747 Naval Air Squadron

747 Naval Air Squadron
Active22 March 1943 – 20 December 1945[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool
  • Operational Training Unit
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Home stationSee Naval air stations section for full list.
AircraftSee Aircraft operated section for full list.
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Rear Admiral John Augustine Ievers CB, OBE[2]
Insignia
Identification MarkingsK2A+ (Barracuda December 1943)
F2A+ (Barracuda January 1944)
R2A+ to R7A+ (Barracuda July 1944)[3][4]
Avro Anson I, an example of the type used by 747 NAS

747 Naval Air Squadron (747 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which last disbanded in December 1945. 747 Naval Air Squadron was part of the Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool and formed at HMS Owl, RNAS Fearn, in March 1943, evolving into an Operational Training Unit. July saw the squadron move to HMS Nightjar, RNAS Inskip and became part of No. 1 Naval Operational Training Unit. It returned to HMS Owl in January 1944 and then to HMS Urley, RNAS Ronaldsway, in July. In November 1945 the squadron headquarters moved to HMS Jackdaw, RNAS Crail, leaving a Flight at HMS Urley.

History of 747 NAS

Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool (1943)

747 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl), in Scottish Highlands, on 22 March 1943 as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Pool squadron. It was initially equipped with three Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber, three Fairey Barracuda, a torpedo and dive bomber and a few Avro Anson multi-role training aircraft, fitted out as radar flying classrooms.[3]

Operational Training Unit (1943 - 1945)

The squadron evolved into an Operational Training Unit and on 9 July, it moved to RNAS Inskip (HMS Nightjar), in Lancashire and became part of No. 1 Naval Operational Training Unit. Here it added Fairey Albacore, a biplane torpedo bomber, to its strength.[4] It returned to RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl) with No. 1 OTU when the OTU moved there on 26 January 1944. The unit remained until the summer when it then relocated to RNAS Ronaldsway (HMS Urley) on the Isle of Man during July 1944.[3]

When the squadron headquarters moved to RNAS Crail (HMS Jackdaw), in Fife, Scotland, in November 1945, the Avro Anson equipped ’B’ Flight remained at RNAS Ronaldsway. 747 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on 20 December 1945.[4]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:[4]

Fairey Barracuda Mk II

747 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Scotland, England and on the Isle of Man:[4]

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 747 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][5]

  • Lieutenant Commander J.A. Ievers, RN, from 22 March 1943
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) F.A. Swanton, DSC, RN, from 13 September 1943
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) T.M. Bassett, RNZNVR, from 1 March 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) R.D. Kingdon, DSC, RNVR, from 6 November 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) J.E. Barker, RNVR, from 18 April 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) J.O. Sparke, RNVR, from 1 August 1945
  • disbanded - 20 December 1945

References

Citations

  1. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 68.
  2. ^ "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - I". unithistories.com World War II unit histories & officers. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Wragg 2019, p. 123.
  4. ^ a b c d e Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 51.
  5. ^ Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 21.

Bibliography