809 Naval Air Squadron

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809 Naval Air Squadron
Squadron badge
Active1941–1946
1949–1959
1963–1965
1966–1978
1982
2023–present
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Home stationRAF Marham
Motto(s)"Immortal"
AircraftLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning
Battle honoursArctic 1941
Malta Convoys 1942
North Africa 1942
Salerno 1943
South France 1944
Aegean 1944
Burma 1945
Falklands 1982
Commanders
Current
commander		Commander Nick Smith[1]

809 Naval Air Squadron (809 NAS), nicknamed the Immortals, is a squadron of the

Second World War. After active service during the Suez Crisis, 809 was disbanded in 1959. Reformed in 1963 to fly Blackburn Buccaneers, the squadron was disbanded briefly in 1965–66, and then again in 1978. A brief period during the Falklands War saw 809 reformed to bring Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft south to the UK task group and to fly from HMS Illustrious
.

In December 2023, 809 NAS was recommissioned at RAF Marham, Norfolk, to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning.[2][3] The unit is jointly manned by both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel and operates from Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.[4]

History

Second World War

Fulmars of 809 NAS aboard Victorious in 1942

Formed on 15 January 1941 at RNAS St Merryn with 12 Fairey Fulmars,[5] the squadron embarked in HMS Victorious in July 1941.[6] At first involved in operations against Petsamo and Bodø, and then the convoys to North Russia, Victorious and her air group fought in the Mediterranean from July 1942, including participating in Operation Pedestal.[5]

After being trained in army co-operation duties at Sawbridge, 809 re-embarked in Victorious in October 1942 and conducted tactical reconnaissance for the North African landings of Operation Torch. After being re-equipped with the Supermarine Seafire IIc, the squadron provided cover for Operation Avalanche, the allied landings at Salerno.[5]

The squadron flew Seafires off

Ceylon.[5]

Sea Venoms of 809 NAS stand alongside Seahawks aboard Albion in 1956

The final days of World War II saw 809 providing fighter cover for

V-J Day.[5]

Post-War

In January 1949, the

RNAS Culdrose,[7] moved to HMS Illustrious and then, in May 1951 to HMS Vengeance. The unit was then briefly seconded to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Coltishall before a posting to RAF Hal Far on Malta where it transitioned from the Sea Hornet to the De Havilland Sea Venom jet aircraft in 1954. Between May 1954 and August 1959 the squadron operated Sea Venoms, in the all-weather fighter role, including active service during the Suez Crisis in 1956 while embarked aboard HMS Albion.[8]

Cold War

809 Squadron Buccaneer S.2 XN977 (coded R-030) when serving aboard Ark Royal in 1970

809 NAS re-formed on 15 January 1963 as the second frontline

RNAS Lossiemouth
.

809 re-formed in 1966 under the command of Lt Cdr Lyn Middleton and was now equipped with the Rolls-Royce Spey-powered Buccaneer S.2. Royal Navy Buccaneers were now being painted dark sea grey overall with all markings other than roundels in either light grey or light blue to reduce visibility. 809 embarked in HMS Hermes with six aircraft for the next two years, then from 1968 were shore-based again at Lossiemouth, during which time they formed a display team and attended many air shows.

In 1970, having increased its complement to 14 Buccaneer S.2s, 809 embarked in

RAF St Athan, where the aircraft were formally handed over to the RAF. 809 Squadron was officially disbanded at HMS Daedalus on the 13 December 1978, and the aircraft were used to form the RAF's No. 216 Squadron
in 1979.

Falklands War

Sea Harrier of 809 NAS at Ascension Island in 1982

During the

Sea Harrier squadrons, 800 NAS and 801 NAS (with five aircraft each for front line operations from Hermes and Invincible) and 899 NAS (training) (with around twelve Sea Harriers operating as the headquarters and training squadron). At the outbreak of war, 899 sent three aircraft to join 801 aboard Invincible and seven aircraft to join 800 aboard Hermes. These aircraft sailed with the Falklands Task Force
, whilst the remains of 899 NAS set about bringing the remaining Sea Harriers in store or on other duties into operational use.

It was planned to form a third front line squadron with ten Sea Harriers, but only eight could be brought together initially. These aircraft were painted a lighter low visibility grey than the rest of the Sea Harrier fleet, and were then issued to the reformed 809 NAS, under Lieutenant Commander Tim Gedge, which were transported south on the ill-fated

Phantom FGR2s of No. 29 Squadron
based at Stanley. Illustrious returned home in December, and 809 NAS finally disbanded on 17 December 1982.

F-35B Lightning (2023–present)

An F-35B in 809 NAS colours

In September 2013, it was announced that 809 NAS was to be reformed to become the first Fleet Air Arm squadron to be equipped with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning.[10][11] In 2016, it had been planned that the squadron would be recommissioned in April 2023 as the UK's second frontline F-35B squadron after No. 617 Squadron RAF, however this was delayed until later in 2023.[12][13]

In September 2022, James Heappey, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, stated that 809 NAS was "due to stand up in quarter two of 2023", with full operating capability expected in 2025.[14] 809 NAS formally stood-up at RAF Marham, Norfolk, on 8 December 2023 and is expected to be "deployable" in 2025.[15]

Aircraft flown

List of aircraft operated by 809 NAS:[7]

Notes

  1. ^ "Leader of reborn Immortals living his dream with 809 Squadron flying the F-35". forces.net. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Building up the Lightning Force – when will the UK get its F-35 jets? | Navy Lookout". 14 September 2022.
  3. ^ @NavyLookout (8 December 2023). "@NavyLookout F-35 with @809NAS 'phoenix from the flames' tail art on display at @RAF_Marham as the squadron recommissions today" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "'Immortal' Naval Air Squadron 809 NAS to fly Navy's newest jets". Royal Navy. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "809 NAS at the Fleet Air Arm Archive website". Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "No. 809 Naval Air Squadron (FAA): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b "809 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  8. ^ "The Suez Crisis (Operation Musketeer) 1956". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  9. ^ Rowland White, Phoenix Squadron: HMS Ark Royal, Britain’s Last Top Guns and the Untold Story of Their Most Dramatic Mission, BANTAM PRESS.
  10. ^ "The jump jet of tomorrow". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. 23 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  11. ^ "809 Naval Air Squadron". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  12. ^ Stevenson, Beth (20 May 2016). "UK F-35 commander highlights training challenge". Flight Global.
  13. ^ "Top British F-35 Pilot on How His Fledgling Team is Forging Its Own Path Forward". 15 March 2021.
  14. ^ "F-35 Aircraft: Procurement - Question for Ministry of Defence". www.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Immortals return: 809 Squadron rises from the ashes to operate the F-35B". forces.net. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

References

  • Pitchfork, Air Commodore Graham (2002). The Buccaneers: Operational Service with the Royal Navy and Air Force. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens.
    ISBN 1-85260-611-8
    .


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