779 Naval Air Squadron
779 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. Formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, in October 1941, at RN Air Section Gibraltar. It operated a small variety of aircraft for target towing and coastal defence. In 1943, the squadron received some Bristol Beaufighter aircraft and a detachment of these deployed to Taranto, after which they also saw service at various airbases around North Africa. It disbanded, during August 1945, at Gibraltar.
History
Fleet Requirements Unit (1941–1945)
779 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, on 1 October 1941, at RN Air Section Gibraltar. It was Initially equipped with two Blackburn Skua, a carrier-based dive bomber and fighter aircraft, for target towing and coastal defence. Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber, Fairey Fulmar, a carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, and Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalised version of the Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft, were also used, but in April 1943, a target tug variant of the Boulton Paul Defiant interceptor aircraft replaced the Blackburn Skua aircraft.Later in the year the squadron received a number of Bristol Beaufighter II, a multirole combat aircraft, and during September they formed a detachment at Taranto, Italy. Once this had finished they were then on numerous detachments around North Africa, including at R N Air Section Tafaraoui, RAF Oujda, Blida, Maison Blanche and La Senia. Miles Martinet target tug aircraft replaced the Boulton Paul Defiants in June 1944, and the squadron consisted two Fairey Swordfish, three Bristol Beaufighters, two Hawker Sea Hurricanes and nine Miles Martinets. 779 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RN Air Section Gibraltar, North Front on 5 August 1945.
Aircraft operated
The squadron operated a number of different aircraft types, including:- Blackburn Skua Mk.II dive bomber / fighter aircraft
- Fairey Swordfish I torpedo bomber
- Fairey Swordfish II torpedo bomber
- Fairey Fulmar Mk.II reconnaissance/fighter aircraft
- Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IB fighter aircraft
- Boulton Paul Defiant TT Mk III target tug
- Supermarine Seafire Mk Ib fighter aircraft
- Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIF multirole combat aircraft
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC fighter aircraft
- Miles Martinet TT.Mk I target tug (May 1944 - August 1945
Naval air stations
779 Naval Air Squadron operated from a naval air station of the Royal Navy, overseas and number of other airbases:- RN Air Section Gibraltar, Gibraltar,
- * Taranto, Italy,
- * Blida, Algeria,
- * RN Air Section Tafaraoui, Algeria,
- * Royal Air Force Oujda, Morocco,
- * Maison Blanche, Algeria,
- * La Senia, Algeria,
- disbanded -
Commanding officers
List of commanding officers of 779 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:- Lieutenant Commander B.F. Cox, RNVR, from 1 October 1941
- Lieutenant Commander L. Gilbert, RNVR, from 17 January 1942
- Lieutenant Commander J.M. Keene-Miller, RNVR, from 22 June 42
- Lieutenant Commander C.R. Holman, RNR, from 1 May 1943
- Lieutenant Commander E.L. Meicklejohn, RNVR, from 14 September 1943
- disbanded - 5 August 1945