It was first founded in 1933, and served during World War II, seeing action in the battle of the Atlantic and on Russian convoys. During its service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the squadron utilised aircraft such as the Blackburn Ripon, Blackburn Baffin, and Fairey Swordfish. After its transfer to the Royal Navy and throughout the Second World War, it operated the Hawker Sea Hurricane and Vought Chesapeake, subsequently moving to the Grumman Wildcat. Notably, it was the sole front-line Fleet Air Arm (FAA) squadron to operate the de Havilland Mosquito and the de Havilland Sea Mosquito, which was active from 1945 to 1947. Additionally, the squadron flew the Hawker Sea Fury during the years 1953 and 1954.
Service history
Interwar (1933-1939)
The squadron was formed at RAF Gosport, Hampshire, on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No. 465 and No. 466 (Fleet Torpedo) Flights,[2] and served aboard the aircraft carrierHMSFurious in the Home Fleet.[3] Initially equipped with Blackburn Ripon Mk.II torpedo bomber aircraft,[4] these were replaced in January 1935 with Blackburn Baffin torpdeo bombgers,[3] which were in turn replaced by Fairey Swordfish Mk.I torpedo bombers in October 1936.[5]
In December 1938 HMS Furious was paid off, and the next year 811 Squadron was assigned to her sister shipHMSCourageous.[3] The squadron was one of the units that were transferred to the Admiralty when it assumed control of the FAA on 24 May 1939.,[6] however, it disbanded on the same day at RNAS Donibristle (HMS Merlin), Fife, merging with 822 Squadron to form 767 Naval Air Squadron.[2]
In the interim, a new sub-unit was established on 15 May 1939 at Southampton, initially referred to as 811A Squadron. Following the redesignation of the original 811 Squadron, this Flight assumed its designation.[7]
World War II (1939-1945)
At the onset of the war, it was reassigned to HMS Courageous; however, it ceased to exist following the sinking of the carrier. The squadron lost much of its personnel and all of its aircraft when HMS Courageous was sunk by a U-boat on 17 September 1939,[5] and the survivors of 811 and 822 Squadrons were reformed into 815 Naval Air Squadron.[8]
811 Squadron was reformed in July 1941 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), near Portsmouth, as a torpedo-bomber reconnaissance squadron, and was equipped with two Sea Hurricanes and fourteen American Vought SB2U Vindicators, which the British called the "Chesapeake".[5] The squadron also received two former civilian Avro 652s (the precursor to the Avro Anson) which they operated until March 1942.[9] The Chesapeake's were part of an order originally placed by the French Navy in March 1940, but after the fall of France the order was taken over by the British. The aircraft were fitted with an additional fuel tank and armour, and the single French 7.5mm Darne machine gun was replaced by four British machine guns. It was intended that they be used as anti-submarine patrol aircraft operating from the escort carrier Archer, but it was soon realised that the Chesapeake lacked the power to fly from such a small vessel while carrying a useful load, and they were reassigned to training squadrons in November 1941,[10] and the squadron received Swordfish Mk.2's as replacements.[5]
From August to December 1942 811 Squadron was based at RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, serving under the control of RAF Coastal Command, and flying on anti-shipping and mine-laying operations.[5] In January 1943, the squadron received three Grumman F4F Wildcat Mk.IVs, called the "Martlet" in British service,[5] and on 21 February 1943 flew from RNAS Hatston to embark aboard the escort carrierBiter to serve on convoy escort duty in the battle of the Atlantic. On 22 April Biter and the escort destroyers Pathfinder, Obdurate, and Opportune joined convoy ONS-4 sailing from Liverpool. On 25 April a Swordfish from 811 Squadron attacked U-203, which was then sunk by depth charges by Pathfinder. The convoy arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 5 April without loss.[11]
From 2 May Biter defended the convoys HX 237 and SC 129 from German wolf packs. On 12 May a Swordfish from 811 Squadron, with the destroyer Broadway and the frigate Lagan, attacked and sank U-89. After arriving at Liverpool, the squadron disembarked and were stationed at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail).[11]
A Grumman Martlet fighter of 811 Squadron lands on HMS Biter after a successful action against a German Junkers Ju 290, February 1944
On 2 June 811 Squadron returned to Biter to escort further convoys between Liverpool and Halifax, including ON-207 in October. While at Naval Station Argentia in November, the squadron was supplied with the new American acoustic torpedo, codenamed the Mark 24 mine, but commonly known as "FIDO". On 17 November a Swordfish smashed into the end of the flight deck of Biter while landing in a heavy swell, and its unused FIDO torpedo fell into the sea and exploded, badly damaging Biter's rudder. The carrier managed to return to Rosyth Dockyard for repairs, which took a month.[11]
View of HMS Biter from a Swordfish just after takeoff. Ready on the deck are two Martlet fighters, and in the distance other ships of the convoy, March 1944.
