745 Naval Air Squadron
745 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1 March 1943 – 30 March 1945 23 April 1956 – 1 November 1957[1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
Role |
|
Size | Grumman Avenger |
745 Naval Air Squadron (745 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active from 1943 to 1945 as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training squadron, part of No.2 Telegraphist Air Gunner School based at R.N. Air Section Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.[4] It reformed in April 1956 at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland, as a Radar Jamming Trials Unit. It operated with four modified Grumman Avenger aircraft, undertaking a trials evaluation of the 'Orange Harvest' radar warning receiver equipment, disbanding in November 1957.
History of 745 NAS
Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron (1943 - 1945)
745 Naval Air Squadron assembled at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), on 10 February 1943, for passage to
Radar Jamming Trials Unit (1956 - 1957)
745 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 23 April 1956 at
In May 1957 the Squadron moved temporarily to RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry, to enable the runways at RNAS Eglinton to be resurfaced. Autumn 1957 saw 745 Naval Air Squadron return to RNAS Eglinton and it also conducted trials aboard the Centaur-class aircraft carriers HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. The squadron disbanded on 1 November 1957.[3]
Aircraft operated
The squadron has operated a couple of different aircraft types, including:[3]
- Fairey Swordfish II torpedo bomber (March 1943 - March 1945)
- Fairey Swordfish IV torpedo bomber (January - March 1945)
- strike aircraft(May 1956 - October 1957)
746 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air station of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom and one in Canada:[2][3]
1943 - 1945
- R.N. Air Section YARMOUTH (1 March 1943 - 30 March 1945)
- disbanded - (30 March 1945)
1956 - 1957
- Royal Naval Air Station EGLINTON (HMS Gannet) (23 April 1956 - 2 May 1957)
- Royal Air Force Ballykelly (2 May 1957 - 22 September 1957)
- Royal Naval Air Station CULDROSE (HMS Seahawk) Detachment (6 - 16 May 1957)
- Royal Naval Air Station FORD (HMS Peregrine)Detachment four aircraft (20 August - 3 September 1957)
- HMS Albion Detachment two aircraft (3 - 29 September 1957)
- Royal Naval Air Station EGLINTON (HMS Gannet) (22 September - 1 November 1957)
- HMS Bulwark Detachment two aircraft (11 - 18 October 1957)
- disbanded - (1 November 1957)
Commanding Officers
List of
1943 - 1945
- Lieutenant Commander(A) R.H. Ovey. RNVR, from 1 March 1943
- Lieutenant Commander(A) F.A.H. Harley, RN, from 6 November 1944
- disbanded - 30 March 1945
1956 - 1957
- Lieutenant Commander M.F. Bowen, RN, from 16 April 1956
- disbanded - 1 November 1957
References
Citations
- ^ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 67.
- ^ a b c Wragg 2019, p. 122.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 50.
- ^ "A School of Swordfish". www.vintage wings.ca. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ Thetford 1991, p. 228.
Bibliography
- 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. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
- Thetford, Owen (1991). British Naval Aircraft since 1912. ISBN 0-85177-849-6.
- Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. ISBN 978-0-7509-9303-6.