| 890 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Squadron badge | |
| Active |
|
| Disbanded | 6 August 1971[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role | Carrier-basedfighter squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | SeeNaval air stations section for full list. |
| Mottos | Caelum verrimus (Latin for 'We sweep the sky') |
| Aircraft | SeeAircraft operated section for full list. |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Battle honours |
|
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lieutenant Commander J.W. Sleigh,DSC,RN[2] Lieutenant Commander W.R. Hart,AFC, RN[3] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge Description | White, issuant from water barry wavy blue and white a demi-knight in armour and winged helmet facing sinister grasping in his hands a broom dexter bend proper a chief wavy blue (1943) |
| Identification Markings | individual letters (Martlet/Wildcat) 105-119,141-147 (Attacker) 200-208 (Sea Venom FAW.20) 350-356 (Sea Venom FAW.21) 240-254 (Sea Vixen) 001-104 (Sea Vixen June 1965) 750-755 (Sea Vixen August 1967) 701-706 (Sea Vixen January 1971) |
| Fin Carrier/Shore Codes | J (Attacker) VL:Z (Sea Venom FAW.20) O (Sea Venom FAW.21) H:R (Sea Vixen) R (Sea Vixen June 1965) VL (Sea Vixen from August 1967) |
890 Naval Air Squadron (890 NAS), sometimes known as 890 Squadron, was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN).[4] It most recently operatedde Havilland Sea Vixen carrier-based fleet air-defence fighter aircraft between August 1967 and August 1971.
The squadron was formed in June 1942 inNova Scotia as a fighter unit and did not receive aircraft until it reached Norfolk,Virginia, in June. There, it obtained ex-USNF4F-3 Wildcats and later exchanged forGrumman Martlet Mk IV before boarding HMSBattler on December 8 for a trip to the UK, arriving in January 1943. After incorporating 'A' Flight from 881 Naval Air Squadron, it joined HMSIllustrious in June for operations in Iceland and Norway, later supporting the Salerno landings in September 1943, before disbanding in Puttalam, Ceylon, in August 1944.
In March 1952, the squadron came together at HMSPeregrine, RNAS Ford, as a fighter unit and was officially commissioned on April 22. Operating withSupermarine Attacker, its primary role was to supply pilots and aircraft to 800 and 803 Naval Air Squadrons. In October, but was disbanded in December.
890 Naval Air Squadron was reformed in March 1954 as an All Weather Fighter squadron, withde Havilland Sea Venom and joined HMSAlbion in July 1955. However, it was moved to second-line status in October and became 766 Naval Air Squadron. It was reformed again in February 1956 with de Havilland Sea Venom. It disbanded into 893 Naval Air Squadron in June after losing two crews in accidents.
The squadron reformed in February 1960 with de Havilland Sea Vixen, joining HMSHermes in July for operations in the Mediterranean and Far East, returning in May 1961. In November, the squadron moved to HMSArk Royal for more Mediterranean operations, returning home in early 1962 before heading back to the Far East, visiting Australia in August and arriving in the UK for Christmas. The squadron reformed again in August 1967 with de Havilland Sea Vixen and eventually disbanded in August 1971 after absorbing aircraft from 766 Naval Air Squadron.
