889 Naval Air Squadron

Last updated

889 Naval Air Squadron
Active1942-1944
1945
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Part of Fleet Air Arm

889 Naval Air Squadron (889 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. [1] [ unreliable source? ]

The squadron was formed in March 1942 as a fighter squadron, operating in North Africa and the Middle East before disbanding in February 1943. It was reformed in April 1944 at Colombo, Ceylon, as a fighter squadron and disbanded again in July 1944, and reformed in July 1945 as a Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.

When the war ended, 889 Squadron FAA, equipped with 6 Hellcat Is and II (PR) photo-reconnaissance variants, was preparing to depart from Scotland for the Far East (the squadron had been based at RAF Woodvale since its re-formation after VE Day, and practising carrier operations on HMS Trouncer before moving to HMS Ravager), to replace 888 Squadron FAA, and intended to photograph Japanese beaches prior planned invasion that was forestalled by the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the cessation of hostilities, the squadron (which included pilot William Stevenson) was disbanded and the Hellcats dumped off the Scottish coast (the fate of many lend-lease aircraft that survived the war, which under the terms of the agreement were to be returned to the United States or paid for, while there was no requirement to refund the cost of aircraft that had been lost). [2] [ unreliable source? ] [3]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">784 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

784 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">787 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

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.

References

  1. "889 Squadron". Fleet Air Arm Archive. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "INDEX OF NAVAL AIR SQUADRONS: 889 Squadron". Fleet Air Arm Archive. 23 February 2001. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  3. Foister, Louise (10 November 1995). "How the war interrupted a legal career". Mid-Ocean News. The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. Pages 5 and 9.