List of aircraft wings of the Royal Navy

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This is a list of aircraft wings of the Royal Navy. A Wing designation consisted a number to differentiate each one and a simple label for the role of the wing. Each wing was formed of a small number of Naval Air Squadrons and were mostly either a fighter wing or a torpedo, bomber and reconnaissance wing, and there included a proposed MAC ship (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) wing. [1]

Contents

Royal Navy air wings

The Fleet Air Arm squadrons, embarked on the Fleet and Light Fleet aircraft carriers, were grouped into explicit Wings from June 1943. Due to the existing Royal Air Force Wings having the same number designation, each Fleet Air Arm Wing contained the word Naval in its title. The Wings were each allocated a unique number and the name of each wing also contained the designated wings role. There were two significant roles with each wing being either a Fighter wing or a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance wing, with the latter known as a TBR wing. [2]

Beginning on 25 October 1943, the establishment of certain Royal Navy air wings commenced. However, not all of the air wings that the Fleet Air Arm intended to create were ultimately realised. [2] The air wings that were part of the British Pacific Fleet were reorganized into new Carrier Air Groups, resulting in their disbandment. This restructuring was implemented to conform to United States Navy policy following the conclusion of the Second World War in Europe, with the aim of bolstering Allied operations in the Pacific War against Japan in 1945. [3]

The remaining Wings were gradually disbanded in the months that followed, typically coinciding with the return of the aircraft carrier to its home port. [2]

Unified list of numbered wings

The table below covers all the wings that were formed or proposed during World War II.

