798 Naval Air Squadron

798 Naval Air Squadron
Active11 October 1943 - 18 March 1946[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
RoleAdvanced Single Engine Conversion & Refresher Flying Training Unit
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Home stationSee Naval air stations section for full list.
AircraftSee Aircraft operated section for full list.
Insignia
Identification MarkingsL1A+ to L4A+ (from October 1943)
U2A+ & U3A+ (from November 1945)
[2]
Miles Master II, an example of the type used by 798 NAS

798 Naval Air Squadron (798 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) which disbanded in March 1946. It formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, (HMS Daedalus) in October 1943, to provide advanced conversion courses, it initially operated with various single and twin-engined aircraft. Twin-engined aircraft broke away to become 762 Naval Air Squadron during March 1944. It had a detachment at RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap) for operational training for new Fairey Barracuda squadrons, but returned to HMS Daedalus at the beginning of August. The unit’s role changed slightly during 1945, providing refresher training, including Fleet Air Arm ex-Prisoners of War at RNAS Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhamwk). The squadron moved to RNAS Hinstock (HMS Godwit), although operated out of its satellite RNAS Peplow (HMS Godwit II), during November 1945.

History

Advanced Conversion Course

798 Naval Air Squadron formed at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, on 11 October 1943, to provide aircrew conversion courses.[3] It was titled as an Advanced Conversion Course, and was initially equipped with both single and twin-engined aircraft,[2] including Fairey Barracuda, which was a British single-engined carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber, Bristol Beaufighter, a British twin-engined multi-role aircraft, Bristol Beaufort, a British twin-engined torpedo bomber, Bristol Blenheim, a British twin-engined light bomber, Fairey Fulmar, a British single-engines carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, Miles Master, a British single-engined two-seat advanced trainer, Airspeed Oxford a British twin-engined trainer aircraft and de Havilland Tiger Moth a British single-engined biplane trainer aircraft.[3]

In March 1944 the twin-engined aircraft broke away to form 762 Naval Air Squadron. From 20 April 1944 the squadron operated a detachment at HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton, in Cheshire, England. It provided operational conversion training for new Fairey Barracuda equipped squadrons, but returned to Lee-on-Solent at the beginning of August. The squadron also received Fairey Firefly a British carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft, and North American Harvard, an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft, during 1944.[3]

Refresher Flying Training Unit

During 1945 the squadron had a role change and provided refresher and familiarisation training courses. On 6 September 798 NAS relocated to RNAS Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk), in Suffolk, England and here it provided Fleet Air Arm ex-prisoners of war refresher courses, with the North American Harvard aircraft, following their return home. In November the squadron moved again, to RNAS Hinstock (HMS Godwit), in Shropshire, England and it was here on 18 March 1946 that 798 Naval Air Squadron disbanded.[2]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:[2]

Fairey Barracuda Mk II
Fairey Fulmar Mk.II

798 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in England:[2]

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 798 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][2]

Notes

  1. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 121.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 98.
  3. ^ a b c d Wragg 2019, p. 139.

References

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