883 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | Royal Navy 10 October 1941 – 15 November 1942 18 September 1945 – 23 February 1946 Royal Canadian Navy 15 May 1947 - 1 May 1951 |
Country | United Kingdom Canada |
Branch | Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy |
Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
Role | Fleet fighter squadron |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
Home station | See Naval air stations section for full list. |
Motto(s) | Ex nubibus vincemus (Latin for 'From the clouds we will conquer') (Royal Canadian Navy) |
Engagements | World War II |
Battle honours |
|
Insignia | |
Squadron badge (Royal Canadian Navy) | Barry wavy of eight white and blue; a lozenge black surmounted by an eagle volant white grasping in the claws a lightning flash fesswise [1] |
Identification Markings (Royal Navy) | individual letters (Seafire) |
Identification Markings (Royal Canadian Navy) | VG-AAA+ (Seafire & Sea Fury) |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | Hawker Sea Hurricane (RN) Supermarine Seafire (RN & RCN) Hawker Sea Fury (RCN) |
883 Naval Air Squadron (883 NAS) was a naval air squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was established in October 1941, [2] and disbanded in February 1946. [3] 883 Squadron RCN formed in May 1947 as a Royal Canadian Navy unit. It was redesignated as 871 Naval Air Squadron on 1 May 1951.
883 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Somerset, on 10 October 1941 as a Fleet Fighter squadron, led by Royal Marines Captain W.H.C. Manson. It was equipped with six Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk Ib, a navalised version of the Hawker Hurricane single seat fighter aircraft. [4]
On 28 January 1942, the squadron moved to Scotland to operate as part of No. 14 Group RAF in Fighter Command. It initially operated from RAF Fraserburgh and then from RAF Peterhead, both in Aberdeenshire. [1]
The squadron relocated to RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), Argyll and Bute, on 11 May and was back under Fleet Air Arm control. On 16 June it embarked in the name ship of her class, HMS Avenger. The escort carrier was assigned to Arctic convoy operations and the squadron used RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk), Orkney, as a shore base. [4]
In September 1942 HMS Avenger was assigned to Convoy PQ18 which consisted forty Allied cargo ships sailing from Scotland and Iceland to Arkhangelsk in the Soviet Union. 883, along with 802 Naval Air Squadron, shot down five Luftwaffe aircraft and damaged seventeen others. [1]
HMS Avenger was later entrusted with providing air cover for Operation Torch during early November. However, on 15 November she was torpedoed and sunk with a heavy loss of life and 883 Naval Air Squadron ceased to exist. [4]
On 18 September 1945 883 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), Angus. It was equipped with sixteen Supermarine Seafire F Mk.III fighter aircraft, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire. [1] The squadron was intended for the 10th Carrier Air Group with the British Pacific Fleet, but by the time it formed it was no longer required following V-J Day. [5]
The squadron then moved to RNAS Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail), County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in November. Here it swapped its sixteen F Mk.III Supermarine Seafire aircraft for eighteen F Mk.XVs. The squadron was however meant for the Royal Canadian Navy, but this was halted due to resource constraints. The squadron moved to RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) where it disbanded on 23 February 1946. [1]
883 Naval Air Squadron was established as a unit of the Royal Canadian Navy at RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on 15 May 1947. Initially, it was equipped with twelve Supermarine Seafire F Mk XV fighter aircraft, designated for fleet air defence aboard HMCS Warrior, as part of the 18th Carrier Air Group. In September 1948, the squadron transitioned to eight Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 fighter-bomber aircraft and underwent a reorganisation in November, resulting in its transfer to the 19th Carrier Air Group, with which it subsequently deployed on HMCS Magnificent. However, in a shift of policy, the squadron returned to the 18th Carrier Air Group in January 1951, but was redesignated as 871 Naval Air Squadron on 1 May of the same year. [1]
The squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including: [1]
The battle honours awarded to 883 Naval Air Squadron are: [4]
883 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force stations in the UK, and a Royal Navy escort carrier: [1]
1941 - 1942
1945 - 1946
883 Squadron RCN operated from a naval air station of the Royal Canadian Navy in Canada, a Royal Canadian Air Force station and a couple of airbases overseas, also a couple of Royal Canadian Navy aircraft carriers: [1]
1947 - 1951
List of commanding officers of 883 Naval Air Squadron. [2]
List of commanding officers of 833 Squadron RCN: [1]
736 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was most recently recommissioned at HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose in June 2013 to fly the BAE Systems Hawk, mainly in the maritime aggressor role, following the disbandment of the Fleet Requirements and Aircraft Direction Unit (FRADU) and operated up until March 2022. It initially formed as the School of Air Combat in May 1943 at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. In September 1943 it moved to HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, where it became the Fighter Combat School and it created an independent 'B' Flight for fighter affiliation work between March and September 1945. 736 Naval Air Squadron moved to HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose in February 1950 as the Naval Air Fighter School in the 52nd Training Air Group, but disbanded in August 1952. Immediately the following day, the squadron reformed at HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose out of 702 Naval Air Squadron as an Advanced Jet Flying School and in November 1953 it moved to HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth. 736 Naval Air Squadron disbanded there in March 1965, but what was left became 764 Naval Air Squadron ‘B’ Flight. The squadron reformed the same day at Lossiemouth from 809 Naval Air Squadron as a Jet Strike Training Squadron. 1966. In March 1967, its aircraft were part of the group that bombed and set on fire the supertanker SS Torrey Canyon aground and leaking crude oil on Seven Sisters rocks off Cornwall. The squadron disbanded in February 1972.
