735 Naval Air Squadron


735 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It was active from 1943 as an ASV Radar Training Unit. Forming at HMS Nightjar, at RNAS Inskip, Lancashire, in 1944 the squadron moved to HMS Ringtail, RNAS Burscough, also in Lancashire. Various flights from the squadron moved on to form other Naval Air Squadrons, with the squadron eventually disbanding in 1946.

History

ASV Training Unit (1943–1946)

735 Naval Air Squadron was formed at RNAS Inskip (HMS Nightjar), located near the village of Inskip, Lancashire, England, on the 1 August 1943, as an air-to-surface-vessel (ASV) radar training unit and remained there until the 18 March 1944. The squadron flew Fairey Swordfish I & II, a biplane torpedo bomber, and Avro Anson Mk.I, a multi-role training aircraft. The Avro Ansons were used for both ASH and ASV radar training. 735 Naval Air Squadron originally comprised two Flights, ‘A’ Flight being concerned with radar training and ‘B’ Flight engaged in radar trials.
The squadron moved to RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail), located southwest of Burscough, Lancashire, losing the Fairey Swordfish but gaining Fairey Barracuda Mk II & Mk III, a carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber aircraft. 735 Naval Air Squadron also operated a detachment out of RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), located near Arbroath in East Angus, Scotland, between the 28 August 1944 and the 15 April 1945, when it also flew Grumman Hellcat F. Mk. I, an American carrier-based fighter aircraft, in the last year of World War Two, before returning to RNAS Burscough.
‘C’ Flight was added, which acted as a mobile unit giving Rebecca short-range radio navigation system training to fighter pilots. This was equipped with three Grumman Hellcat F. Mk. I and a single Avro Anson Mk I aircraft.
In February 1945 ‘B’ Flight broke away and became 707 Naval Air Squadron. The following month ‘C’ flight became 787X Flight at RAF Odiham, Hampshire, England.
735 Naval Air Squadron remained at RNAS Burscough after World War Two, continuing to operate Avro Anson and Fairey Barracuda aircraft. In November 1945, 737 Naval Air Squadron was absorbed into the squadron, however, on the 30 April 1946, 735 Naval Air Squadron disbanded.

Aircraft flown

The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:

Naval air stations

735 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom:

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 735 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: