1851 Naval Air Squadron


1851 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, which last disbanded in 1946. It formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick as a fighter squadron, in September 1944 and embarked on HMS Thane at the end of the year for transportation to the UK, arriving at Belfast. The squadron embarked in HMS Venerable in March 1945, it spent some time in the Mediterranean using HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, as a shore station. Eventually reaching HMS Valluru, RNAMY Tambaram, in southern India in July, the squadron became part of the 15th Carrier Air Group, but too late to see action during the Second World War.

History

Single-seat fighter squadron (1944–1946)

1851 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 September 1944 in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, which was located at United States Naval Air Station (USNAS) Brunswick, Maine, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron, under the command of Lieutenant Commander D.J. McDonald, RN.
It was equipped with eighteen Vought Corsair aircraft, an American carrier-borne fighter-bomber. These were the Goodyear built FG-1D variant, designated Corsair Mk IV by the Fleet Air Arm. Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings were undertaken at the nearby Bar Harbor Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Bar Harbor, Maine. The squadron flew to RN Air Section Norfolk situated at USNAS Norfolk, Virginia, to enable it to undertake Deck Landing Training with the US Navy's escort carrier the, before returning to RN Air Section Brunswick.
With working up completed the squadron left RN Air Section Brunswick and flew to RN Air Section Floyd Bennett Field, located at USNAS Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York City, on 23 December and then onto RN Air Section Norfolk on 28 December, for embarkation in the,, for transportation to the United Kingdom.
All aircrew, equipment and aircraft were embarked in HMS Thane at Naval Station Norfolk and she sailed for New York City, departing on New Years Eve 1944 and arriving in New York Harbor the following day. She departed on 3 January 1945 as part of convoy CU 53, bound for Liverpool, England, but broke off for Belfast, Northern Ireland, arriving on 14 January and the squadron disembarked to Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard Belfast (HMS Gadwall).
1851 Naval Air Squadron embarked in the, on 6 March. It used RN Air Section Hal Far, Malta, from 20 March as an its shore base while operating in the Mediterranean. It later continued on to southern India, reaching Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard Tambaran (HMS Valluru), Madras, on 7 July where the squadron became part of the 15th Carrier Air Group.
With the surrender of Japan and the end of the Second World War the squadron saw no action. It did have an operational detachment at Royal Naval Air Station Kai Tak (HMS Nabcatcher), Hong Kong. Squadron strength reduced in December 1945 and the following year the squadron transferred to the,. She sailed for the UK in July 1946, the lend-lease Vought Corsair aircraft were pushed over the side and into the sea. 1851 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on arrival to HMNB Devonport on 13 August.

Aircraft flown

1851 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:

Assignments

1851 Naval Air Squadron was assigned as needed to form part of a number of larger units:

Naval air stations

1851 Naval Air Squadron operated from a few naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a number overseas, a couple of Royal Navy fleet carriers and an escort carrier:

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 1851 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.