778 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. During the Second World War the squadron was a Service Trials Unit (STU) initially based at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England before moving to HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland on 6 July 1940. The squadron tested all types of aircraft that could be used by the Royal Navy. Key to this was testing new types for deck landing on aircraft carriers. Such aircraft included various types of Supermarine Seafires, Grumman Hellcats, Grumman Martlets, Grumman Avengers, and Vought Corsairs. The squadron was reformed on 5 November 1951 with Douglas Skyraider AEW.1 but was disbanded on 7 July 1952 to form the basis of 849 Naval Air Squadron.
879 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm that was active during the Second World War. It was formed in 1942, and from 1943 was equipped with Supermarine Seafire fighters, operating mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. It took part in the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy in 1943 and Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. It was disbanded in 1946.
884 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, which last disbanded in July 1943. It formed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, as a Fleet Fighter squadron, in November 1941. The squadron assisted RAF Fighter Command, providing fighter cover and also participated other operations including the attempt to relieve the Siege of Malta and also the Allied invasion of French North Africa.
885 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. First formed on 1 March 1941, the squadron served as a fighter squadron during the Second World War. It operated in the Mediterranean in 1942–43, where it took part in Operation Torch, the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa, the Allied invasion of Sicily and the Allied invasion of Italy. In 1944 it took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy, spotting for Allied artillery bombardments and in 1945, was deployed as part of the British Pacific Fleet. It was abolished for the last time on 27 September 1945.
886 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, as a Fleet Fighter squadron during March 1942. The squadron was loaned to RAF Fighter Command during the summer of 1942, returning the Fleet Air Arm later on in the year. 1943 saw it participate in Operation Avalanche, part of the Allied invasion of Italy. The following year it was involved with operations over Normandy, spotting for the allied invasion of France from 6 to the end of June 1944, disbanding the following month.
887 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, which last disbanded during March 1946. It was formed as a Fleet Fighter squadron in May 1942 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS, Lee-on-Solent. The squadron embarked in HMS Unicorn during 1943 for convoy escort duties and later in the year to cover the allied landings at Salerno, Italy. At the end of 1943 it formed part of the 24th Naval Fighter Wing. 1944 saw it embark in HMS Indefatigable and the squadron saw action in operations against the german battleship Tirpitz during early 1944 and then joined the British Pacific Fleet at the end of the year. It was part of the attacks on the oil refineries at Palembang at the start of 1945 and later in the year it was involved in sorties around Tokyo, as part of the 7th Carrier Air Group, before V-J Day.
730 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1944 and 1945 as a Communications Squadron. The squadron was formed and operated out of RNAS Abbotsinch from April to November 1944, by that point in time it operated four types of aircraft. It moved to RNAS Ayr and while there gained two more aircraft types. For the first three months of 1945 a detachment operated out of RNAS Machrihanish, however, the squadron remained at RNAS Ayr until disbanding in August 1945.
740 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active between May and August in 1943, formed as an Observer Training Squadron at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. From December 1943 to September 1945 it was a Communications Squadron formed at and operated from HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
748 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed, at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, as a Fighter Pool Squadron, before becoming No. 10 Naval Operational Training Unit. The squadron moved to HMS Dipper, RNAS Henstridge, in February 1944 and then onto HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton in the March. In September 1944, 748 Naval Air Squadron moved to HMS Goldcrest, RNAS Dale, in Wales, remaining for just under twelve months, before moving back to HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn in August 1945, where it disbanded in February 1946. During its existence, the squadron was equipped with numerous aircraft and various marks, operated by the Fleet Air Arm.
751 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.1 Observer School. 751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath. Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee, remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.