890 Naval Air Squadron was formed on 15 June 1942, atRCAF Station Dartmouth, Shearwater, Nova Scotia, Canada, as a fighter squadron. However, it did not receive any aircraft until it arrived at RN Air Section Norfolk, situated atNaval Station Norfolk, Virginia, United States, on 26 June, where it acquired formerUnited States Navy F4F-3Wildcat fighter aircraft. Following this acquisition, the squadron underwent deck landing training on theUSS Charger in late August 1942.[5] In September 1942, the squadron was further equipped with sixGrumman Martlet Mk. IVfighter aircraft, enhancing its operational capabilities. This addition marked a significant step in the squadron's development as it prepared for deployment. On 8 December, 890 Naval Air Squadron embarked in theAttacker-classescort carrier,HMS Battler, for the United Kingdom.[6]
On 8 December 1942, HMSBattler commenced the process of embarking 890 Squadron to transport them back to the United Kingdom. The carrier reachedNew York on 18 December and subsequently set sail on 21 December to join theconvoy HX 220, which was gathering off the coast of New York. After enduring a tumultuous crossing of theAtlantic, HMSBattler finally arrived in theClyde on 8 January 1943.[7][8]
On 8 January 1943, the squadron disembarked toRNAS Machrihanish (HMSLandrail),Argyll and Bute, Scotland and then subsequently moved toRNAS Donibristle (HMSMerlin),Fife, Scotland, where it expanded by incorporating 'A' Flight from881 Naval Air Squadron. This newly augmented squadron embarked on thename ship of herclass, the aircraft carrierHMS Illustrious on 14 June, to participate in operations in the waters surroundingIceland andNorway. Following its initial engagements, the squadron became part ofForce H in theMediterranean. It played a crucial role in providing air support during theSalerno landings in September 1943, contributing significantly to the Allied efforts in that operation. Upon their return to the United Kingdom, the squadron was re-equipped with ten Grumman Wildcat Mk V fighter aircraft and personnel subsequently boardedHMS London for transportation toCeylon. The squadron ultimately disbanded at RNAS Puttalam (HMSRajaliya), Puttalam, Ceylon, on 1 August 1944.[5]
In March 1952, the squadron convened atRNAS Ford (HMSPeregrine),Sussex, initially functioning as a fighter squadron. It was officially commissioned on 22 April, equipped with eightSupermarine Attacker F.1jet fighter aircraft, primarily tasked with supplying pilots and aircraft to800 and803 Naval Air Squadrons. In October, the squadron was deployed aboard theAudacious-class aircraft carrier,HMS Eagle; however, it was disbanded upon returning to RNAS Ford in December, with its aircraft redistributed to the other two squadrons.[6]
In the 1950s, the squadron was operational on two separate occasions, and on each instance, it was equipped withde Havilland Sea Venom fighter aircraft. 890 Naval Air Squadron was re-established atRNAS Yeovilton (HMSHeron),Somerset, in March 1954, designated as an All Weather Fighter squadron. Initially equipped with nine de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.20 fighter aircraft, the squadron embarked on theCentaur-class aircraft carrier,HMS Albion, in July 1955. However, by October of the same year, it was downgraded to second-line status and subsequently reclassified as766 Naval Air Squadron. In February 1956, 890 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Yeovilton, this time being equipped with six de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.21 fighter aircraft. However, the squadron was disbanded in June 1956 following the tragic loss of two of its crews, which included the Commanding Officer, due to accidents.[6]
The squadron reformed at RNAS Yeovilton in February 1960, equipped with tende Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.1 fighter aircraft. In July, these aircraft were deployed aboard theCentaur-class aircraft carrierHMS Hermes, initially operating in theMediterranean before proceeding to theFar East, with a return scheduled for May 1961. In November, the squadron transferred to theAudacious-class aircraft carrierHMS Ark Royal for additional operations in the Mediterranean. After returning home in early 1962, it re-joined HMSArk Royal in March, navigating through the Mediterranean to the Far East and visiting Australia in August, ultimately returning to Yeovilton for Christmas.
A subsequent deployment aboard HMSArk Royal in 1963 included several weeks in theIndian Ocean, with stops inAden, Yemen andMombasa, Kenya, as well as a detachment toNairobi, Kenya, before heading back to the Far East. Following another return at the end of the year, most of 1964 was spent on land, with only brief assignments on HMSHermes and HMSEagle. A detachment re-joined HMSArk Royal for catapult and arrester wire trials upon her recommissioning in November 1965, and after a short period inHome waters, the squadron participated in theBeira Patrol offMozambique before returning to the Far East. The squadron undertook several more Beira patrols in 1966 before disbanding at RNAS Yeovilton in October of that year.
In August 1967, the squadron was reformed at RNAS Yeovilton with four Sea Vixen FAW.1 fighter aircraft, which were subsequently upgraded to FAW.2 variants for operational trials and training purposes. Beginning in April 1970,Airwork took over the maintenance of its aircraft, and on 10 December the squadron transferred its Forward Refuelling Unit and refuelling responsibilities to the localAirwork Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU), which also replaced its aging de Havilland Sea Venom aircraft with the de Havilland Sea Vixens. Subsequently, 890 Naval Air Squadron integrated the aircraft from 766 Naval Air Squadron, temporarily functioning as the de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 Headquarters squadron, but it ultimately disbanded at RNAS Yeovilton in August 1971.[6]
The squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including:[9]
Thebattle honours awarded to 890 Naval Air Squadron are:
890 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force stations, in the UK and overseas, and also a number ofRoyal Navy fleet carriers andescort carriers and other airbases overseas:[9]
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1942–1944
1952
_underway_1956.jpg)
1954–1955
1956
1960–1966
1967–1971
List ofcommanding officers of 890 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[5]
1942–1944
1952
1954–1955
1956
1960–1966
1967–1971