770 Naval Air Squadron


770 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It last disbanded at HMS Nighthawk, RNAS Drem in October 1945. 770 Naval Air Squadron initially formed as a Deck Landing Training Squadron at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in November 1939. Embarked in HMS Argus, and operated from the aircraft carrier and Hyeres la Palyvestre in the south of France, until it disbanded in May 1940. It reformed at HMS Merlin, RNAS Donibristle, on New Year’s Day 1941, as a Fleet Requirements Unit out of 771 Naval Air Squadron’s 'X' Flight. It moved to HMS Jackdaw, RNAS Crail, in June 1941, then two and half years later it moved to HMS Jackdaw II, RNAS Dunino in January 1944, before finally moving to HMS Nighthawk in July.

History

Deck Landing Training (1939–1940)

770 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire, on 7 November 1939 as a Deck Landing Training squadron. It was initially equipped with two Blackburn Skua, a British two-seat carrier-based dive bomber and fighter aircraft, two Gloster Sea Gladiator, a British biplane fighter aircraft, a de Havilland Moth, a two-seat biplane trainer aircraft and later on two Fairey Swordfish, a British biplane torpedo bomber. The squadron embarked in the converted ocean liner to aircraft carrier, and operated from this ship and Hyeres la Palyvestre, near Toulon, France, where the Royal Navy had a Lodger facility with the French Navy, until it disbanded on 1 May 1940.

Fleet Requirements Unit (1941–1944)

770 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Fleet Requirements Unit at RNAS Donibristle (HMS Merlin), Fife, Scotland, on 1 January 1941, out of 771 Naval Air Squadron’s 'X' Flight. It was equipped with four Blackburn Roc, a naval turret fighter aircraft, with two aircraft used for target towing and two used for marking the fall of shot. The squadron relocated to RNAS Crail (HMS Jackdaw), Fife, on 1 June 1941, where it acquired Blackburn Skua aircraft. In 1942 it received the target tug variant of the Boulton Paul Defiant turret fighter and Vought Chesapeake, an American carrier-based dive bomber but the following year the dedicated target tug aircraft, Miles Martinet TT.Mk I, replaced the Boulton Paul Defiant.
On 29 January 1944 the squadron moved to RNAS Dunino (HMS Jackdaw II), in Fife. During the spring Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV, a British light bomber arrived and in the middle of the year the Vought Chesapeake were withdrawn and replaced with Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC, a single-seat fighter aircraft. On 27 July it relocated to RNAS Drem (HMS Nighthawk), East Lothian, Scotland. During 1945, a variety of aircraft was operated. It received Supermarine Seafire Mk IIc, a navalised Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. It also used de Havilland Mosquito B Mk.25 and PR Mk.XVI, the former an improved Canadian version of the Mosquito B Mk.IV bomber aircraft and the latter a photo-reconnaissance variant, and operating out of RAF Charterhall, Scottish Borders. 770 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded into 772 Naval Air Squadron, at RNAS Drem, on 1 October 1945.

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:

Naval air stations

770 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air station of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a Royal Navy aircraft carrier and a number of Royal Air Force stations:
1939 - 1940
1941 - 1945

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 770 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
1939 - 1940
  • not identified
1941 - 1945
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.