| 1835 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vought Corsair; an example of the type used by 1835 NAS | |
| Active |
|
| Disbanded | 10 March 1957[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type |
|
| Role | Carrier-based fighter squadron |
| Size |
|
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | SeeNaval air stations section for full list. |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings |
|
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Vought Corsair |
1835 Naval Air Squadron (1835 NAS) was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN). It was established as a fighter squadron in the United States at HMSSaker II, RNAS Quonset Point in August 1943. Rather than returning to the United Kingdom to join the 47th Naval Fighter Wing, the squadron was disbanded in November 1943, at RN Air Section Brunswick, Maine. The squadron was reconstituted at Brunswick in December 1944. It transferred to Northern Ireland and arrived at RNAS Eglinton (HMSGannet) in April 1945. The squadron was designated for the 17th Carrier Air Group of the British Pacific Fleet; however, the conclusion of the Second World War prevented this deployment. The squadron was ultimately disbanded at RNAS Nutts Corner (HMSPintail) in September 1945. It reformed as a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branch fighter squadron, in the Southern Air Division, from 1953 and disbanded in 1957.
The personnel of 1835 Naval Air Squadron gathered atHMS Waxwing which served as the Fleet Air Arm Transit Camp, Royal Naval Air Establishment (RNAE) Townhill,Dunfermline,Fife,[2] on 1 July 1943 for passage to theUSA.[3]
The squadron was formed on 15 August at RNAS Quonset Point (HMSSaker II), situated at the United StatesNaval Air Station Quonset Point inRhode Island. TheAdmiralty having obtained access to this facility beginning in October 1943.[4] The unit was established as a single-seat fighter squadron under the leadership ofLieutenant Commander(A) M.S. Godson,RN, and was originally equipped with tenVought Corsair aircraft,[5] these were theVought Chance built F4U-1 and known as the Corsair Mk I in the Fleet Air Arm.[6]
On 30 August, the squadron relocated to RN Air Section Brunswick, located at theUS Naval Air Station inBrunswick,Maine, to proceed with its training.[7] By October, the squadron had transitioned to Corsair Mk. II, these were the Vought Chance built F4U-1A variant of the fighter aircraft,[6] intending to integrate into the47th Naval Fighter Wing alongside the1834 and1836 Naval Air Squadrons.[8] Nevertheless, changes in planning led to the squadron's disbandment on 23 November 1943, to establish732 Naval Air Squadron the new Corsair Operational Training Unit at Brunswick.[3]
1835 Naval Air Squadron was re-established at RN Air Section Brunswick, on 1 December 1944, functioning once more as a single-seat fighter squadron under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) T.J.A. King-Joyce RN. The squadron received a complement of eighteen Vought Corsair Mk IV aircraft,[5] specifically the FG-1D model produced byGoodyear.[9] Upon completing their operations in the United States, the squadron personnel departed from RN Air Section Brunswick on 20 March 1945, leaving their aircraft behind.[3] They arrived in the United Kingdom on 4 April and subsequently regrouped atRNAS Eglinton (HMSGannet),County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on 21 April, where they received eighteen new Vought Corsair Mk III,[10] this variant being theBrewster built F3A-1 and F3A-1D.[6]
In June, the squadron phased out this variant, taking possession of twenty-one Vought Corsair Mk IV, before relocating toRNAS Belfast (HMSGadwall),County Antrim, on 29 June.[3] Three weeks after their arrival at RNAS Belfast, the squadron boarded theRuler-classescort carrier,HMS Premier, on 25 July for a week of rigorous Deck Landing Training (DLT).[11] The squadron returned to RNAS Belfast on 2 August. The squadron was earmarked for the17th Carrier Air Group of theBritish Pacific Fleet, but following the announcement ofJapan's surrender on 15 August, the squadron's future became unclear. On 23 August, they moved toRNAS Nutts Corner (HMSPiintail), County Antrim, where they were scheduled to disband on 3 September 1945.[5]
On 28 March 1953, 1835 Naval Air Squadron reformed atRNAS Culham (HMSHornbill),Oxfordshire, England, as anRoyal Naval Volunteer Reservefighter squadron in the Southern Air Division, under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) A.C.B. Ford, DSC, RNVR. It was essentially a renaming of 1832A Naval Air Squadron. The squadron shared a pool of aircraft with1832 and1836 Naval Air Squadrons. The RNVR squadron disbanded on 10 March 1957 under theWhite Paper defence cuts of that year.[12]
1835 Naval Air Squadron flew different variants of only one aircraft type:[3]
1835 Naval Air Squadron operated mostly from a number ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy in the UK and overseas and utilised aRoyal Navy escort carrier:[3]
1943
1944-1945
1953 - 1957
List ofcommanding officers of 1835 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3]
Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.[13]
1943
1944-1945
1953-1957