Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee, remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">754 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

754 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No. 2 Observer School, forming out of the School of Naval Co-operation RAF, in May 1939. It initially operated out of HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, however, after the Naval Air Station was attacked and bombed, it then moved to north to HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland, in September 1940. Here, it provided training for Observers and also Air Gunners and where four years later, in March 1944, it disbanded. The squadron then briefly reformed as a Air Gunner Training Squadron, as part of No. 1 Naval Air Gunners School, when 744 Naval Air Squadron was re-designated 754 Naval Air Squadron, in June 1944, at RN Air Section Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, until disbanding again, in March 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">760 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

760 Naval Air Squadron is a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The squadron first formed in April 1940 as No.1 Fleet Fighter Pool with a variety of aircraft types before standardising in 1941 on the Hawker Sea Hurricane. In this role it disbanded in December 1942. In May 1944 760 NAS briefly reformed as an Anti-Submarine Operational Training Squadron before disbanding into 766 Naval Air Squadron in November. Reformed again as part of No.1 Naval Air Fighter School in April 1945 it converted fighter pilots to the Vought Corsair and then the Supermarine Seafire until 23 January 1946 when it disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">762 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

762 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It formed at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, in March 1942 as an Advanced Flying Training School. Almost immediately the squadron relocated to HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, but before the end of the year, it was back at HMS Heron. The squadron disbanded nine months later. It reformed in 1944 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as a Twin Engine Conversion Unit, but immediately moved to HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, where it operated a variety of multi engined aircraft. At the end of 1945 the squadron moved to HMS Sparrowhawk, RNAS Halesworth and HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford in quick succession. Now known as the Heavy Twin Conversion Unit it spent nearly two and a half years at HMS Peregrine, before relocating to HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, where it eventually disbanded at the end of 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">763 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

763 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It formed in 1939 as the Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Pool No. 1, at HMS Kestrel, RNAS Worthy Down. Three months later, it moved to the short-lived RNAS Jersey, in the Channel Islands, before moving back to Worthy Down via HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on Solent and disbanded in 1940. The squadron reformed, on the seaplane carrier HMS Pegasus, as a Seaplane Training Squadron, in 1942. This role lasted around two years and the squadron continually operated and provided training from HMS Pegasus, until disbanding in 1944. Roughly two months later, the squadron reformed again, this time at HMS Nightjar, RNAS Inskip, as an Anti-submarine Operational Training Squadron and remained in this role for just over one year, disbanding in July 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">764 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

764 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in April 1940, at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as an Advance Seaplane Training Squadron. The Squadron moved to RAF Pembroke Dock in July 1940, and later to HMS Daedalus II, RNAS Lawrenny Ferry in October 1941 and remaining there until the Squadron disbanded in November 1943. It reformed at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, in February 1944, as the User Trials Unit, however, the squadron was decommissioned for the second time in September 1945. 764 Naval Air Squadron reformed again, at HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth, in May 1953, where it became an Advanced Training Unit. It moved to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, in September 1953, where it received its first jet aircraft. In November 1954 the Squadron disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">766 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

766 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was to have initially formed in 1939 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as a Seaplane School, however, it formed at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihannish, as a Night ALT Course, in 1942. It moved to HMS Nightjar, RNAS Inskip, in 1943, to become part of No. 1 Naval Operational Training Unit. By 1944, it was operating over 30 Swordfish aircraft, but, during the year, also acquired Firefly aircraft from 1772 NAS, and Sea Hurricane aircraft from 760 NAS. It moved to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray, early in 1946, but later that year, moved to HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth, where it received Seafire aircraft, along with being Part 1 of the Operational Flying School. By late 1951, Sea Fury trainer aircraft were also added to its varied list of types operated. In 1953, the squadron moved to HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, where it disbanded in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">772 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

772 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded during September 1995. 772 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit out of ‘Y’ Flight from 771 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Lee-on-Solent in September 1939. While the headquarters remained there, floatplanes were operated out of RNAS Portland, however, mid 1940 saw the whole squadron move north to RNAS Campbeltown and roughly twelve months afterwards the short distance to RNAS Machrihanish. The unit moved to RNAS Ayr in July 1944 and became the Fleet Requirements Unit School. In January 1946 the squadron moved to RNAS Burscough in Lancashire, before moving to RNAS Anthorn in Cumberland, in May. It became the Northern Fleet Requirements Unit upon moving to RNAS Arbroath, in June 1947, but disbanded into 771 Naval Air Squadron in October. 772 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Helicopter Support Squadron at RNAS Portland in September 1974. In September 1977 the squadron took over responsibility for a number of Ships' Flights of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. The squadron was used to reform 848 Naval Air Squadron for the Falklands Task Force in 1982, with the Ships' Flights absorbed into 847 Naval Air Squadron. In August 1982 it took on the Anti-Submarine Warfare Flight from 737 Naval Air Squadron and between 1983 - 1985 a Search and Rescue Flight operated out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">773 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

773 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which was last active between September 1950 and March 1951. 773 Naval Air Squadron initially formed during June 1940, as a Fleet Requirements Unit in Bermuda, in support of ships on the North America and West Indies Station. It performed this role four almost four years and eventually disbanded, at Bermuda, in April 1944. The squadron reformed during June 1945 as a Service Trials Unit, at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent. Tasked with investigating pilotless aircraft as targets, it was known as the Pilotless Aircraft Unit (PAU). It moved to HMS Goldcrest II, RNAS Brawdy where it disbanded in September 1946. The squadron reformed at the start of 1949 as a Fleet Requirements Unit, out of 771 Naval Air Squadron, lasting around three months and repeated this at the start of 1950 and again at the end of 1950, into 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">776 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

