799 Naval Air Squadron


799 Naval Air Squadron, also known as 799 Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy which last disbanded during August 1952. It initially formed as a Pool Squadron in South Africa during September 1943, sharing Fairey Albacore aircraft with 798 Naval Air Squadron and providing flying time for aircrew prior to front line squadron assignment, disbanding in June 1944. It reformed in July 1945 as a Flying Check and Conversion Refresher Squadron at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent. Made up of three distinct flights, two of those operated away from Lee-on-Solent with a flight at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, giving junior officers air experience, and another flight at HMS Dipper providing Supermarine Sea Otter conversion training. By May 1948 the whole unit had moved to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. In 1951, 799 Naval Air Squadron relocated to RNAS Machrihanish.

History

Pool Squadron (1943-1944)

799 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNARY Wingfield (HMS Malagas), at Cape Town in South Africa on 10 September 1943, as a pool squadron. It was equipped with Fairey Albacore, a British single-engine biplane torpedo bomber aircraft. These were shared with 789 Naval Air Squadron, and its role was to give training to spare aircrew who were awaiting appointment to first line squadrons. 799 Naval Air Squadron initially disbanded on 20 June 1944.

Flying Check and Conversion Refresher Unit (1945-1952)

799 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 30 July 1945 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), as a flying check and conversion refresher squadron, out of 'B' Flight of 798 Naval Air Squadron and part of 781 Naval Air Squadron. At the end of 1945 the squadron consisted three Flights, ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. ‘A’ was based with the squadron headquarters at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, ‘B’, equipped with a number of De Havilland Tiger Moth biplane training aircraft, provided junior Royal Navy and Royal Marines officers flying experience, at RNAS Gosport (HMS Siskin), and ‘C’, at, RNAS Henstridge, gave refresher and conversion training on the Supermarine Sea Otter amphibious biplane.
Headquarters and ‘A’ Flight were joined by ‘C’ Flight and its courses at HMS Daedalus in the New Year, these now incorporated some time in. What was ‘X’ Flight from 781 Naval Air Squadron was also attached to the squadron and known as 799X Flight, or ‘Germany’ Flight. During April 1946, ‘B' Flight became 727 Naval Air Squadron, the Supermarine Sea Otter course then became 'B' Flight, and a new 'C’ Flight was formed from the Refresher Flying and Instrument Flying. June saw the ‘X’ Flight return to 781 Naval Air Squadron, upon the latter’s reformation.
In May 1948, 799 Naval Air Squadron moved to, RNAS Yeovilton, and became incorporated into the 50th Training Air Group. The squadron was titled the Flying Check and Conversion Refresher Unit and then in 1951, it became the Refresher Flying Training Unit and moved to RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail). 799 Naval Air Squadron disbanded there on 12 August 1952.

Aircraft flown

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:

Naval air stations and other airbases

799 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, a Royal Navy capital ship and airbases overseas:
1943 - 1944
1945 - 1952HQ and 'A' Flight

799B Squadron

'B' was based only at RNAS Gosport.

799X Flight

ex-781X Flight.

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 799 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
1943 - 1944
1945 - 1952
  • Lieutenant Commander T.E. Sargent,, RNR, from 30 July 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander N.R. Quill, RN, from 4 January 1946
  • Lieutenant Commander P.W. Compton,, RN, from 4 November 1946
  • Lieutenant Commander J.B. Harrowar,, RNR, from 1 July 1947
  • Lieutenant Commander J.N. Ball, DSC, RN, from 16 January 1948
  • Lieutenant T.J. Harris, RN, from 13 May 1948
  • Lieutenant J.D. Nun, RN, from 28 October 1948
  • Lieutenant K.G. Talbot, RN, from 6 June 1949
  • Lieutenant Commander G.R. Callingham, RN, from 26 April 1950
  • Lieutenant Commander B.H. Harriss, RN, from 1 March 1951
  • Lieutenant Commander G.F. Birch, RN, from 12 November 1951
  • disbanded - 12 August 1952

799B Squadron

799X Flight Germany

Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.