798 Naval Air Squadron (798 NAS) was a

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

(FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

(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 , RNAS Lee-on-Solent, on 11 October 1943, to provide aircrew conversion courses. It was titled as an Advanced Conversion Course, and was initially equipped with both single and twin-engined aircraft, including Fairey Barracuda, which was a British single-engined

carrier-borne A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircraft carriers. Carrier-based aircraft must be able to launch i ...

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

and

dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

, 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 Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...

Miles Master The Miles M.9 Master was a British two-seat monoplane advanced trainer designed and built by aviation company Miles Aircraft, Miles Aircraft Ltd. It was inducted in large numbers into both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) durin ...

, a British single-engined two-seat advanced trainer, Airspeed Oxford a British twin-engined

trainer aircraft A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristic ...

and de Havilland Tiger Moth a British single-engined

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

trainer aircraft. 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 , RNAS Stretton, in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

, 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.

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 Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

, 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 Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

, England and it was here on 18 March 1946 that 798 Naval Air Squadron disbanded.

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:

* Fairey Barracuda Mk II

and

(October 1943 - October 1945) * Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIF multi role aircraft (October 1943 - March 1944) * Bristol Beaufort Mk.Ia torpedo bomber (October 1943 - March 1944) * Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV light bomber (October 1943 - March 1944) * Fairey Fulmar Mk.II

reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...

(October 1943 - April 1945) *

I advanced trainer (October 1943 - August 1944) *

Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed Ltd, Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training Commonwealth of Nations, British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombin ...

(October 1943 - March 1946) * de Havilland Tiger Moth trainer aircraft (October 1943 - April 1945) * Grumman Avenger Mk.II torpedo bomber (April 1944 - June 1945) * North American Harvard III advanced trainer (July 1944 - October 1945) * Miles Master II advanced trainer (July 1944 - October 1945) * Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft (November 1944 - March 1945) *

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...

Mk IX fighter aircraft (December 1944 - February 1945) * Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb fighter aircraft (January - September 1945) * North American Harvard IIB advanced trainer (January - October 1945) * Supermarine Seafire Mk Ib fighter aircraft (March - July 1945) * Avro Anson I multi-role aircraft (April 1945) * Fairey Barracuda Mk III torpedo and dive bomber (May 1945) * Supermarine Seafire Mk IIc fighter aircraft (June - August 1945) * Supermarine Seafire Mk III fighter aircraft (June - August 1945)

Naval air stations

798 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in England: * Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS ''Daedalus'') (11 October 1943 - 6 September 1945) ** Royal Naval Air Station Stretton (HMS ''Blackcap'') (Detachment 20 April - 30 July 1944) * Royal Naval Air Station Halesworth (HMS ''Sparrowhawk'') (6 September 1945 - 28 November 1945) * Royal Naval Air Station Hinstock (HMS ''Godwit'') (''satellite'' Royal Naval Air Station Peplow (HMS ''Godwit'' II)) (28 November 1945 - 18 March 1946) ** Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS ''Ringtail'') (Detachment 5 December 1945 - 19 February 1946) * disbanded - (18 March 1946)

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 798 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: * Lieutenant Commander( A) I.J. Wallace, , RNVR, from 11 October 1943 * Lieutenant Commander(A) S.W. Birse, , RNR, from 8 August 1945 * disbanded - 18 March 1946

Notes

References

* * * {{Royal Naval Air Squadrons 700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons Air squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1946 1943 establishments in the United Kingdom 1946 disestablishments in the United Kingdom