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RAF Kai Tak | |||||||||||
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at Kai Tak Airport, in Kowloon, on the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong | |||||||||||
Coordinates | 22°19′43″N114°11′39″E / 22.32861°N 114.19417°E | ||||||||||
Type | Royal Air Force station | ||||||||||
Site information | |||||||||||
Owner | British Hong Kong | ||||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force (1927–1941, 1945–1978) Royal Navy (1939–1941, 1945–1947) | ||||||||||
Controlled by | Far East Air Force (1945–1971) Fleet Air Arm (1939–1941, 1945–1947) | ||||||||||
Site history | |||||||||||
In use |
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Battles/wars | |||||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||||
Identifiers | IATA: | ||||||||||
Elevation | 10 feet (3.0 m) AMSL | ||||||||||
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Source: Royal Navy Research Archive [1] [2] |
Royal Air Force Kai Tak or more commonly RAF Kai Tak is a former Royal Air Force station situated in Hong Kong, at Kai Tak Airport, Kowloon. It was established by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.
It was also the location of HMS Nabcatcher, a Royal Navy Mobile Operational Naval Air Base, (MONAB) VIII, which was there between 1945 and 1947. At the start of April 1947, it was decommissioned and concurrently re-commissioned as HMS Flycatcher. At the end of December, HMS Flycatcher was officially decommissioned at Kai Tak, although the Royal Navy retained lodger rights.
The lodging facilities ceased to operate following the official decommissioning of RAF Kai Tak on 30 June 1978, at which point all RAF units and responsibilities were transferred to RAF Sek Kong. [2]
This section needs expansionwith: WW2 Japanese use. You can help by adding to it. (November 2024) |
On 24 May 1939, the control of all Fleet Air Arm squadrons and flights was transferred to the Admiralty, while the Royal Air Force (RAF) granted lodger rights at Kai Tak. No. 715 Catapult Flight, which had been established at RAF Kai Tak in 1936, was by this point engaged in operations with Supermarine Walrus amphibious maritime patrol aircraft on Royal Navy cruisers, using Kai Tak as its shore base. 715 Naval Air Squadron represented the sole Royal Navy presence at the station at the onset of the Second World War in September 1939. On 21 January 1940, this squadron was integrated into 700 Naval Air Squadron, which assumed responsibility for all catapult aircraft operations. [3]
On 8 December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army began Battle of Hong Kong soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The colony resisted for two weeks before surrendering on 25 December 1941. [4]
HMS Nabcatcher was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) at Kai Tak airfield. HMS Nabcatcher was also known as MONAB VIIII and Royal Naval Air Station Kai Tak (or RNAS Kai Tak).
On 26 September, MONAB VIII was established at Kai Tak airfield as RNAS Kai Tak, HMS Nabcatcher. This unit was designed to operate in a manner akin to those in Australia, providing shore facilities for disembarked squadrons and ultimately overseeing a Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU). Concurrently, the Royal Air Force began its operations at this site. It was decided that the station would be used collaboratively, comprising two camp and maintenance areas. The airfield was partitioned, with the RAF occupying the eastern section, which contained pre-war airfield infrastructure, while the Royal Navy used the western, undeveloped area for the deployment of MONAB equipment. It was established that the RAF would retain sole authority over Air Traffic Control. [5]
Personnel and equipment for Mobile Naval Air Base VIII had assembled in May 1945, at RNAS Middle Wallop (HMS Flycatcher) in Hampshire. This mobile air base was called a Fighter Support MONAB and its technical components were Mobile Maintenance (MM) No. 7, Mobile Servicing (MS) Nos. 13 and 14, with Mobile, Storage, and Reserve (MSR) No. 9, which provided support for Seafire, Corsair, and Firefly fighters. [5]
MONAB VIII was commissioned as HMS Nabcatcher on 1 July 1945, with Captain V. N. Surtees, DSO , RN, serving as the commanding officer. That month personnel boarded SS Majola, which departed for Sydney, Australia. The stores, equipment, and vehicles were loaded onto the SS Empire Chieftain, which departed on 7 July. The announcement of the Surrender of Japan was while at sea, leading to the celebration of V-J Day during the voyage. With the conclusion of the war, MONAB VIII was deemed unnecessary for operations in Australia. The MONAB was scheduled for transfer to Hong Kong, where it would be established at Kai Tak airport to assist in the reopening of the airfield and to offer shore-based support to the British Pacific Fleet units stationed in the region. [5]
