877 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1 April - 30 December 1943 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
Role | Fleet fighter squadron |
Size | nine aircraft |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | Hawker Hurricane |
877 Naval Air Squadron (877 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The squadron formed at Tanga, Tanganyika Territory in April 1943 as a Fleet Fighter unit for local defence duties, using RAF Hurricane IIBs. In July 1943 the squadron moved to Port Reitz, Mombasa with the intention to fly with long-range fuel tanks to the defence of Ceylon but this was cancelled and the squadron disbanded in December 1943. [1]
877 Naval Air Squadron was established at RNAS Tanga (HMS Kilele) (formerly Tanganyika, now Tanzania) in East Africa, on 1 April 1943, [2] serving as a Fleet Fighter unit tasked with local defense operations. The squadron was equipped with nine long-range Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane IIB, fighter aircraft, which had been borrowed for this purpose. [3] These aircraft were modified for anti-submarine patrols along the East African coast by being fitted with depth charges, necessitating the removal of their two outer .303 Browning machine guns to accommodate the additional weight. [4]
In July, the relocation to RN Air Section Port Reitz, situated at RAF Port Reitz in Mombasa, Kenya, [5] was intended to facilitate the aerial transport of the aircraft across the Indian Ocean to Ceylon, with the objective of strengthening the island's defense capabilities. [4] However, this plan did not come to fruition. Ultimately, the squadron, which had a brief existence, was disbanded at RN Air Section Port Reitz on 30 December. [3]
877 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:
877 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations overseas: [4]
List of commanding officers of 877 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: [3]
714 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). The unit was initially established as 714 (Catapult) Flight in July 1936. By 1939, it had evolved from a flight into a squadron and was actively operating from the cruisers HMS Gloucester, HMS Liverpool, and HMS Manchester at the onset of the Second World War, utilising Supermarine Walrus aircraft, with RAF Seletar and RAF China Bay serving as its shore bases. In 1940, it was incorporated into 700 Naval Air Squadron. Subsequently, in August 1944, it was reestablished at HMS Owl, RNAS Fearn, as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training Squadron, equipped with Fairey Barracuda aircraft. The squadron relocated to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray, in October and was disbanded nearly one year later, almost to the exact day.
813 Naval Air Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) during World War II and again post-war. It initially operated Swordfish Mk Is from the aircraft carrier Illustrious and took part in the successful raid on Taranto in November 1940.
712 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It was initially established as a (Catapult) Flight in 1936, before being upgraded to squadron status in 1938. It was charged with operating Supermarine Walrus seaplanes for the cruisers HMS Glasgow, HMS Newcastle, HMS Sheffield and HMS Southampton, which all commissioned during 1937. Assigned to the Humber Force and the 18th Cruiser Squadron at the start of the Second World War, the group totalled nine vessels with eighteen Supermarine Walrus aircraft. However, in January 1940, it combined with 700 Naval Air Squadron. It was reformed at HMS Sparrowhawk, RNAS Hatston, in August 1944, as a Communications Squadron, taking 'B' flight from 771 Naval Air Squadron. The aircraft used were Stinson Reliant, Supermarine Sea Otter, and Beech Traveller. The squadron was disbanded in August 1945.
715 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) created in July 1936 to serve as a catapult flight of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force. It was elevated to squadron status at the end of 1937, before being disbanded in January 1940. It was re-formed in August 1944 to operate as the Fighter Wing of the School of Air Combat, before being disbanded in March 1946, and absorbed into 736 Naval Air Squadron.
731 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It was active between 1943 and 1945 and its sole role throughout its formation was a Deck Landing Control Officer training squadron. Through this role the squadron pilots were nicknamed 'Clockwork Mice'. It was based out of the purpose built airbase, commissioned as HMS Peewit, known as Royal Naval Air Station East Haven, in Scotland, as part of the Deck Landing Training School there.
768 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It last disbanded at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland, in March 1949, having been formed as a Deck Landing Control Officer Training Squadron, in December 1948, to ensure one American-style signal trained DLCO could be located at every FAA station. It first formed as part of the Deck Landing Training School at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, in January 1941, as a Deck Landing Training Squadron. Advanced training was in HMS Argus, for which a detachment was maintained at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihanish, where it wholly moved to in March 1943. September saw a move to RAF Heathfield, Ayr, followed by a further move to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch in January 1944. Training used escort carriers on the Firth of Clyde and a detachment was maintained at (Heathfield)Ayr throughout this period, with the squadron returning there in July 1945, at this time HMS Wagtail, RNAS Ayr. In August the squadron moved to HMS Corncrake, RNAS Ballyhalbert in Northern Ireland but then in October it joined up with the Deck Landing School at HMS Peewit, RNAS East Haven, Scotland, where it disbanded in April 1946.
