769 Naval Air Squadron

Last updated

769 Naval Air Squadron
Active24 May - 1 December 1939
29 November 1941 - 29 October 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
  • Deck Landing Training Squadron
  • Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training Squadron
Size Squadron
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Insignia
Identification MarkingsT6A+ (all types 1939)
individual letters (Swordfish 1941-1943)
individual numbers (Albacore 1941-1943)
E3A+ and E4A+(all types 1943-1945)
I4A+, I5A+ and I6A+ (Barracuda 1945) [2] [3]

769 Naval Air Squadron (769 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It last disbanded and merged with 717 Naval Air Squadron after the Second World War. 769 Naval Air Squadron Formed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, during May 1939, by renumbering 801 Naval Air Squadron. Its role was a fighter Deck Landing Training Squadron, using HMS Furious for advanced training, before disbanding in the December. It reformed in November 1941, as a unit within the Deck Landing Training School at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, and in November 1943, it moved to HMS Peewit, RNAS East Haven. Its role changed to Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training in 1944, before moving to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray, in July 1945.

Contents

History of 769 NAS

Deck Landing Training Squadron (1939)

769 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Donibristle (HMS Merlin), Fife, Scotland, on 24 May 1939 as a fighter Deck Landing Training squadron, by renumbering 801 Naval Air Squadron. [2] It was equipped with Gloster Sea Gladiator, a biplane fighter aircraft, Blackburn Skua, a dive bomber and fighter aircraft and Blackburn Roc, a naval turret fighter aircraft. Advanced deck landing training was done using the modified Courageous-class battlecruiser to an aircraft carrier HMS Furious. On 24 November 804 Naval Air Squadron was formed using four of 769’s Gloster Sea Gladiator aircraft and on 1 December 769 Naval Air Squadron disbanded. [3]

Deck Landing Training Squadron (1941 - 1944)

769 Naval Air Squadron muster HMS Peewit 769-Squadron-HMS-Pewitt-19450001.jpg
769 Naval Air Squadron muster HMS Peewit

On 29 November 1941, 769 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Deck Landing Training squadron within the Deck Landing Training School at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor). It operated with Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore, both biplane torpedo bomber aircraft. [2] The squadron received Fairey Barracuda, a dive and torpedo bomber, [3] when it relocated to RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit), Angus, Scotland, on 7 November 1943. [4] Here it also ran a deck landing training course for officers until the course moved to 731 Naval Air Squadron on 5 December. [3]

Torpedo, Bomber and Reconnaissance Training (1944 - 1945)

769 Naval Air Squadron changed its role to Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance (TBR) training during 1944. [2] It moved to RNAS Rattray (HMS Merganser), Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on 28 July 1945. [4] The intention was to expand the TBR school at HMS Merganser, however, due to V-J Day, it was no longer required and 769 Naval Air Squadron disbanded and was absorbed into 717 Naval Air Squadron, on 29 October 1945. [3]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions: [3]

769 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air station of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom: [3]

1939

1941 - 1945

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 769 Naval Air Squadron with day, month and year of appointment: [2] [3]

1939

1941 - 1945

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References

Citations

  1. ↑ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 87.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wragg 2019, p. 130.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 71.
  4. 1 2 "East Haven". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 3 March 2024.

Bibliography


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