779 Naval Air Squadron

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779 Naval Air Squadron
779 Naval Air Squadron Badge.gif
779 NAS badge
Active1 October 1941 - 5 August 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
RoleFleet Requirements Unit
Size Squadron
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Garrison/HQ R N Air Section Gibraltar
Motto(s)Finis coronat opus
(Latin for 'The end crowns the work')
Insignia
Squadron BadgeBendy of four gold and black, a roundle per fess white and green chief a triple-towered battlement proper base a key fesswise wards uppermost gold (1944) [2]
Identification MarkingsOn some aircraft consisted of single letters [3]
Fairey Swordfish Mk II Swordfish 62.jpg
Fairey Swordfish Mk II

779 Naval Air Squadron (779 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, in October 1941, at R.N. Air Section Gibraltar. It operated a small variety of aircraft for target towing and coastal defence. In 1943, the squadron received some Bristol Beaufighter aircraft and a detachment of these deployed to Taranto, after which they also saw service at various airbases around North Africa. It disbanded, during August 1945, at Gibraltar.

Contents

History of 779 NAS

Fleet Requirements Unit (1941 - 1945)

779 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, on 1 October 1941, at R.N. Air Section Gibraltar (the Admiralty had lodger facilities at RAF North Front). [4] It was Initially equipped with two Blackburn Skua, a carrier-based dive bomber and fighter aircraft, for target towing and coastal defence. Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber, Fairey Fulmar, a carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, and Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalised version of the Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft, were also used, but in April 1943, a target tug variant of the Boulton Paul Defiant interceptor aircraft replaced the Blackburn Skua aircraft. [3]

Later in the year the squadron received a number of Bristol Beaufighter II, a multirole combat aircraft, and during September they formed a detachment at Taranto, Italy. Once this had finished they were then on numerous detachments around North Africa, [2] including at R N Air Section Tafaraoui, RAF Oujda, Blida, Maison Blanche and La Senia. [4] Miles Martinet target tug aircraft replaced the Boulton Paul Defiants in June 1944, and the squadron consisted two Fairey Swordfish, three Bristol Beaufighters, two Hawker Sea Hurricanes and nine Miles Martinets. [3] 779 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at R.N. Air Section Gibraltar, North Front on 5 August 1945. [4]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a number of different aircraft types, including: [2] [5]

779 Naval Air Squadron operated from a naval air station of the Royal Navy, overseas and number of other airbases: [2]

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 779 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment: [3] [2] [5]

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References

Citations

  1. Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 100.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 82.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Wragg 2019, p. 133.
  4. 1 2 3 "North Front". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 "779 NAS Fleet Air Arm". wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

Bibliography

The 779 Fleet Requirement unit was formed as the Gibraltar fleet requirement unit on 1 October 1941 with just two Skuas for target towing and coastal defence, later acquiring a small number of Swordfish as well as Defiants, Fulmars and Sea Hurricanes. Variety of aircraft later included Beaufighters IIs, while detachments saw service in Italy and North Africa, but two Swordfish remained in the squadron to the end of the war.