769 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). 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.
770 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It last disbanded at HMS Nighthawk, RNAS Drem in October 1945. 770 Naval Air Squadron initially formed as a Deck Landing Training Squadron at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in November 1939. Embarked in HMS Argus, and operated from the aircraft carrier and Hyeres la Palyvestre in the south of France, until it disbanded in May 1940. It reformed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, on New Year’s Day 1941, as a Fleet Requirements Unit out of 771 Naval Air Squadron’s 'X' Flight. It moved to HMS Jackdaw, RNAS Crail, in June 1941, then two and half years later it moved to HMS Jackdaw II, RNAS Dunino in January 1944, before finally moving to HMS Nighthawk in July.
774 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which last disbanded in August 1945. 774 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Kestrel, RNAS Worthy Down, in November 1939 as an Armament Training Squadron for Observers and TAGs. Aircraft were assigned from storage and a couple of other naval air squadrons. It moved a week later to RAF Aldergrove, and was attached to No.3 Bombing and Gunnery School. In July 1940 it moved to HMS Fieldfare, RNAS Evanton, and then in September to HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, Throughout the next few years, the older aircraft were withdrawn and replaced with newer types and variants. 774 NAS moved to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray in October 1944, where it became a target-towing unit.
775 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which last disbanded in March 1946. 775 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Grebe, RNAS Dekheila, during November 1940, as a Fleet Requirements Unit in support of the Mediterranean Fleet, based at Alexandria, Egypt. Between October 1941 and March 1942 the squadron also included the RN Fighter Flight. It absorbed 728 Naval Air Squadron in July 1943 and moved to RN Air Section Gibraltar at the start of February 1944. The squadron returned to HMS Grebe, RNAS Dekheila during August 1945.
776 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) 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.
779 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). Formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, in October 1941, at RN 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.
780 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) 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.
782 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). 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.
784 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) 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.
788 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which last disbanded during June 1945. The squadron formed at RN Air Section China Bay in Ceylon, in January 1942, as the British Eastern Fleet's Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool, however it lost half its strength during the heavy raids by Japanese carrier-borne aircraft in the April. The squadron regrouped at RNAS Tanga in Tanganyika, East Africa to become a Fleet Requirements Unit and relocating almost immediately to RN Air Section Port Reitz, in Mombasa, where it remained operational for the next three years.
789 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which disbanded in November 1945. 789 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit at RNARY Wingfield in South Africa, at the beginning of July 1942. It initially only had a single Supermarine Walrus, needing to borrow other aircraft types. 1943 saw the squadron sharing and holding aircraft for other Fleet Air Arm units and it wasn’t until 1944 it started to receive a notable number of its own aircraft.
794 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which disbanded in March 1947. The squadron formed as an Air Target Towing Squadron, at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, during August 1940, although operated target tug aircraft out of the satellite, RNAS Haldon. In April 1943 it provided a detachment at RAF Warmwell as an air firing unit and three months later the squadron relocated to RNAS Angle and became the Naval Air Firing Unit. Further moves followed in quick succession, to HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, in September, HMS Dipper, RNAS Henstridge, in November and HMS Heron II, RNAS Charlton Horethorne in December and by which time the squadron was designated No. 1 Naval Air Firing Unit, but disbanded in June 1944. The squadron reformed at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, in January 1945, as the School of Air Firing and later in the year was tasked to support the newly formed Ground Attack School. It moved to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, during August, and at this point had three flights providing courses for aerial warfare, airstrike and aerial reconnaissance.
795 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which last disbanded at RNAS Ford, in Sussex, during March 1947. Originally formed as the Eastern Fleet Fighter Pool at RNAS Tanga, in Tanganyika, in June 1942, it’s 'A' Flight's supported the invasion of Madagascar, from HMS Illustrious, before being detached at Majunga on anti-submarine patrols as part of the Royal Air Force’s No. 207 Group. The squadron later moved to RNAS Mackinnon Road, in Kenya, before disbanding during August 1943. It reformed as a Refresher Training Squadron at RNAS Eglinton, in Northern Ireland, in August 1946 as part of the Fleet Air Arm’s 52nd Training Air Group and later included a couple of deployments in HMS Implacable.
796 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) 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.