| 733 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vultee Vengeance of the type used by 733 NAS | |
| Active | 1 January 1944 – 31 December 1947[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role | Fleet Requirements Unit |
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | RN Air Section Minneriya RNAS Trincomalee (HMSBambara) |
| Motto(s) | Sursum nubes (Latin for 'Upwards into the clouds') |
| Aircraft | SeeAircraft flown section for full list. |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge Description | White, upon a pellet two beams of light in saltire white surmounted by an eagle valiant gold armed and langue's red (1944)[1] |
| Identification Markings | C8A+ &C9A+[2] uncoded (from 1946)[3] |
733 Naval Air Squadron (733 NAS) was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN). It was active between January 1944 and December 1947, entirely in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), as aFleet Requirements Unit, based mainly at R.N. Air Section China Bay, which became HMSBambara, RNAS Trincomalee, China Bay, Ceylon. The squadron initially formed at R.N. Air Section Minneriya, at RAF Minnerya, Ceylon, two weeks after an advance party arrived there, remaining for three months after formation before relocating.
733 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit for theBritish Eastern Fleet on 1 January 1944 atR.N. Air Section Minnerya,[2] where theAdmiralty had lodger facilities for an RN squadron at theRoyal Air Force (RAF)heavy bomber airfield at RAF Minnerya, located inHingurakgoda,Ceylon.[4] On 25 March 1944, the squadron relocated toR.N. Air Section China Bay, located in China Bay in eastern Ceylon, where the RN had lodger facilities at RAF China Bay, bringing along a varied example of aircraft used by the FAA,[5] includingGrumman Avenger, an Americantorpedo bomber,Miles Martinettarget tug aircraft,Grumman Wildcat, an Americancarrier-basedfighter aircraft,Bristol Beaufighter, a Britishmultirole combat aircraft,Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber andFairey Barracuda a British torpedo anddive bomber.[2]
The squadron’s roles includedradar calibration, which requiredpilots to fly at a specificheight andspeed, notably, one pilot was tasked to fly halfway toSingapore and back at 30,000 feet (9,100 m).[3] The squadron acquired other aircraft during its existence includingBoulton Paul Defiant, anight fighter converted to target tug variant,Stinson Reliant, aliaison andtraining aircraft, ade Havilland Mosquitobomber variant,Vought Corsair, an American carrier-basedfighter-bomber,Vultee Vengeance, an American dive bomber andSupermarine Seafire, anavalised version of theSupermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft.[2]
The squadron took someBeech Expeditor, an American trainer,transport andutility aircraft from742 Naval Air Squadron, when it disbanded during August. Initially usingSupermarine Walrus, anamphibiousmaritime patrol aircraft, and later onSupermarine Sea Otter, an amphibiousair-sea rescue aircraft, an Air Sea Rescue Flight was added around the beginning of 1946.[3] The squadron disbanded on 31 December 1947 at RNAS Trincomalee (HMSBambara), RAF China Bay had been transferred to the Admiralty, on 15 November 1944 and renamed RNAS Trincomalee.[5]
733 Naval Air Squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[5]
_Royal_Navy.jpg)
733 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy, overseas:[3]
List ofcommanding officers of 733 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[2][3]