870 Naval Air Squadron RCN | |
---|---|
Active | 1 May 1951 – 30 March 1954 1 November 1955 – 7 September 1962 |
Disbanded | 7 September 1962 |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Royal Canadian Navy |
Type | Fighter squadron |
Motto(s) | Intercedimus et delemus (Latin for 'To intercept and to destroy') |
Colors | White and blue |
Insignia | |
Squadron badge | Azure issuant from a base barry wavy of three Argent and Azure a winged demi lion Or armed and langued Gules. [1] (The design shows a lion rising from the water by means of wings and assuming a fighting posture.) |
Squadron code | BC (May 1951–June 1952) [2] |
870 Naval Air Squadron (870 NAS), also known as VF-870, was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It was formed when 803 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy was renumbered to 870 NAS on 1 May 1951. It operated throughout the 1950s and early 1960s before disbanding on 7 September 1962. It was the first RCN squadron to operate jet aircraft. [3]
870 Naval Air Squadron was formed on 1 May 1951 when 803 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm was re-numbered. [4] It was initially based at RCNAS Shearwater, Nova Scotia, with the Squadron operating the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11. [5] In November 1952, 870 NAS adopted an American-styled squadron designation becoming VF-870. [6] On 24 September 1953, the Squadron relocated to RCAF Summerside on Prince Edward Island. [5] VF-870 had its first deployment in January 1954 when it was attached to HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), it finished its deployment on 9 March. The Squadron stood down for the first time on 30 March. [1]
VF-870 reformed on 1 November 1955, this time equipped with 10 McDonnell F2H-3 Banshees, becoming the first jet squadron in the Royal Canadian Navy. [3] [7] The commanding officer of VF-870 at its reformation was future Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Cdr. Robert Hilborn Falls. [7] A total of 39 Banshees were eventually purchased second-hand from the United States Navy (USN) for a cost of $25 million, serving with VF-870, VF-871 and VX-10. [8] [9] VF-870 was attached, along with VF-871, to the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22) – Canada's newest carrier – from which it would deploy. [5] While not deployed, VF-870 was based at RCNAS Shearwater. [3] The Squadron participated in the 1956 Canadian International Air Show in Toronto. [7] The Squadron suffered a loss in August 1957, when a Banshee crashed into a Grumman Avenger AS.3, with one aircraft taking off as the other was landing. [10] VF-870 made their first deployment on 7 September 1957, which lasted until 30 October. [5]
On 16 March 1959, VF-871 amalgamated with VF-870 thus leaving the Squadron as the only RCN unit to operate the Banshee. [4] The Squadron made its final deployment on HMCS Bonaventure on 9 April 1962, lasting until 29 June 1962. [5] While not deployed, VF-870 flew intercepts in the Canadian sector of NORAD. [3] [8] VF-870 disbanded for the last time on 7 September 1962. Throughout its service, the Royal Canadian Navy lost 12 of the 39 Banshees it had purchased, including those of VF-870. [11] A replacement for the Banshee never came to fruition making VF-870 one of only three RCN squadrons to ever operate a jet fighter. [3] [9]
Aircraft operated included: [5]
Commanding officers included: [5]
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