703 Naval Air Squadron
703 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Latin for 'Experiences teaches') | |
Aircraft | Grob Prefect T1 |
Website | Official website |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Major B Atherton[1] |
703 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy was formed as a long-range catapult squadron on 3 March 1942 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. During the Cold War, it was reformed as an experimental trials unit, and then as a helicopter training squadron. Since 2003, the squadron has formed the Royal Naval wing of the Defence Elementary Flying Training School at RAF Barkston Heath.
History
World War II
On 3 June 1942, 703 Naval Air Squadron was formed at
Air Sea Warfare Development Unit (1945 - 1950)
In April 1945, the squadron was reformed as the naval component of the RAF's Air Sea Warfare Development Unit (ASWDU) at
Service Trials Unit (1950 - 1955)
In April 1950, the squadron moved to RAF Ford (now the site of
Wasp training squadron (1972 - 1981)
On 22 January 1972, 703 NAS was re-formed at RNAS Portland to conduct training on the Westland Wasp, including from February 1975 advanced training, a role it took over from 706 Naval Air Squadron.[3] On 1 January 1981, after 9 years of training aircrew on the Wasp, the squadron was disbanded.[3]
Elementary Flying Training (2003 - present)
In 1993, the RAF and RN Elementary Flying Training was merged to form a single school at
703 NAS trains about 60 Royal Navy pilots every year. The Squadron previously used the
Aircraft flown
Largely because of its role as a trials unit in the 1950s, 703 Naval Air Squadron has flown a large number of aircraft types, including:
- Vought Kingfisher
- Grumman Avenger
- Fairey Barracuda
- Fairey Firefly
- de Havilland Sea Mosquito
- de Havilland Sea Vampire
- Fairey Gannet AS1
- Westland Wyvern
- Westland Wasp
- Slingsby T-67 Firefly
- Grob Tutor T1
- Grob Prefect T1
See also
- No. 674 Squadron AAC - the equivalent Army Air Corps squadron, previously based at RAF Barkston Heath.
References
- ^ a b "Perfect Prefect" (PDF). Navy News. April 2019. p. 19. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, pp. 24–25
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 24
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, pp. 24, 63
- ^ "703 NAS at the Royal Navy website". Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "Flight of the Slingsby Firefly". BBC. 17 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Ballance, Theo (1994). The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.