Netherlands Naval Aviation Service
Naval Aviation Service | |
---|---|
Marineluchtvaartdienst | |
Founded | 1914 |
Country | Netherlands |
Type | Naval aviation |
Part of | Royal Netherlands Navy |
Engagements | First World War Second World War |
Insignia | |
Roundel |
The Netherlands Naval Aviation Service (Dutch: Marineluchtvaartdienst, shortened to MLD) is the naval aviation branch of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
History
World War I
Although the MLD was formed in 1914, with the building of a seaplane base at
World War II
The German
At this time efforts were made to strengthen the MLD in the Dutch East Indies. When the war started in December 1941, the MLD numbered 130 aircraft. The main types were 37 Dornier Do 24 K-1 flying boats and 36 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina flying boats.[1] The major base was at Morokrembangan Naval Air Base near Soerabaja in eastern Java. The MLD had secondary bases as well as seaplane tenders that enabled it to spread out and cover the entire Netherlands East Indies. It was organized into 18 squadrons (GVT, Groep Vliegtuigen) of about three aircraft each to provide reconnaissance, anti-submarine patrols, convoy escort in support of Dutch forces. The MLD did not have radar. The MLD fought about 95 combat actions, sank one Japanese ship (the destroyer Shinonome), damaged some others, shot down a few Japanese aircraft and inflicted some casualties on Japanese personnel on the ground.[2] That was not enough to stop the Japanese, and eventually the MLD was forced to evacuate to Ceylon and Australia. They lost 95% of their aircraft and 50% of their personnel.[3]
On March 3, 1942, nine MLD Dornier and
The Royal Netherlands Military Flying School (see nl:Royal Netherlands Military Flying School) was established in the United States, at Jackson Field (also known as Hawkins Field), Jackson, Mississippi, operating lend-lease aircraft, training all military aircrew for the Netherlands. The intention was to return to the Netherlands and to participate in the war against Japan. After liberation, the main MLD base was established at Valkenburg, with De Kooy as the overhaul and repair base.
Post-war
The British escort carrier HMS Nairana was obtained on a two-year loan from the Royal Navy and renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman. In March 1948 a light fleet carrier, HMS Venerable, was purchased from the Royal Navy to replace the loaned one, and also renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman. Aircraft carried aboard included the fighter-reconnaissance and anti-submarine Fairey Firefly.
The main roles of the MLD were maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue. From 1953, with the creation of NATO, the MLD received substantial aid from the US, including 12 Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon, Lockheed P2V Neptune, Grumman TBF Avenger and 43 Grumman S-2 Tracker (1955–1974) aircraft.
320 and 321 Squadrons were stationed at
In the late 1960s, the aircraft carrier was replaced in the
320 and 321 Squadrons operated 19 Neptunes (1961–1982) and 9
In 2003, it was announced that NAS Valkenburg would close in 2006. All the Orions were sold to Germany (8) and Portugal (5). Naval squadrons 320 and 321 were disbanded.[5]
In 2008, the navy helicopters (Westland Lynx) and crews of naval squadrons 7 and 860 based at NAS de Kooy were transferred to the Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) as were the Dutch Air Force helicopters. All Dutch military helicopters are now under one single command which is neither navy nor air force. No. 7 Squadron is to become a small training squadron, while 860 Squadron will become much larger and is designated DHC's maritime squadron with a large navy component. NAS de Kooy was renamed Maritime Airstation de Kooy.[6]
Historical Aircraft 1945–1990
Aircraft type | Origin | Number | In service | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter aircraft | |||||
Hawker Sea Fury | United Kingdom | 48 | 1946–1956 | ||
Hawker Sea Hawk | United Kingdom | 22 | 1956–1964 | Operated from the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) | |
Maritime patrol aircraft | |||||
Fairey Firefly | United Kingdom | 84 | 1946–1961 | Operated from the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81). MLD had 30 Mk 1's in service between 1946–1954, 40 Mk 4's between 1947–1961 and 14 Mk 5's between 1954–1961. | |
North American B-25 Mitchell | United States | 9 | 1947–1952 | ||
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon | United States | 18 | 1951–1954 | ||
Grumman TBF Avenger | United States | 78 | 1954–1960 | ||
Lockheed P-2 Neptune | United States | 31 | 1954–1983 | Operated 12 P2V-5 between 1954–1961 and 19 P2V-7 between 1961–1983. | |
Grumman S-2 Tracker | United States | 43 | 1960–1974 | Operated from the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) | |
Bréguet Atlantic SP-13A | France | 9 | 1969–1984 | ||
Lockheed P-3 Orion | United States | 13 | 1983–2004 | ||
Amphibious aircraft | |||||
Catalina PBY-5A | United States | 22 | 1946–1957 | ||
Supermarine Sea Otter Mk 2 | United Kingdom | 8 | 1949–1954 | Operated from the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81). | |
Martin PBM-5A Mariner | United States | 15 | 1955–1959 | ||
Military transport aircraft | |||||
Douglas Dakota C-47 | United States | 15 | 1945–1961 |
Aircraft type | Origin | Number | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sikorsky S-51 |
United States | 1 | 1951–1959 | |
Sikorsky S-55 |
United States | 3 | 1954–1963 | |
Sikorsky S-58 | United States | 12 | 1959–1972 | |
Agusta Bell UH-I | United States Italy |
8 | 1962–1977 | |
Westland Wasp AH-12A | United Kingdom | 12 | 1967–1983 | Operated from six Van Speijk class frigates. |
Westland Lynx | United Kingdom | 24 | 1977–2013 | Operated from the Van Speijk-class frigates. Later from the Tromps and Kortenaer class frigates. |
Historical weapons
- AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles – The Sidewinders were carried by Hawker Sea Hawk.
Notes
Citations
- ^ Womack, (2006), pp.164-165.
- ^ Womack, (2006), pp.55–56 & 147.
- ^ Womack, (2006), pp.148 & 152.
- ^ Womack, (2006), p.138.
- ^ Press release by the Royal Dutch Navy (in Dutch) [permanent dead link]
- ^ Press release by the Royal Dutch Navy (in Dutch) Archived April 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Schoonoord (2012), p. 320.
References
- Womack, Tom (2006). The Dutch Naval Air Force against Japan; The Defense of the Netherlands East Indies, 1941–1941. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2365-1.
- Schoonoord, D.C.L. (2012). Pugno pro patria: de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Koude Oorlog (in Dutch). Franeker: Van Wijnen. ISBN 978-90-5194-455-6.
Further reading
- Kamphuis, Geert H. & Hazewinkel, Harm J. (February 1978). "60 ans d'aéronavale hollandaise" [60 Years of Dutch Naval Aviation]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (99): 30–33. ISSN 0757-4169.
- Oever, Jan van den (November 1989). "MDL: l'Aéronautique naval des Pay-Bas" [MDL: Naval Aviation of the Netherlands]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 240. pp. 6–13.
External links
- Hayles, John (2008). "World Air Forces: Netherlands Naval Aviation Service". Aeroflight.
- "Marineluchtvaartdienst". members.casema.nl. 2009.