| 800 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Squadron badge | |
| Active | Royal Air Force 1933–1939 Royal Navy
|
| Disbanded | 28 January 2011 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role | Carrier-basedfighter squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Mottos | Nunquam non-paratus (Latin for 'Never unprepared') |
| Aircraft | SeeAircraft flown section for full list. |
| Engagements | |
| Battle honours |
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| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
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| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge Description | Blue, in front of a trident erect two swords in saltire point upward winged at the hilt all gold (1937) |
| Identification Markings |
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| Fin Carrier Codes | |
800 Naval Air Squadron (800 NAS) also referred to as 800 Squadron, was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom'sRoyal Navy (RN). It most recently operated theHarrier as part ofJoint Force Harrier (JFH), from March 2006 until January 2011.
Formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No's 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights. Operating as a carrier-based fighter squadron, it served throughout the Second World War. During the Korean War, it flewSupermarine Seafire. These were followed with theSupermarine Attacker in the mid-1950s, then theHawker Sea Hawk during the Suez Crises, and later theSupermarine Scimitar andBlackburn Buccaneer during the 1960s. The squadron flew theSea Harrier throughout the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, notably during the Falklands War.
800 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was established on 3 April 1933, atRAF Netheravon in Wiltshire, through the amalgamation of Nos. 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights, FAA, within the Royal Air Force.[1]
The squadron was first equipped with nine single-seatHawker Nimrod fighter aircraft and three two-seatHawker Ospreys to act as navigation leaders for the Nimrods. It served aboardHMSCourageous in theHome Fleet. In 1935–1936, the carrier and squadron operated in theMediterranean. The squadron re-equipped with theBlackburn Skua in November 1938 and took these aboard the aircraft carrierHMS Ark Royal. The Skua was adive bomber with a secondary fighter role to allow the destruction or driving-off of enemy reconnaissance aircraft.[2]
In 1939, 800 Squadron predominantly operated Blackburn Skuas, along with a limited number ofBlackburn Rocs. from HMSArk Royal. The Squadron was transferred toAdmiralty control on 24 May 1939.[3]
During theGerman invasion of Norway in 1940, whilst based at Royal Navy Air StationHatston,Kirkwall, Orkney 800 and803 Squadrons dive-bombed theGerman cruiserKönigsberg atBergen on 10 April 1940, 800 Squadron providing five Skuas to the force that sank theKönigsberg.[4] The squadron embarked onArk Royal later that month, with the carrier providing air cover to the fleet and to Allied troops. 800 Squadron's Skua's claimed sixHeinkel He 111 bombers shot down and a further as probably destroyed.[5] On 13 June 1940,Ark Royal launched a dive bomber attack against theGerman BattleshipScharnhorst, under repair atTrondheim, with 800 Squadron losing four Skuas out of six, with the Squadron's Commanding Officer,Captain R.T. Partridge,RM was takenPOW, while 803 Squadron lost four Skuas from nine.[6] In July 1940, the squadron was involved in the attack on the French Fleet atOran. TwoSM.79 bombers were shot down offSardinia.
The squadron was regrouped withFairey Fulmars inGibraltar during April 1941, proceeding with two flights toHMS Victorious to search for theBismarck, and toArgus. On regrouping later that year, the squadron joinedFurious for an attack onPetsamo, and after theWest Indies onboardIndomitable was involved in the Madagascar operations.
