Netherlands Naval Aviation Service

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Naval Aviation Service
Marineluchtvaartdienst
Founded1914
CountryNetherlands
TypeNaval aviation
Part ofRoyal Netherlands Navy
EngagementsFirst 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

Dornier Wal
aircraft enabled patrols of the large archipelago in 1926. The perceived threat from Nazi Germany in the 1930s accelerated the development of air capability and the purchase of new equipment.

World War II

The German

321 Squadron, was also formed, but later merged with 320 Squadron. Other MLD personnel served on MAC ships in the Fleet Air Arm's 860 and 861 Naval Air Squadrons, flying the Fairey Swordfish
.

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

321 Squadron
was re-formed under the command of Willem van Prooijen, with MLD Catalinas. The PBYs in Australia were transferred to Ceylon, and the surviving Dorniers were sold to the Australian government. The flight school was relocated to the United States.

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

Fairey Firefly FR.4 of the MLD in 1952

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

NH-90 helicopters, but as part of the Defence Helicopter Command
.

In the late 1960s, the aircraft carrier was replaced in the

NH-90
helicopters.

320 and 321 Squadrons operated 19 Neptunes (1961–1982) and 9

Breguet Atlantic (1969–1984), which were later replaced by 13 Lockheed P-3 Orion
CUP (1982–2005).

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

Fixed-wing aircraft[7]
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
Helicopters[7]
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

  1. ^ Womack, (2006), pp.164-165.
  2. ^ Womack, (2006), pp.55–56 & 147.
  3. ^ Womack, (2006), pp.148 & 152.
  4. ^ Womack, (2006), p.138.
  5. ^ Press release by the Royal Dutch Navy (in Dutch) [permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Press release by the Royal Dutch Navy (in Dutch) Archived April 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ 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. .
  • Schoonoord, D.C.L. (2012). Pugno pro patria: de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Koude Oorlog (in Dutch). Franeker: Van Wijnen. .

Further reading

External links