Aircraft wings of the Royal Navy.
Wings were either formed as Fighter wings or Torpedo, Bomber & Reconnaissance (TBR) wings
(including the 18th Naval MAC-Ship Wing and the proposed 31st TBR Wing)
WingSummary [4] [5] Notes
2nd Naval TBR Wing2 WingFormed on 29 January 1944 with 828 and 841 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Implacable. Disbanded in November. Reformed as No. 2 Strike Wing on 10 December 1944, disbanded January 1945. [6]
3rd Naval Fighter Wing3 WingFormed on 25 October 1944 at RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) with 808, 886 and 897 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Hunter, HMS Attacker and HMS Stalker respectively. It later incorporated 885 Naval Air Squadron. Further additions and mergers left the wing with 800, 808, 885 and 1840 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Emperor, HMS Khedive, HMS Ruler and HMS Speaker respectively. Disbanded on 9 December 1945. [6]
4th Naval Fighter Wing4 WingFormed at RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) on 25 October 1943 with 807, 809 and 879 Naval Air Squadrons. Disbanded at RNAS Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) on 25 January 1946 [6]
5th Naval Fighter Wing5 WingFormed with 1839 and 1844 Naval Air Squadrons at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) in December 1943 for HMS Begum, later transferring to HMS Indomitable. Amalgamted into 11th Carrier Air Group on 30 June 1945 [6]
6th Naval Fighter Wing6 WingFormed at RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) in February 1944 with 1837 Naval Air Squadron. Initially with HMS Atheling, transferred to HMS Illustrious, then to HMS Victorious and absorbded into 47 Wing. Reformed with 1841 and 1842 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Formidable. Absorbed into 2nd Carrier Air Group on 30 June 1945 [6]
7th Naval Fighter Wing7 WingFormed at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) on 30 October 1943. 808 and 804 Naval Air Squadroins for HMS Emperor, 881 and 896 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Pursuer and 882 and 898 Naval Air Squadrons for HMS Searcher. Disbanded 16 December 1944 [7]
8th Naval TBR Wing8 WingFormed on 25 October 1943 for HMS Furious. 827 and 830 Naval Air Squadrons. Disbanded on 3 October 1944 [7]
9th Naval TBR Wing9 WingFormed for HMS Indefatigable with 820 and 826 Naval Air Squadrons on 11 February 1944. Disdnabed on 23 October 1944 [7]
10th Naval Fighter Wing10 WingFormed with 1843 and 1845 Naval Air Squadrons at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) on 14 October 1944. HMS Arbiter then HMS Formidable. Disbanded into 3rd Carrier Air Group 30 June 1945 [7]
11th Naval TBR Wing11 WingFormed at RAF Ulunderpet, India on 21 April 1944 with 822 and 823 Naval Air Squadrons by renumbering 45 Wing. Disbanded 6 July 1944 [7]
12th Naval TBR Wing12 WingFormed on 24 January 1944 with 815 and 817 Naval Air Squadrons. HMS Begum then HMS Indomitable. Disbanded on 28 December 1944 [7]
15th Naval Fighter Wing15 WingFormed at RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap) on 8 November 1943 with 1830, 1831 and 1833 Naval Air Squadrons. Joined HMS Illustrious. Disbanded UK on 28 July 1945 [7]
18th Naval MAC-ship Wing18 WingProposed wing for MAC-ship squadrons (see 836 Naval Air Squadron) [8]
21st Naval TBR Wing21 EingFormed with 810 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) on 25 October 1943. Joined HMS Illustrious. Disbanded on 30 June 1944 [7]
24th Naval Fighter Wing24 WingFormed at RNAS Henstridge (HMS Dipper) on 25 October 1943 with 887 and 894 Naval Air Squadrons. Joined HMS Indefatigable. Absorbed into 7th Carrier Air Group on 30 June 1945 [7]
30th Naval Fighter Wing30 WingFormed at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) on 10 October 1944 for HMS Implacable with 801 and 880 Naval Air Squadrons. Absorbed into the 8th Carrier Air Group on 30 June 1945 [7]
31st Naval TBR Wing31 WingProposed for HMS Victorious at RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) in October 1943 but not formed [8]
45th Naval TBR Wing45 WingFormed on 25 October 1943 with 822 and 823 Naval Air Squadrons. HMS Atheling. Renumbered 11th TBR Naval Wing on 21 April 1944 [9]
47th Naval Fighter Wing 47 WingFormed at RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap) on 17 January 1944 for HMS Victorious with 1834 and 1836 Naval Air Squadrons. Added 1837 Naval Air Squadron. Absorbed into 1st Carrier Air Group on 30 June 1945 [9]
52nd Naval TBR Wing52 WingFormed on 26 November 1943 with 815 and 817 Naval Air Squadrons and allocated to HMS Victorious. Became 12 Wing with HMS Begum. Received 829 and 831 Naval Air Squadrons. Later added 827 Naval Air Squadron. Disbanded 9 July 1944 [9]

Wing histories

Wing Codes 1943-45

List of Wing Codes of the Fleet Air Arms Naval Air Wings, applied between 1943 and 1945. [19]

LetterWingActive dates
A15th Naval Fighter WingNovember 1943 - July 1945
B26(not formed)
C29(not formed)
D4th Naval Fighter WingOctober 1943 - November 1945
E16(not formed)
F35(not formed)
G28(not formed)
H24th Naval Fighter WingNovember 1943 - June 1945
I11th Naval TBR WingApril 1944 - July 1944
J44(not formed)
K3rd Naval Fighter WingNovember 1943 - October 1945
L6th Naval Fighter WingFebruary 1944 - June 1945
M18th Naval MAC-Ship WingMay 1943 - July 1945
N40(not formed)
O10th Naval Fighter WingOctober 1944 - February 1945
P30th Naval Fighter WingOctober 1944 - June 1945
Q43(not formed)
R5th Naval Fighter WingFebruary 1943 - June 1945
S49(not formed)
T47th Naval Fighter WingJanuary 1944 - June 1945
U22(not formed)
V42(not formed)
W7th Naval Fighter WingOctober 1943 - February 1944
X33(not formed)
Y37(not formed)
Z13(not formed)

Carrier Air Groups

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   0-85130-223-8.
  • Ballance, Theo; Howard, Lee; Sturtivant, Ray (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN   978-0-85130-489-2.
  • Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7509-9303-6.