759 Naval Air Squadron


759 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It was created on 1 November 1939, and was disbanded on 24 December 1969. It was initially intended as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron but became a Fighter School and Pool Squadron in 1939, at RNAS Eastleigh. It operated out of RNAS Yeovilton from 1940 to 1946, as part of the Naval Air Fighter School. In 1943 a detachment operated out of RNAS Angle, working with 794 NAS and known as the Naval Air Firing Unit. It was again the Naval Air Fighter School upon reformation in 1951 and disbandment in 1954, firstly at RNAS Culdrose and then moving to RNAS Lossiemouth, in 1953. The squadron reformed again, this time at RNAS Brawdy in 1963, as the Naval Advanced Flying Training School, before finally disbanding in 1969.

History

Fighter School and Pool Squadron (1939-1946)

759 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven), in Hampshire, on 1 May 1939, intended as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, but renumbered as 758 Naval Air Squadron on 1 July 1939. 759 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Fighter School and Pool Squadron on 1 November 1939, at HMS Raven. It was initially equipped with nine Blackburn Skua carrier-based dive bomber / fighter aircraft, five Blackburn Roc carrier-based fighter aircraft and four Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane fighter aircraft. On 1 December 1939, the squadron absorbed 769 Naval Air Squadron and became the Fleet Fighter School.
Ten months later, on 16 September 1940, the squadron was transferred to RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), near Yeovil, Somerset, here it received Grumman Martlet American carrier-based fighter aircraft, Fairey Fulmar British carrier-based reconnaissance and fighter aircraft and Miles Master British two-seat advanced trainer aircraft. In 1941 Hawker Sea Hurricanes were acquired; these were a navalised version of the Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft. The squadron was the Advanced Flying School training, as part of the No. 1 Naval Air Fighter School, from April 1943. It had over sixty Hawker Sea Hurricane, over twenty Fairey Fulmar, fifteen Miles Master and eight Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft at this point. From 1 July to 22 November 1943, a detachment from 759 Naval Air Squadron operated out of RNAS Angle (HMS Goldcrest), in Pembrokeshire, utilising its Hawker Sea Hurricane and Fairey Fulmar aircraft, known as the Naval Air Firing Unit.
An instrument training flight, known as 'E' Flight, was formed the following year, in 1944. The flight used Airspeed Oxfords twin-engine training aircraft and was operated as a sub-unit of 759 Naval Air Squadron. Vought Corsair American carrier-based fighter-bomber aircraft were received later in 1944, and this led to the creation of a conversion flight, designated 'A' flight, a camera air-to-air combat instruction flight, known as 'C' flight, and 'D' flight, for dummy deck-landing training; however, these flights became 760 Naval Air Squadron in April 1945.
In September 1945, the squadron moved to RNAS Zeals (HMS Hummingbird), in Wiltshire, while RNAS Yeovilton 's runways were repaired, returning to HMS Heron in January 1946. 759 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Yeovilton on 5 February 1946.

Naval Air Fighter School (1951-1954)

759 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, on 16 August 1951, out of a part of 738 Naval Air Squadron, known as the No. 1 Operational Flying School, it was part of the Naval Air Fighter School located at RNAS Culdrose. It was equipped with the Blackburn Firebrand British single-engine strike fighter and Supermarine Seafire navalised carrier-capable version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter.
The following year a Jet Conversion Course was added to the training courses and this pre-empted the squadron acquiring de Havilland Sea Vampire and Gloster Meteor T.7 British jet fighter aircraft.
In November 1953, the squadron moved to RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar), located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland, and remained there for just under twelve months. The squadron disbanded there on 12 October 1954, into 736 Naval Air Squadron.

Naval Advanced Flying Training School (1963-1969)

759 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest), located east of St Davids, Pembrokeshire, on 1 August 1963, as the Naval Advanced Flying Training School. Here it was equipped with Hawker Hunter T.8 two-seat jet trainer aircraft for the Royal Navy, fitted with an arrestor hook for use on RN airfields. The squadron provided Part 1 of the Fleet Air Arm’s Advance Flying Training course. Students were then either moved on to 738 Naval Air Squadron for weapons training or to 849 Naval Air Squadron for Airborne Early Warning operational flying training.
In 1965, 759 Naval Air Squadron received the annual Boyd Trophy, which is awarded annually to the naval pilot or aircrew who, in the opinion of the Flag Officer, Naval Air Command, has achieved the finest feat of aviation during the previous year. This was awarded to the squadron for its outstanding work in converting Jet Provost-trained pilots to the Hawker Hunter jet aircraft.
On 24 December 1969, 759 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Brawdy.

Aircraft operated

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

Naval air stations

759 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Wales, Scotland and England:
1939
1939 - 1946
1951 - 1954
1963 - 1969

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 759 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
1939 - 1946
  • Lieutenant Commander B.H.M. Kendall, RN, from 1 November 1939
  • Lieutenant Commander H.P. Bramwell,, RN, from 18 November 1940
  • Captain F.D.G. Bird, RM, from 1 August 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander J.N. Garnett, RN, from 13 October 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander E.W.T. Taylour, DSC, RN, from 8 December 1941
  • Lieutenant D.P.Z. Cox, RN, from 7 April 1942
  • Lieutenant E.D.G. Lewin, DSO, DSC, RN, from 12 November 1942
  • Lieutenant Commander J.M. Bruen, DSO, DSC, RN, from 7 December 1942
  • Lieutenant Commander N.G. Hallett, DSC, RN, from 17 May 1943
  • Major F.D.G. Bird, RM, from 20 December 1943
  • Lieutenant Commander O.N. Bailey, RN, from 10 July 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander J.W. Sleigh, DSO, DSC, RN, from 14 December 1944
  • disbanded - 5 February 1946
1951 - 1954
  • Lieutenant Commander R.D. Lygo, RN, from 16 August 1951
  • Lieutenant Commander D.R.O. Price,, RN, from 30 May 1953
  • Lieutenant Commander W.D.D. MacDonald, RN, from 20 July 1954
  • disbanded - 12 October 1954
1963 - 1969
  • Lieutenant Commander C.D.W. Pugh,, RN, from 1 August 1963
  • Lieutenant Commander A.H. Milnes, RN, from 6 January 1964
  • Lieutenant Commander C.S. Casperd, RN, from 8 March 1965
  • Lieutenant Commander M.I. Darlington, RN, from 26 October 1966
  • Lieutenant Commander C.C.N. Davis, RN, from 17 June 1968
  • disbanded - 24 November 1969

759E Flight

List of commanding officers of E Flight, 759 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:
1945 - 1946
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.