1790 Naval Air Squadron
1790 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. It was formed on 1 January 1945 at RNAS Burscough as a night fighter squadron. It was initially equipped with the Fairey Firefly I, replaced in May 1945 by the Firefly INF, which was fitted with a US-derived ASV radar. The squadron joined HMS Vindex on 24 June, bound for Australia, with the ship arriving at HMS Nabthorpe 2 days before the war in the Far East ended. The squadron was disbanded on 3 June 1946 at Devonport.
History
Night Fighter Squadron (1945–1946)
1790 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail), Lancashire, England, on 1 January 1945, as a night fighter squadron. It was initially equipped with Fairey Firefly I, a carrier-borne fighter, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft. These were replaced with the NF.Mk I night fighter variant during May, which was fitted with radar in a centre-line container.Around the end of May / beginning of June the squadron was embarked in the for deck landing practice and later it embarked in the for passage to Australia. It arrived in Australia two days before the end of the second world war, disembarking for RNAS Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, on 13 August 1945, with V-J Day on 15 August.
In January 1790 Naval Air Squadron embarked on the name ship of her class, replacing the Fairey Firefly equipped 1771 Naval Air Squadron within the 8th Carrier Air Group. It disembarked from the carrier on 28 March to RNAS Schofields remaining there for around one month, however, it was one of the last front-line units to depart the airbase along with 801 Naval Air Squadron when they both re-joined HMS Implacable for passage to the United Kingdom on 29 April.
Upon arrival at Devonport, 1790 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on 3 June 1936.
Aircraft flown
1790 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type, two variants:- Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft
- Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I night fighter
Naval air stations
1790 Naval Air Squadron operated from a naval air stations of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom, one in Australia and a Royal Navy aircraft carrier and a couple of escort carriers:- Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS Ringtail), Lancashire,
- *
- Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabthorpe/HMS Nabstock), New South Wales,
- Royal Naval Air Station Schofields, New South Wales,
- HMS Implacable
- disbanded - United Kingdom
Commanding officers
List of commanding officers of 1790 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:- Lieutenant Commander J.H. Kneale, RNVR, from 1 January 1945
- Lieutenant Commander B.C. Lyons, RNVR, from 9 November 1945
- disbanded - 3 June 1946