The squadron received new equipment in the form ofHawker Sea Hurricanes,[7] which were deployed to theAvenger-class escort carrierHMS Biter, originating from RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) on 9 October for Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa. Upon their return to the United Kingdom, the squadron offloaded their aircraft at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) on 19 November.[8]
TheGrumman Hellcat fighter aircraft was introduced into service with the Fleet Air Arm on 1 July 1943, when 800 Naval Air Squadron transitioned from the Hawker Sea Hurricane. This aircraft served as the British counterpart to the US Navy's F6F-3 variant, featuring the Double Wasp R-200-10 engine and designated as Hellcat F. Mk. I within the Royal Navy.[9] The squadron, operating fromEmperor provided escort forFairey Barracudas in the April 1944 attacks from against theTirpitz in Alta Fjord, Norway.[10]
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During theKorean War, the Squadron and itsSupermarine Seafire F Mk.47 fighter aircraft were embarked in theColossus-classaircraft carrierHMS Triumph as part of the13th Carrier Air Group (13 CAG) and their first operation was a strike by twelve Seafires, along with nineFairey Fireflies of827 Naval Air Squadron, also part of 13 CAG, onHaeju airfield on 3 July 1950. Because of their short range, the Seafires were frequently given theCombat Air Patrol task over the fleet. During Operation Chromite, theInchon landings in September 1950, Seafires flew armedreconnaissance missions and spotted for the bombarding cruisers. But, by the end of the month, 800 Naval Air Squadron had only three serviceable aircraft and no replacements were available in the Far East. The inevitable crop of landing accidents, including one which claimed the life of 800 Naval Air Squadron CO on 29 August 1950 and the cumulative airframe stress damage meant the end of the Seafire's operational life.[11] During the Korean War the squadron flew 245 offensive patrols and 115 ground attack sorties[7] before HMSTriumph was replaced by sister shipTheseus with its carrier air group[12] of807, withSea Furies and810, with Fairey Fireflies, Naval Air Squadrons.[13]
In August 1951 theSupermarine Attacker entered service with the squadron when it re-formed at HMSPeregrine the Royal Naval Air Station atFord, West Sussex, later embarking in theAudacious-class aircraft carrierHMSEagle. It was the first jet fighter to be standardised in the Fleet Air Arms first-line squadrons.[14] On 4 March 1952, the squadron commenced carrier operations, embarking on HMSEagle for a three-week training period, returning to RNAS Ford on later in the month.[15] Operating within the 13th Carrier Air Group, it conducted multiple deployments in both Home Waters and the Mediterranean aboard HMSEagle.[16] On 3 December 1952 the Carrier Air Group was disbanded, although both squadrons continued to be assigned to the carrier.[17] They established a routine of alternating one month at sea and one month on land until the spring of 1954.[15] By 1953 the squadron had upgraded to the FB.2 version of the Attacker, but the following year the Attacker was withdrawn from frontline service and the aircraft passed to training and reserve units.[18]
800 Naval Air Squadron then recommissioned withArmstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FB.3s in November 1954, at RNAS Brawdy (HMSGoldcrest), Pembrokshire and joined the newly commissionedAudacious-class aircraft carrierHMS Ark Royal the following year. As with other FAA Sea Hawk units at the time, the sqn operated later marks of Sea Hawk as they became available culminating in the FGA. 4 and FGA.6 by the time it embarked on the carrier.[16][19] The squadron was disbanded in April 1956, only to be reconstituted the subsequent month with Hawker Sea Hawk. In November, it was deployed aboard theCentaur-class light fleet carrier HMSAlbion, engaging in assaults on airfields and various targets as part of Operation Musketeer during the Suez Crisis. In 1958, the squadron had another period of service on HMSArk Royal before returning to RNAS Brawdy, where it ultimately disbanded in March 1959.[20][16] During the 1950s, 800's aircraft usually had the tails painted red, and this evolved into a forward pointing red arrowhead design with crossed swords over a trident in yellow in the centre.
TheSupermarine Scimitar represented the inaugural implementation of aswept-wing, single-seat fighter by the FAA, marking a significant advancement as the first aircraft in the FAA to achievesupersonic speeds. Additionally, it was the first aircraft operated by the FAA to be equipped with the capability to carry anatomic bomb.[21] 800 Naval Air Squadron next reformed in July 1959 as a Supermarine Scimitar F.1 unit with six aircraft, under the command of Lieutenant Commander D.P. Norman, AFC, RN, atRNAS Lossiemouth (HMSFulmar),Moray, later re-joiningHMS Ark Royal's air group in March 1960.