776 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded at the end of October 1945. 776 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, at the start of 1941. It operated a detachment at RN Air Section Speke in 1941 and one at RAF Woodvale in 1942, with the squadron wholly moving to Speke in the October. 1943 saw further detachments and these were deployed at RAF Llanbedr, RAF Millom, RAF Usworth and RAF Waltham. In April 1945, the Woodvale detachment was reabsorbed into the squadron when it relocated there, the airbase now operated by the Admiralty and known as HMS Ringtail II. It moved to HMS Ringtail, RNAS, Burscough, at the start of October 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">780 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

780 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded at HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose in November 1949. 780 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Raven, RNAS Eastleigh as a Conversion Course Unit, in October 1939, to train experienced civilian pilots in naval flying. It moved to HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in October 1940, and later, its role had changed to converting pilots to Fairey Barracuda aircraft. It spent a year at RNAS Charlton Horethorne, before returning to HMS Daedalus and disbanded, early 1945. In March 1946, the squadron reformed at HMS Godwit, RNAS Hinstock, as the Naval Advanced Flying School, to give flying instructors' courses, and later provided Instrument Flying Training. In December, the squadron moved to HMS Jackdaw, RNAS Crail, then in March 1947 moved to HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, and in May to HMS Seahawk as the first resident unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">781 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

781 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded at the end of March 1981. Planned as a Reserve Amphibious Bomber Reconnaissance squadron, it formed as a Communications Unit in March 1940 and operated a large variety of aircraft. It provided a Bristol Beaufighter conversion course which eventually became 798 Naval Air Squadron and also had a ‘B’ Flight at Heathrow and then Heston aerodromes before becoming 701 Naval Air Squadron. After the Allied invasion of Normandy the squadron flew to various Royal Navy units on the continent and established an ‘X’ Flight based in France and then Germany. In July 1945 the squadron disbanded into 782 Naval Air Squadron although the ‘X’ Flight was moved to 799 Naval Air Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">782 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

782 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in October 1939 as an Armament Training Squadron but disbanded in November to provide personnel for 774 Naval Air Squadron. In December 1940 it reformed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, as the Northern Communications Squadron, providing links between the Naval Air Stations in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Shetland and Orkney islands. It finally disbanded in October 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">783 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

783 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded in November 1949. 783 Naval Air Squadron was formed as an ASV Training Squadron at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Scotland, in January 1941. It operated a number of ‘flying classroom’ aircraft alongside other types. It operated in conjunction with the Naval Air Signals School (NASS) from March 1943. The squadron moved to HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, England, when the NASS moved south, also supporting the Flag Officer, Air, Home Communications Officer and from July 1948,it was part of the 51st Miscellaneous Air Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">784 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

784 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded in the autumn of 1946. 784 NAS was a Night Fighter Training Squadron which formed at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, in June 1942, moving to HMS Nighthawk, RNAS Drem, East Lothian, in October 1942. Squadron Personnel were also detached to the Naval Air Radio Installation Unit at RAF Christchurch, in 1943 and in the same year, a number of crews were attached to RAF night fighter squadrons, with two officers gained Distinguished Flying Crosses. In 1944, three squadron Flights were attached for service to each of 813, 825 and 835 Naval Air Squadrons, embarked in the escort carriers HMS Campania, HMS Vindex, and HMS Nairana respectively, on convoy protection duties. At the beginning of 1946 the squadron moved to Wales, operating out of HMS Goldcrest II, RNAS Brawdy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">790 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

790 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in November 1949 at RNAS Culdrose. It initially formed during 1941 as an Air Target Towing Unit, at HMS Landrail, RNAS Macrihanish, in Scotland, from elements of two other Fleet Air Arm squadrons, however, this only lasted for three months and the unit was disbanded, absorbed into 772 Naval Air Squadron. It reformed the following year, in July 1942, tasked as a Fighter Direction Training Unit, at RNAS Charlton Horethorne. It provided support for the Fighter Direction School and had short spells at RAF Culmhead and RNAS Zeals, before reloacting to RNAS Dale in Pembrokeshire, next to the new purpose built Air Direction School, HMS Harrier or RNADC Kete, in 1945. The squadron moved to HMS Seahawk in Cornwall during December 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">796 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

796 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded at RNAS Culdrose in October 1958. 796 Naval Air Squadron formed as the Eastern Fleet Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool, at RN Air Section Port Reitz, in Mombasa, in July 1942, it provided a detachment embarked in HMS Illustrious in August to support the invasion of Madagascar. This Flight also disembarked to Majunga in September to join 207 Group of the Royal Air Force and later rejoined the squadron at RNAS Tanga, in November and added operational training unit to its roles until disbanding in April 1944. It reformed in November 1947 at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, as the Aircrewman Training School, for conversion of T.A.G.'s to aircrewman standard. Its task changed to Observer School Part II in January 1950. The squadron moved to HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, in November 1953 and in 1957 took on the task of the disbanded 765 Naval Air Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">799 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

799 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded during August 1952. It initially formed as a Pool Squadron in South Africa during September 1943, sharing Fairey Albacore aircraft with 798 Naval Air Squadron and providing flying time for aircrew prior to front line squadron assignment, disbanding in June 1944. It reformed in July 1945 as a Flying Check and Conversion Refresher Squadron at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent. Made up of three distinct flights, two of those operated away from Lee-on-Solent with a flight at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, giving junior officers air experience, and another flight at HMS Dipper providing Supermarine Sea Otter conversion training. By May 1948 the whole unit had moved to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. In 1951, 799 Naval Air Squadron relocated to RNAS Machrihanish.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.