The advance contingent of MONAB VIII was transported aboard the escort carrier HMS Slinger, which set sail from Australia for Hong Kong on 5 September. The SS Empire Chieftain reached Sydney two days prior, on 3 September and departed for Hong Kong on 15 September. Mobile, Storage, and Reserve (MSR) No. 9 embarked on the escort carrier HMS Reaper for its journey to Hong Kong, which commenced on 28 September. [1] 1701 Naval Air Squadron headquarters was established at HMS Nabcatcher on 1 November 1945 and 721 Naval Air Squadron, a Fleet Requirements Unit arrived on 11 January 1946 on the escort carrier HMS Speaker. [6]
In August 1946, there was a reduction in the naval presence at the station, 1701 Naval Air Squadron disbanding on 27 August, with its Sea Otter aircraft transferred to 721 Naval Air Squadron, the FRU. [6] The same day MONAB VIII was no longer recognised as an independent command, being downgraded to the status of RN Air Section Kai Tak. The ships account for Nabcatcher was maintained at HMS Tamar, the Royal Naval base in Hong Kong. [7]
At the beginning of October, the aircraft carrier HMS Glory docked in Hong Kong, where it disembarked its squadrons, 806 Naval Air Squadron with Seafire F Mk XV fighters and 837 Naval Air Squadron flying Firefly FR.I fighter reconnaissance aircraft. The squadrons re-embarked at the beginning of November, with 837 Naval Air Squadron returning to the ship on 4 November followed by 806 Naval Air Squadron two days later. [8]
On 8 November 1946, command of HMS Nabcatcher was transferred to Commander (A) W. H. N. Martin, RN, who also assumed the role of Fleet Aviation Officer (FAO) for the British Pacific Fleet. [2] On 27 November, more Seafire F Mk XV fighter aircraft arrived at the station when 802 Naval Air Squadron disembarked from HMS Venerable and they were joined by 806 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Glory on 19 December. [9]
The two Seafire squadrons remained at RNAS Kai Tak until 12 February 1947, then rejoined their aircraft carriers. [9] HMS Nabcatcher resumed its primary function of conducting FRU flights until 1 April, when a further administrative shift took place. Nabcatcher was decommissioned and the Air Section was re-commissioned as HMS Flycatcher, a name associated with the two MONAB formation stations in the United Kingdom, while accounts continued to be managed by HMS Tamar. [7]
The RN Air Section at Kai Tak marked the conclusion of its operations with the arrival of its final disembarked squadron on 20 October 1947. On this date, Seafire F Mk XV fighters from 804 Naval Air Squadron flew ashore from the aircraft carrier HMS Theseus, subsequently re-embarking on 4 November. A decision had been made to terminate the operations of the RN Air Section; the Fleet Requirements Unit was officially disbanded on 31 December and HMS Flycatcher was decommissioned on 31 December. [10] Following these events, the facilities of the RN Air Section at Kai Tak were downgraded to a 'care and maintenance', with an 18-month notice period established for potential reopening but this was never pursued, although the rights to disembark Royal Navy squadrons at the airfield were preserved. [7]
List of commanding officers of HMS Nabcatcher / Flycatcher with date of appointment:
List of units associated with MONAB VIII, in support of disembarked fighter squadrons:
The initial deployment of a Royal Navy squadron ashore following the transfer of the airfield to the Royal Air Force occurred during the Malayan Emergency. On 5 November 1949, 800 Naval Air Squadron, with Seafire FR Mk.47 fighters, disembarked from the Colossus class HMS Triumph and re-embarked on 3 December. The squadron returned on 13 March 1950, remaining on land for a duration of one month before re-embarking on 10 April. [11]
Sea Venom FAW.22 jet fighters of 891 Naval Air Squadron disembarked from the Centaur-class aircraft carrier HMS Bulwark on 17 May 1958. The squadron remained deployed until 3 June before returning to the carrier. [12] This deployment marked the sole occasion when Royal Navy jet aircraft used the historic runway 12/30. A new runway, 13/31, was inaugurated in September 1958, extending 2,800 yd (2,600 m) into Kowloon Bay on reclaimed land. This new runway was on the south-eastern side of the airfield, distinct from the other two runways. [2]
In December 1958, two squadrons from the Centaur-class light fleet carrier HMS Albion deployed detachments to Kai Tak. On 12, three Whirlwind HAS.7 anti-submarine helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron were deployed, followed by five Sea Venom FAW.21 jet fighter aircraft from 809 Naval Air Squadron on 19 December. Both groups rejoined HMS Albion on 5 January 1959. HMS Albion returned in July 1960, during which a detachment of four Sea Venom FAW.22 jets from 894 Naval Air Squadron was disembarked for a week-long stay. Later that same year, several Whirlwind HAS.7 anti-submarine helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron were landed from HMS Bulwark on 9 November and they re-embarked on 21 November. [13]
