| 787 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Squadron badge | |
| Active | 1941–1956 |
| Disbanded | 16 January 1956[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role |
|
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | SeeNaval air stations section for full list. |
| Aircraft | SeeAircraft operated section for full list. |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | CommanderStanley Orr,DSC &Two Bars, AFC |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge Description | Per fess blue and barry wavy of four white and blue, a key wards uppermost gold and a sword proper hilted gold in saltire (1952)[2] |
| Identification Markings | no markings (up to 1943) Y0A+ (from 1943)[3] |
787 Naval Air Squadron (787 NAS) was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN) which disbanded in January 1956. It formed in March 1941, at HMSHeron, RNAS Yeovilton, out of 804 Naval Air Squadron as aFleet Fighter Development Unit. Almost every type of fighter was received by the squadron for testing and evaluation for naval use. A move to RAF Duxford in June 1941 saw it become theNaval Air Fighting Development Unit, attached to the Royal Air Force's Air Fighting Development Unit. The squadron undertook rocket projectile test, continuous development of fighter tactics and even helping Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance squadrons in evading fighter attack. Post Second World War it continued its trials task and also undertookRebecca radar trials and ASH, US-builtair-to-surface-vessel radar trials.
787 Naval Air Squadron formed atRNAS Yeovilton (HMSHeron), inSomerset,England, on 5 March 1941 and tasked as a Fleet Fighter Development Unit.[3] The unit formed out of804 Naval Air Squadron and was initially equipped with fiveGloster Sea Gladiator, a Britishbiplanefighter aircraft and threeFairey Fulmar, a Britishcarrier-bornereconnaissance and fighter aircraft.[2] As different types of fighter aircraft were introduced for service the squadron tested and evaluated them for naval use.[3] It would test the aircraft’s capabilities, enabling it to devise tactics for use against enemy aircraft,[2] and part the role was comparative testing of captured aircraft, for example the squadron contrasted aFairey Fulmar Mk.II against aFiat CR.42 Falco, an Italiansesquiplane fighter aircraft, and aGrumman Martlett Mk I, an American carrier-based fighter aircraft, against aMesserschmitt Bf 109E, a German fighter aircraft.[3]
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On 18 June 1941, 787 NAS moved toRAF Duxford, inCambridgeshire, to become the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, attached to the RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit.[2] During January 1943 the squadron began development around the use ofrocket projectiles with naval aircraft, forming a ‘Z’ Flight which operated out offRNAS St Merryn (HMSVulture) and conducted trials at theTreligga Range,[3] under the code-name 'Glowworm'.[2] The RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit moved toRAF Wittering, in Cambridgeshire, and 787 NAS moved with it on 26 March 1943. It received new fighter aircraft acquiringVought Corsair an American carrie-borne fighter aircraft,Fairey Firefly, a British carrier-borne fighter andanti-submarine aircraft, andGrumman Hellcat, an American carrier-based fighter aircraf, but was also now equipped with TBR aircraft:Fairey Barracuda a British carrier-bornetorpedo anddive bomber andGrumman Avenger, an American torpedo bomber.[3]
The squadron formed ‘Y’ Flight atRNAS Arbroath (HMSCondor), inAngus, Scotland, in June 1944, which was known as the Fighter Affiliation Unit and which was equipped withSupermarine Seafire, anavalised version of theSupermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, and a small number ofBristol Blenheim,light bomber aircraft, with the latter being used as target aircraft.[2] The flight travelled around, visiting various operational squadrons, demonstrating fighter tactics and in particular to the TBR units, defensive flying.[3] July 1944 saw the disbandment of ‘Z’ Flight, however, ‘Y’ Flight continued into 1945,[2] based firstly atRNAS Burscough (HMSRingtail) inLancashire from August 1944 through to November with a variety of different aircraft,[4] then moving briefly toRNAS Ballyhalbert (HMSCorncrake), inCounty Down,Northern Ireland, for two weeks mid-February 1945, before relocating toRNAS Machrihanish (HMSLandrail), inArgyll and Bute, Scotland.[5] where it disbanded (becoming 'B' Flight of736 Naval Air Squadron atRN Air Section Speke on 1 March 1945).[2]
As well in March, 787 Naval Air Squadron moved toRAF Tangmere, inWest Sussex, the new home of Air Fighting Development Unit, which then become the Air Fighting Development Squadron of the Central Fighter Establishment, while 787 Naval Air Squadron became the Air Support Development Section of the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit. It again formed an ‘X’ Flight, this time atRAF Odiham, inHampshire and was equipped with threeGrumman Hellcat fighter aircraft and anAvro Anson, a multi-role aircraft, this Flight undertookRebecca radar trails.[3]
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The squadron also had a detachment atRNAS Ford (HMSPeregrine), West Sussex, starting on 29 April 1945.[6] It was formed of fiveFairey Firefly for trials with ASH, an Americanair-to-surface vessel (ASV) radar. AfterVE Day the squadron was intended to deploy 'X' Flight to the Far East, however, the plan was cancelled followingV-J Day.[3] Following a short spell atRAF Westhampnett, in West Sussex, from July, 787 Naval Air Squadron then moved toRAF West Raynham, inNorfolk, in November, where it absorbed746 Naval Air Squadron on 30 January 1946. The squadron continued its trials role in the years following the Second World War, successively flyingde Havilland Sea Hornet, a twin-engine fighter aircraft,Hawker Sea Fury, a carrier-based fighter aircraft,de Havilland Sea Vampire, ajet fighter,Supermarine Attacker, a jet fighter,Westland Wyvern, a carrier-based multi-rolestrike aircraft andHawker Sea Hawk, a jetday fighter, before disbanding in January 1956.[2]
787 Naval Air Squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions. There are around seventy different marks of aircraft known to have been operated by the squadron:[7][8]
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X Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated a variety of different aircraft and versions.
Y Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated a variety of different aircraft and versions.
Z Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated a variety of different aircraft and versions.
787 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force stations in Scotland, Wales and England:[2][8]
X Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated from a Royal Air Force station:
Y Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy and a Royal Air Force station:
Z Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy:
List ofcommanding officers of 787 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[7][8]
List of commanding officers of X Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:
List of commanding officers of Y Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:
List of commanding officers of Z Flight, 787 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:
Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.[9]