Throughout the summer of 1961, Scimitar aerobatic displays over RNAS Lossiemouth were a common sight, as 800 Naval Air Squadron was designated as the Royal Naval Aerobatic Team for that year, performing at the '24th Salon de L'Aeronautique' (Paris Air Show), four RNAS Air Days, one Navy Day, and culminating in theSBACFarnborough Air Show.[22] After operating worldwide from theArk, 800 returned to 'Lossie' in December 1963 and disbanded in February 1964,[23] its aircraft being passed to803 Naval Air Squadron to bring that unit up to sixteen aircraft.[24]
A month later 800 Naval Air Squadron recommissioned at RNAS Lossiemouth as aBlackburn Buccaneer squadron equipped with eight Buccaneer S.1 for service on the newly refittedHMS Eagle. 800B Flight, which is related yet distinct, assembled with four Scimitar F.1 aircraft at RNAS Lossiemouth in September, to explore the operational methodologies ofair-to-air refuelling.[16] The latter aircraft were for the next two years operated by 800B Flight, their aircraft adorned with a 'foaming tankard' badge on their tails as they were to be used as in-flight refuelling tankers as the underpowered Buccaneer S.1 could not be launched from a carrier with a full weapons load and full fuel tanks. The Buccaneers were launched fully armed but with a light fuel load, and would then 'top up' from waiting Scimitars which had been launched previously.[25] The squadron was the only FAA squadron organised this way, and it was an interim measure pending the arrival of the Buccaneer S.2. In June 1966 the S.2s began to replace the S.1s and the Scimitars, completing the process by November of that year.[26]
In March 1967 the oil tankerTorrey Canyon ran aground onSeven Stones Reef nearLand's End and started to leak thousands of tons of crude oil into the sea, putting nearby beaches at risk of pollution. In an attempt to minimise the damage to the environment, the Buccaneers of 800 Naval Air Squadron along with those of the training squadron736 Naval Air Squadron were ordered to destroy the tanker and its cargo.[27] Flying from RNAS Brawdy in Wales on 28 March 1967, eight Buccaneers dropped 42000 lbs of high explosive bombs and achieved a 75% success rate. The aim was to rip open the hull of the tanker to release its cargo then set fire to it on the open sea, destroying the oil before it reached the beaches.[28] After this the squadron rejoinedEagle for the remainder of her career.
During this period the squadron operated 14 Buccaneer S.2s, and as with its sister squadron809 Naval Air Squadron aboardArk Royal in the 1970s, the squadron normally kept ten strike aircraft ready, two more fitted with a specially designed reconnaissance pallet in the rotating bomb bay, and the final two aircraft were fitted with buddy refuelling pods as tanker aircraft. After covering the British withdrawal from 'East of Suez'Eagle returned home to pay off in January 1972, her squadrons flown back to their shore bases to disband. 800 Squadron returned to Lossiemouth and disbanded on 23 February 1972, and its aircraft were passed to the RAF.
TheBritish Aerospace Sea Harrier was a variant of afamily of subsonic aircraft capable ofvertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL), designed for various roles including strike missions, reconnaissance, and air combat. It was introduced into service with the Royal Navy in June 1979 under the designation Sea Harrier FRS.1,[29] and it was colloquially referred to as the 'Shar'.[30] On 31 March 1980, 800 Naval Air Squadron was recommissioned as the inaugural front-line squadron for the Sea Harrier, equipped with four Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft at RNAS Yeovilton (HMSHeron) in Somerset.[16]
Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Tim Gedge, a formerPhantom FG1 pilot,[31] it embarked in thelead ship of a newclass of light aircraft carrierHMS Invincible until June 1981 when it transferred to theCentaur-class aircraft carrierHMS Hermes,[23]which had recently undergone modifications to include a 12°ski-jump and the necessary facilities for operating the Harrier.[32]
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On the outbreak of theFalklands War 800 Naval Air Squadron, now under the command of Lieutenant Commander Andy Auld, was brought up to its wartime strength of twelve Sea Harrier FRS1s by transferring four aircraft and their crews from the Sea Harrier Headquarters Squadron899 Naval Air Squadron, with a further three Sea Harriers taken from storage or trials use. The squadron embarked in HMSHermes whilst she was still alongside in Portsmouth Dockyard.[33] The other Sea Harrier squadron801 Naval Air Squadron, aboard HMSInvincible similarly received four aircraft.[34]
