740 Naval Air Squadron
740 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It was initially active between May and August in 1943, formed as an Observer Training Squadron at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. From December 1943 to September 1945 it was a Communications Squadron formed at and operated from HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
History
Observer Training School (1943)
740 Naval Air Squadron formed on 4 May 1943, at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), as an Observer Training Squadron, as part of No. 2 Observer School. It was equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, plus a few Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber and Vought Kingfisher, an American catapult-launched observation floatplane. The squadron also dispersed flying to Dundee, on the River Tay and where the squadron disbanded into 751 Naval Air Squadron on 5 August 1943.Communications Squadron (1943–1945)
740 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 30 December 1943 at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), as a Communications Squadron. It was formed out of the communications flight of 772 Naval Air Squadron. It used the amphibious maritime patrol aircraft Supermarine Walrus and later Supermarine Sea Otter for transportation around the Islands, Lochs and Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Clyde. The squadron also operated various types of other aircraft including Stinson Reliant, a four-five seat liaison and training aircraft, Beech Traveller, a utility aircraft, de Havilland Dominie, a six–eight passenger short-haul airliner, Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine training aircraft and Avro Anson, a twin-engine multi-role training aircraft.740 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Machrihanish on 1
September 1945, the squadron having been one of its permanent residents between December 1943 and September 1945.
Aircraft flown
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:- Supermarine Walrus amphibious maritime patrol aircraft
- Stinson Reliant liaison and training aircraft
- Vought Kingfisher I observation floatplane
- Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber
- de Havilland Dominie short-haul airliner
- Fairey Fulmar Mk.I reconnaissance/fighter aircraft
- Airspeed Oxford training aircraft
- Beech Traveller Mk. I utility aircraft
- Supermarine Sea Otter ABR.I amphibious maritime patrol aircraft
- Miles Martinet TT.Mk I target tug
- Miles Master II advanced trainer aircraft
- Avro Anson multi-role training aircraft
Naval air stations
740 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom:1943
- Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath (HMS Condor), Angus,
- disbanded -
- Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), Argyll and Bute,
- * Royal Naval Air Station Ayr (HMS Wagtail), South Ayrshire,
- disbanded -
Commanding officers
List of commanding officers of 740 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:1943
- Lieutenant Commander D.H. Angel, RN, from 4 May 1943
- disbanded - 5 August 1943
- Lieutenant Commander L.F. Diggens, RNVR, from 30 December 1943
- Lieutenant Commander L.T. Summerfield, RNVR, from 23 April 1945
- disbanded - 1 September 1945