759 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was created on November 1, 1939, and was disbanded on December 24, 1969. It was initially intended as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron but became a Fighter School and Pool Squadron in 1939, at RNAS Eastleigh. It operated out of RNAS Yeovilton from 1940 to 1946, as part of the Naval Air Fighter School. In 1943 a detachment operated out of RNAS Angle, working with 794 NAS and known as the Naval Air Firing Unit. It was again the Naval Air Fighter School upon reformation in 1951 and disbandment in 1954, firstly at RNAS Culdrose and then moving to RNAS Lossiemouth, in 1953. The squadron reformed again, this time at RNAS Brawdy in 1963, as the Naval Advanced Flying Training School, before finally disbanding in 1969.
766 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was to have initially formed in 1939 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as a Seaplane School, however, it formed at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihannish, as a Night ALT Course, in 1942. It moved to HMS Nightjar, RNAS Inskip, in 1943, to become part of No. 1 Naval Operational Training Unit. By 1944, it was operating over 30 Swordfish aircraft, but, during the year, also acquired Firefly aircraft from 1772 NAS, and Sea Hurricane aircraft from 760 NAS. It moved to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray, early in 1946, but later that year, moved to HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth, where it received Seafire aircraft, along with being Part 1 of the Operational Flying School. By late 1951, Sea Fury trainer aircraft were also added to its varied list of types operated. In 1953, the squadron moved to HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, where it disbanded in 1954.
768 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). 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.
772 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded during September 1995. 772 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit out of 'Y' Flight from 771 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Lee-on-Solent in September 1939. While the headquarters remained there, floatplanes were operated out of RNAS Portland, however, mid 1940 saw the whole squadron move north to RNAS Campbeltown and roughly twelve months afterwards the short distance to RNAS Machrihanish. The unit moved to RNAS Ayr in July 1944 and became the Fleet Requirements Unit School. In January 1946 the squadron moved to RNAS Burscough in Lancashire, before moving to RNAS Anthorn in Cumberland, in May. It became the Northern Fleet Requirements Unit upon moving to RNAS Arbroath, in June 1947, but disbanded into 771 Naval Air Squadron in October. 772 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Helicopter Support Squadron at RNAS Portland in September 1974. In September 1977 the squadron took over responsibility for a number of Ships' Flights of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. The squadron was used to reform 848 Naval Air Squadron for the Falklands Task Force in 1982, with the Ships' Flights absorbed into 847 Naval Air Squadron. In August 1982 it took on the Anti-Submarine Warfare Flight from 737 Naval Air Squadron and between 1983 - 1985 a Search and Rescue Flight operated out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent.
787 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in January 1956. It formed in March 1941, at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, out of 804 Naval Air Squadron as a Fleet Fighter Development Unit. Almost every type of fighter was received by the squadron for testing and evaluation for naval use. A move to RAF Duxford in June 1941 saw it become the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, attached to the Royal Air Force's Air Fighting Development Unit. The squadron undertook rocket projectile test, continuous development of fighter tactics and even helping Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance squadrons in evading fighter attack. Post Second World War it continued its trials task and also undertook Rebecca radar trials and ASH, US-built air-to-surface-vessel radar trials.
790 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in November 1949 at RNAS Culdrose. It initially formed during 1941 as an Air Target Towing Unit, at HMS Landrail, RNAS Macrihanish, in Scotland, from elements of two other Fleet Air Arm squadrons, however, this only lasted for three months and the unit was disbanded, absorbed into 772 Naval Air Squadron. It reformed the following year, in July 1942, tasked as a Fighter Direction Training Unit, at RNAS Charlton Horethorne. It provided support for the Fighter Direction School and had short spells at RAF Culmhead and RNAS Zeals, before reloacting to RNAS Dale in Pembrokeshire, next to the new purpose built Air Direction School, HMS Harrier or RNADC Kete, in 1945. The squadron moved to HMS Seahawk in Cornwall during December 1947.
799 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded during August 1952. It initially formed as a Pool Squadron in South Africa during September 1943, sharing Fairey Albacore aircraft with 798 Naval Air Squadron and providing flying time for aircrew prior to front line squadron assignment, disbanding in June 1944. It reformed in July 1945 as a Flying Check and Conversion Refresher Squadron at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent. Made up of three distinct flights, two of those operated away from Lee-on-Solent with a flight at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, giving junior officers air experience, and another flight at HMS Dipper providing Supermarine Sea Otter conversion training. By May 1948 the whole unit had moved to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. In 1951, 799 Naval Air Squadron relocated to RNAS Machrihanish.
871 Naval Air Squadron, also known as VF-871, was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It was established in May 1951, and was disbanded in March 1959.