Two of the squadron's planes were lost. On 4 May 1982, Lieutenant Nicholas Taylor's Sea Harrier sustained damage fromanti-aircraft fire, exploded and hit the ground, while approaching to attack the Goose Green airstrip.[35] Lieutenant Commander Gordon Batt, DSC, was killed in action flying a Sea Harrier from HMSHermes on 23 May 1982.[36]
During the conflict another Sea Harrier squadron,809 Naval Air Squadron was formed, led by former 800 CO Lieutenant Commander Tim Gedge, with eight spare aircraft and sent south aboard theMVAtlantic Conveyor, and on arrival in the South Atlantic these aircraft were divided between the two carriers, four each to 800 and801 Naval Air Squadrons.[37] The aircraft were absorbed into these squadrons, as the 899 aircraft had been, but remained recognisable as they had been painted in light grey low visibility camouflage as opposed to the dark sea grey scheme used by all the other Sea Harriers.[38]
800 Squadron Sea Harriers destroyed 17 Argentine aircraft.[39]
Some "kills" are claimed jointly or disputed (Puma at Shag Cove)
Post war, 809 Naval Air Squadron reacquired its aircraft and crews and returned to the UK alongside 800 aboard HMSHermes, only to embark aboard the newly completedInvincible-class light aircraft carrierHMS Illustrious and return to the Falklands so that HMSInvincible could be relieved to return home. 809 NAS disbanded in December 1982 on return to the UK. HMSIllustrious had been sent into the South Atlantic before being commissioned properly and spent the next few months catching up on preparations for full commissioning, after which 800 was transferred to HMSIllustrious in September 1983. Squadron strength was increased first to six Sea Harriers then gradually up to eight aircraft as a result of lessons relearned during the conflict.
The carrier with 800 was deployed to Westlant in the autumn of 1985, took part in Global 86 from July to December 1986, went on a Mediterranean cruise in the spring of 1988, and came back to Westlant in late autumn of 1988. In June 1989, the squadron returned to HMSInvincible and subsequently redeployed to Westlant from October 1989 to February 1990, with a disembarkation atNaval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida, during the Christmas and New Year period.[16]
In 1991, the carrier mainly operated in domestic waters before being deployed to the Far East from May to November 1992.[16] In July 1993, now led by Lieutenant Commander Chris Neave, 800 was deployed aboard HMSInvincible to assume responsibilities related to theBosnian War. The Sea Harriers conducted reconnaissance, Combat Air Patrol (CAP) operations, and provided close air support using 1000-poundPaveway II laser-guided bombs.[40] The squadron returned to the UK in January 1994, and then redeployed forOperation Deny Flight in theAdriatic from August 1994 to February 1995.[16] Between September 1994 and February 1995, the Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft conducted over 360 sorties in support of the United Nations' operation.[40]An 800 Sea Harrier ditched in the Adriatic Sea, near the Bosnian coast, during a hovering manoeuvre adjacent to HMSInvincible. The pilot, Lieutenant Kistruck, successfully ejected. The aircraft was retrieved from a depth of 720 meters and, following restoration efforts, was transferred to theFleet Air Arm Museum in 2000.[41]
In 1995, the squadron transitioned to the more advanced Sea Harrier FA.2, which featured enhancements over the FRS.1 model, including a superiorRolls-Royce Pegasus Mk.106 engine, extended operational range,[42] theBlue Vixen look-down radar system, a greater capacity for air-to-air munitions, compatibility withAIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, and enhanced cockpit instrumentation.[43]
