| 1843 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Goodyear FG-1D Corsair Mk IV; an example of the type used by 1843 NAS | |
| Active |
|
| Disbanded | 10 March 1957[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type |
|
| Role |
|
| Size |
|
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | SeeNaval air stations section for full list. |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | 1+V11 Single letters |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Vought Corsair |
1843 Naval Air Squadron (1843 NAS) was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN) between 1943 and 1945 and then aRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Squadron from 1953 to 1957. It formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, in May 1944, as afighter squadron. It arrived in the UK aboard HMSTrouncer in August. Based at HMSGannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland and training at HMSWagtail, RNAS Ayr, Scotland, the squadron had deck landing training aboard HMSPatroller in December, before joining HMSArbiter in February 1945, as part of the 10th Naval Fighter Wing. Sailing to Australia, the squadron became part of the 3rd Carrier Air Group, but saw no action before the war ended and disbanded in October 1945. It reformed as a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branch anti-submarine squadron, in the Scottish Air Division, from 1953 and disbanded in 1957.
1843 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 June 1944 in theUnited States at RN Air Section Brunswick, which was located atUnited States Naval Air Station (USNAS) Brunswick,Maine, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron,[2] under the command ofLieutenant Commander(A) D.K. Evans,RNZNVR.[3]
It was equipped with eighteenVought Corsair aircraft, an Americancarrier-bornefighter-bomber. These were theBrewster built F4U-1 variant the F3A-1 and F3A-1D, designated Corsair Mk III by the Fleet Air Arm.[4] Training consistedair combat, low altitude andformation flying andnavigation. On 3 July the squadron began Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings (ADDLs) utilising the nearbyUS Naval Auxiliary Airfield atBar Harbor, Maine.[5]
On completion of working up in late July the Mk III Vought Corsair were replaced with the Mk II variant . This version was the Vought built F4U-1A,[4] before embarking inHMS Trouncer for the UK in August 1944. TheRuler-classescort carrier sailed fromNew York City on 11 August, to cross theAtlantic as part of convoy CU.35.[5]
The squadron disembarked toRNAS Eglinton (HMSGannet), nearDerry, Northern Ireland, on 24 August. On 20 September Lieutenant Commander(A) D.F.V. Davis,RCNVR, was given temporary command of the squadron. On 14 October a new commanding officer,Major P.P. Nelson-Gracie,RM, took command[3] Along with1845 Naval Air Squadron, they formed the10th Naval Fighter Wing.[6] The squadron flew to Scotland on 23 October toRNAS Ayr (HMSWagtail),Ayr, and remained there until returning to RNAS Eglinton on 15 December.[7] At the end of November the squadron strength was increased to twenty-four aircraft when it absorbed part of1848 Naval Air Squadron which was disbanded on 21 November.[5] A detachment of eight aircraft undertook Deck Landing Training (DLT) on theRuler-class escort carrier,HMS Patroller between 21 and 23 December.[3]
At the start of February 1945 the squadron received new equipment again, these were theGoodyear built FG-1D variant of the Corsair, designated as the Mk IV by the Fleet Air Arm.[8] The squadron flew out to embark in anotherRuler-class escort carrier,HMS Arbiter, onValentine’s Day 1945. It sailed to Australia via a brief stop atCeylon. On 2 May it disembarked toRNAS Schofields (HMSNabthorpe), (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 3), which was situated atRAAF Station Schofields,New South Wales.[9]
The squadron re-embarked into HMSArbiter and sailed for theAdmiralty Islands where it disembarked all twenty-four aircraft toRNAS Ponum (HMSNabaron), (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 4) which was situated on a former US Navy airstrip onPonam Island,Papua New Guinea, on the last day of May. It remained for almost a month, re-embarked on 25 June.[10] The carrier returned to Australia and the squadron disembarked on 4 July toRNAS Maryborough (HMSNabstock), (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 6), which was located atRAAF Station Maryborough,Queensland. However, the stay was limited and the squadron flew toRNAS Jervis Bay (HMSNabswick), (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 5), situated atJervis Bay Airfield, New South Wales, on 14 of the month.[11]
A week later it wagon the move again, flying toRNAS Nowra (HMSNabbington) (Mobile Naval Air base No. 1), established at theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF) baseRAAF Nowra atNowra,New South Wales,[12] where it joined the3rd Carrier Air Group (3rd CAG) which formed at HMSNabbington on 2 August as a spare Group for anIllustrious-class fleet carrier.[13] The squadron saw no action before thewar ended and the Air Group was disbanded on 20 October. The aircraft were withdrawn in September, and the squadron personnel sailed home inSS Stratheden, to disband on arrival on 10 December 1945.[7]
On 20 April 1953 1843 Sqn reformed atRNAS Abbotsinch (HMSSanderling),Paisley, Scotland, as anRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branchanti-submarine squadron in the Scottish Air Division, under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) M. Ross, RNVR. It was essentially a renaming of1830A Naval Air Squadron. The squadron shared a pool of aircraft with 1830 Naval Air Squadron. The RNVR squadron disbanded on 10 March 1957 under theWhite Paper defence cuts of that year.[14]
| From | To | Aircraft | Type | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1944 | August 1944 | Vought Corsair | fighter-bomber | Mk III | |
| July 1944 | February 1945 | Vought Corsair | fighter-bomber | Mk II | |
| February 1945 | September 1945 | Vought Corsair | fighter-bomber | Mk IV |
1843 Naval Air Squadron was assigned as needed to form part of a number of larger units:[15]
1843 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, and overseas, and a number of Royal Navyescort carriers:[7]
List ofcommanding officers of 1843 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][7]
1944 - 1945
1953 - 1957
Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.[17]