On 23 October 1963, HMS Victorious disembarked a contingent consisting of four Buccaneer S.1 aircraft from 801 Naval Air Squadron and four Sea Vixen FAW.1 aircraft from 893 Naval Air Squadron for a brief period, with both units re-embarking on 7 November. On 22 December, HMS Albion landed a detachment of three Whirlwind HAS.7 anti-submarine helicopters from 846 Naval Air Squadron, which departed on 12 January 1964. [14] In March of the same year, the Fairey Gannet AEW.3 aircraft from ‘B’ flight of 849 Naval Air Squadron were disembarked from the lead ship of her class HMS Centaur on the 28 and re-embarked on the 13 of the following month. [15]
HMS Centaur returned to Hong Kong in September 1964, disembarking de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.1 from 892 Naval Air Squadron on the 19, followed by, this time, the Fairey Gannet aircraft from ‘B’ flight of 849 Naval Air Squadron on the 25, both of which re-joined the carrier on 14 October. [15] [16]
849 Naval Air Squadron's 'D' flight returned to RAF Kai Tak on 23 February 1965, having flown its Fairey Gannet AEW.3 from RAF Seletar in Singapore in anticipation of the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle's arrival. The squadron embarked on the Audacious-class aircraft carrier on 11 March. Three years later, on 23 March 1968, the same flight disembarked from HMS Eagle for a short period, rejoining the vessel on 6 April. [17]
The final Royal Navy helicopter squadron to operate from RAF Kai Tak was the Westland Wessex HU.5 troop transporter equipped 847 Naval Air Squadron, which arrived on 28 September 1970 after flying in from RNAS Sembawang (HMS Simbang), Singapore. They departed to return to RNAS Sembawang on 23 October, just under a month later. [18] The last Royal Navy aircraft to utilise the landing rights at RAF Kai Tak were two Fairey Gannet AEW.3 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from 'D' flight of 849 Naval Air Squadron, which were put ashore from HMS Eagle on 14 October 1971 and re-embarked on 27. [19]
The lodger facilities were discontinued after the formal closure of RAF Kai Tak on 30 June 1978. [2]
From 1968 to 1978 it was used by various RAF helicopter units, as well as the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.
A list of RAF units at Kai Tak:
The civilian Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force was based at Kai Tak between 1 May 1949 and 1 April 1993, supported by the Royal Air Force. It comprised the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force Wing (which was previously the Hong Kong Auxiliary Squadron) between 24 November 1953 and December 1954 which controlled the Hong Kong (Fighter) Squadron, Hong Kong Fighter Control Unit and the Hong Kong Air Traffic Control Centre.
The Hong Kong Auxiliary Flight was formed on 15 September 1949 operating Spitfire F.24's and Auster AOP.6's, it was expanded into the Hong Kong Auxiliary Squadron on 1 October 1950, with the addition of Harvard IIb's. On 24 November 1953 the auxiliary squadron was split into the Hong Kong (Fighter) Squadron and the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force Wing. The new (Fighter) Squadron gained the Auster T.7 and was disbanded during December 1954. [20]
The RAF left Kai Tak and moved most other operations to RAF Sek Kong on 30 June 1978. [2] From 1993 the civilian Government Flying Service replaced the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at Kai Tak. [20]
A list of the Fleet Air Arm's aviation units that were either stationed at or deployed HMS Nabcatcher and MONAB VIII.
A list of the Fleet Air Arm's aviation units that were either stationed at or deployed to HMS Flycatcher and the RN Air Section at RAF Kai Tak.
It was the main airfield in Hong Kong housing other non-military users:
Kai Tak's first runway was a grass strip and the first tarmac, an east–west runway, was 457 metres long in 1939. A series of extensions were added over the years:
Several buildings of the former station remain. Three of them, built in 1934, [50] are Grade I historic buildings: the Headquarters Building, the Officers Mess and an Annex Block. [51]
The Sembawang Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Sembawang, in the northern part of Singapore. The base motto is Swift and Resolute.
HMS Nabbington, was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB), that was established at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra at Nowra, New South Wales, in Australia during the final stages of the Second World War. HMS Nabbington was also known as MONAB I and Royal Naval Air Station Nowra.
HMS Nabthorpe was a Royal Navy, (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) situated at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Station Schofields located at Schofields, New South Wales during the final year of the Second World War. HMS Nabthorpe was also known as MONAB III and Royal Naval Air Station Schofields.