In Autumn 1996, the squadron deployed on HMSInvincible to the Mediterranean[44] for NATO exercises, then moved through the Suez Canal into the Gulf in November.[45] After joint exercises with the US Navy, marking the first British carrier visit to Kuwait in 30 years, HMSInvincible returned to the UK for Christmas. Following work-up in May 1997, the carrier sailed to the US in September, conducting exercises with USN Grumman F-14 Tomcats and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets at NAS Oceana[46] before operations in the Adriatic in January and into the Gulf in February 1998.[47] In January 1998, in addition to 800's Sea Harrier FA.2s, RAF Harrier GR.7s operated fromInvincible in thePersian Gulf, typically in a mix of seven FA.2s and seven GR.7s.[48] Much of 1998 involved training with HMSInvincible. Although the carrier was deployed to the Gulf from February to March 1999[49] and to the Adriatic from April to May, working alongside embarked Royal Air Force Harriers.[50] Finally, in late September, the squadron was deployed to the US for weapons training.[46]
In 2000, 800 became a subordinate unit withinJoint Force Harrier (JFH) which was established on 1 April under the leadership ofRear AdmiralIain Henderson,CB, CBE, DL, RN, integrating the Royal Navy's Sea Harrier andRoyal Air Force’s Harrier squadrons into a unified command structure.[51]
800 Squadron maintained operations embarked in HMSInvincible, which included a deployment to the Mediterranean in late 2000, before transitioning to HMSArk Royal in September 2001. In 2002, the squadron undertook two deployments to the Mediterranean in HMSArk Royal, and in June 2003, it conducted a flight to Malaysia and back for an exercise, supported by an air-to-air refueling operation, followed by another refueling operation to and from Nevada and California for weapons training.[52]
On 31 March 2004, while at in RNAS Yeovilton the squadron was disbanded[52] following the 2002 Ministry of Defence announcement that the Sea Harrier would be retired from active service between 2004 and 2006, which was 6 to 8 years ahead of its originally scheduled out-of-service date.[53]
Two years later, on 31 March 2006, 800 Naval Air Squadron was officially re-commissioned under the command of Commander Adrian Orchard, within Joint Force Harrier atRAF Cottesmore. The subsequent day,No. 3 Squadron had relocated toRAF Coningsby to transition to theEurofighter Typhoon. The ex-3 Squadron Harrier GR7/7As were reassigned to reinstate 800.[54]
The Harrier GR7 represented an upgraded variant of the originalBritish Aerospace Harrier II, a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft that developed from theMcDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II. In contrast to the Sea Harrier, which was mainly used as a carrier-based interceptor, the Harrier II was specifically engineered forair interdiction andclose air support operations, indicating a notable transformation in the squadron's operational role.[55][56]
Embarking in HMSIllustrious in the Mediterranean for a preparatory phase merely ten days later, the squadron was deployed toAfghanistan in September as part ofOperation Herrick under the904 Expeditionary Air Wing. This deployment involved assuming control of aircraft and facilities from the RAF'sNo IV Squadron to deliver aerial support to ground troops involved in combat against theTaliban.[52]
On 9 March 2007, the squadron combined with 801 Naval Air Squadron to form theNaval Strike Wing (NSW) as a part of Joint Force Harrier. On 1 April 2010, NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron.[57][58]
The squadron disbanded, as a result of the2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and the subsequent withdrawal of Harrier fleet. 800 Naval Air Squadron was officially disbanded along with the other two units within Joint Force Harrier,1(F) Squadron and 4(R) Squadron of the Royal Air Force, during a combined Royal Navy and Royal Air Force ceremony that took place at RAF Wittering on 28 January 2011.[59] The last Commanding Officer was Commander David Lindsay.
In 2012 Kettering Sea and Royal Marine Cadets were named 800 NAS to keep the squadron alive. Lieutenant Commander M. Pether, RNR, Head of Flight within the Sea Cadet Corps, maintains the traditions and honour of the Naval Air Squadron and will continue to do so until 800 NAS gets re-commissioned .[60]
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[26]
800 Naval Air Squadron has been awarded numerous battle honours, including eleven during World War II:
800 Naval Air Squadron was assigned as needed to form part of a number of larger units:[76][77]
List ofcommanding officers of 800 Naval Air Squadron:[26]
1933 – 1945
1946 – 1950
1951 – 1954
1954 – 1956
1956 – 1959
1959 – 1964
1964 – 1972
1980 – 2004
2006 – 2011
Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.[79]