While Biter was under repair 811 Squadron were stationed at RNAS Inskip (HMS Nightjar), finally returning to the ship on 12 January 1944. In early February Biter sailed in support of Convoy ONS-29 to Halifax, then transferred to Convoy OS-68/KMS-42 bound for Freetown and Gibraltar. On 16 February, in the Bay of Biscay, 811's Martlets shot down a Ju 290 long-range reconnaissance aircraft, which had attempted to attack the convoy escorts with a glide bomb. Biter arrived at Gibraltar on 25 February where two Swordfish of 811 Squadron spent a week operating out of RAF North Front. On 2 March Biter sailed again, escorting the UK-bound convoys SL-150 and MKS-41, and arrived at Liverpool on the 13th. Biter continued to escort convoys between the UK and Gibraltar until August 1944 when she was withdrawn from service, for conversion to a transport carrier.[11]
811 Squadron was temporarily based at RAF Limavady in Northern Ireland, serving under RAF Coastal Command, until joining Vindex in September 1944 to escort convoys to Russia. 811 Squadron was disbanded on its return in December 1944.[5]
Mosquito / Sea Mosquito (1945-1947)
811 Squadron was reformed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), Sussex, on 15 September 1945, and was equipped with Mosquito FB Mk.VIs.[12] The de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI fighter-bomber was introduced into service with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) when it was assigned to the newly re-established 811 Squadron at RNAS Ford. It continued to operate from land bases, as it was not designed for carrier operations.[13]
Three of these were promptly withdrawn, and the rest were substituted with twelve Sea Mosquito TR Mk.33s starting in April 1946,[7] the FB Mk.VIs having provided 811 Squadron with the necessary Mosquito experience prior to transitioning to the de Havilland Sea Mosquito.[13] An early prototype, flown by test pilot Eric Brown, was the first twin-engined aircraft to make a carrier landing, when it touched down aboard HMSIndefatigable on 25 March 1944. The Sea Mosquito was developed to fulfil the criteria outlined in the Admiralty's Specification N.15/44, which was the initial specification issued for a twin-engine aircraft designed for carrier operations. The Sea Mosquito TR Mk.33s were first deployed by the FAA, replacing the Mosquito FB Mk.VIs of 811 Squadron.[14]
Hawker Sea Fury; an example of the type used by 811 Squadron
In August 1953, 811 Squadron was reformed at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), Angus, starting with nine Sea Fury FB.11 aircraft, which was subsequently increased to twelve.[17]
The Hawker Sea Fury marked the last piston-engine fighter employed by the Fleet Air Arm in active squadrons, serving from 1947 until 1955. It was distinguished as the first British naval aircraft to incorporate power-folding wings in routine operations. The Sea Fury began its operational service in the late summer of 1947.[18]
In February 1954, the squadron boarded the Colossus-classlight fleet carrierHMSWarrior for a journey to the Mediterranean. By the time the squadron navigated through the Suez Canal two months later, two additional aircraft had been incorporated. Their route included stops at Aden and Singapore. In May, the squadron conducted operational strikes against Malaysian bandit positions in the Johore Baru region, followed by exercises off the coasts of Korea and Japan in June and July. The squadron returned home via South Africa and officially disbanded at RNAS Ford on 30 December.[7]
Sea Hawk (1955-1956)
811 Squadron was reformed at RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar), Moray, on 14 March 1955[19] with an initial complement of Sea Hawk FB3 jets. The Hawker Sea Hawk was initially introduced to FAA squadrons in 1953, with the FB3 variant, designed as a fighter bomber, making its inaugural flight on 13 March 1954 and the FGA 4 variant, designed for close air support (CAS) operations, making its inaugural flight on 26 August 1954.[20]
Originally designated for the lead ship of her classHMSCentaur, the squadron was instead deployed on sister shipHMSBulwark in June for a visit to Sweden.[21] In October, the aircraft participated in exercises aboard another sister ship HMSAlbion and in January 1956, they finally joined HMS Centaur, embarking on a journey to the Far East via the Suez Canal. Following a series of exercises and demonstrations over Karachi, Bombay, Colombo, Hong Kong, and Singapore, the squadron returned to the United Kingdom and was disbanded upon arrival on 16 May 1956.[7][22][23]
Aircraft flown
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[7]
1234567"811 Squadron". Squadron Database of the Fleet Air Arm Archive. 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
↑"815 Squadron". Squadron Database of the Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939–1945. 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
↑"Avro 652". Aircraft Database of the Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939–1945. 2001. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
Ballance, Theo; Howard, Lee; Sturtivant, Ray (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN978-0-85130-489-2.
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