1701 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was formed in February 1945 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as an amphibian bomber reconnaissance squadron. It was equipped with Supermarine Sea Otter, and the squadron joined HMS Begum in April 1945 bound for the Far East. The squadron was intended to join the newly established Mobile Naval Air Bases for Air Sea Rescue duties. 'B' Flight joined MONAB IV at RNAS Ponam in the Admiralty Islands in May 1945 and embarked in HMS Reaper in October 1945. 'A' Flight joined MONAB VI at RNAS Maryborough, Queensland, Australia in June 1945. The flights re-grouped in the Autumn of 1945 at HMS Nabcatcher, RNAS Kai Tak, Hong Kong, where it disbanded during August 1946.
812 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the British Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1933 and 1956, and saw service in both World War II and the Korean War.
706 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Established as a fighter and torpedo-bomber training unit in Australia at the end of World War Two, it was briefly reformed as a helicopter squadron in the early 1950s, before becoming a helicopter training unit in 1962, and operating until 1998.
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 Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN), which last disbanded in July 1943. It formed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, as a Fleet Fighter squadron, in November 1941. The squadron supported RAF Fighter Command by offering fighter protection and engaged in various operations, including efforts to alleviate the Siege of Malta and the Allied invasion of French North Africa.
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.
715 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval air squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 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.
721 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). 721 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Gadwall, RNAS Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of March 1945, as a Fleet Requirements Unit for the British Pacific Fleet. Initially equipped with Vultee Vengeance target tugs, it arrived at HMS Nabaron, RNAS Ponam, Admiralty Islands in May 1945, and commenced operations towing targets. The squadron moved to HMS Nabsford, RNAMY Archerfield, Brisbane, Australia, during October and then relocated to Hong Kong at the beginning of 1946, moving to HMS Nabcatcher, RNAS Kai Tak, where it eventually disbanded at the end of 1947.
746 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in January 1946. It formed initially as the Naval Night Fighter Interception Unit, in November 1942 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent. It moved to R. N. Air Section Ford in December to join the RAF Fighter Interception Unit. The squadron came under the control of the Naval Fighter Direction Centre at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, in 1943 and was tasked with the development of tactics and analysis of the experiences of pilots from the carrier squadrons. It moved to RAF Wittering in May 1944, with a detachment at RAF Defford for radar development duties. In October the squadron returned to R. N. Air Section Ford and in January 1945, deployed 'A' flight to HMS Sparrowhawk, RNAS Hatston to provide ADDL, carrier deck landing training. 746 Naval Air Squadron became the Naval Night Fighter Development Squadron in May 1945, evaluating aircraft and their equipment, while detachments of pairs of aircraft were deployed aboard escort carriers after 'A' flight became an operational sub-unit.
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.
775 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm 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 R.N.Air Section Gibraltar at the start of February 1944. The squadron returned to HMS Grebe, RNAS Dekheila during August 1945.
777 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, which formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit in West Africa during the Second World War. Throughout most of 1943, the squadron was responsible for the air defence of Sierra Leone. It disbanded at HMS Spurwing, RNAS Hastings, Sierra Leone, during December 1944. The squadron reformed in May 1945, from 'B' Flight of 778 Naval Air Squadron, as a Carrier Trials Unit operating aboard HMS Pretoria Castle, and using shore bases at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, and HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford in England, and HMS Wagtail, RNAS Ayr, in Scotland. 777 Naval Air Squadron number was assigned to the aircraft collection at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in April 2006.
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.
1846 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick in July 1944 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk III fighter aircraft. It embarked in HMS Ranee in October, disembarking to HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton at the beginning of November, where it expanded to twenty-four aircraft by absorbing part of the disbanded 1848 Naval Air Squadron. In February 1945, it re-equipped with Vought Corsair Mk IV, having joined HMS Colossus at the start of the year. The aircraft carrier departed for the Far East in February, and its aircraft formed part of the 14th Carrier Air Group when this formed in June at HMS Valluru, Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Tambaram. The squadron was too late for World War II, and eventually disbanded at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, in July 1946.
HMS Nabaron was a Royal Navy (RN) Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) which was situated at the United States Navy (USN) airfield NAS Ponam Airfield on Ponam Island, Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea, which had been transferred to RN on loan. HMS Nabaron was also known as MONAB IV and Royal Naval Air Station Ponam.
HMS Nabsford was a Royal Navy (RN), Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard (TAMY), which was situated at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield RAAF Station Archerfield situated in Brisbane, Queensland. HMS Nabsford was also known as TAMY I and Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Archerfield.
HMS Nabstock was a Royal Navy (RN), Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) which was initially located at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield RAAF Maryborough situated in Maryborough, Queensland. HMS Nabstock was also known as MONAB VI and Royal Naval Air Station Maryborough, between June and November 1945. It decommissioned and moved to RAAF Station Schofields located at Schofields, New South Wales, where MONAB VI recommissioned as HMS Nabstock and known here as Royal Naval Air Station Schofields until June 1946.