| 779 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Squadron badge | |
| Active | 1 October 1941 - 5 August 1945[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role | Fleet Requirements Unit |
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | RN Air Section Gibraltar |
| Motto(s) | Finis coronat opus (Latin for 'The end crowns the work') |
| Aircraft | SeeAircraft operated section for full list. |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge Description | Bendy of four gold and black, a roundle per fess white and green chief a triple-towered battlement proper base a key fesswise wards uppermost gold (1944)[2] |
| Identification Markings | single letters on some aircraft[3] |
779 Naval Air Squadron (779 NAS) was aFleet Air Arm (FAA)naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’sRoyal Navy (RN). Formed as aFleet Requirements Unit, in October 1941, at RN Air Section Gibraltar. It operated a small variety of aircraft for target towing and coastal defence. In 1943, the squadron received some Bristol Beaufighter aircraft and a detachment of these deployed to Taranto, after which they also saw service at various airbases around North Africa. It disbanded, during August 1945, at Gibraltar.
779 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit, on 1 October 1941, at RN Air Section Gibraltar (theAdmiralty had lodger facilities atRAF North Front).[4] It was Initially equipped with twoBlackburn Skua, acarrier-baseddive bomber andfighter aircraft, fortarget towing and coastal defence.Fairey Swordfish, abiplanetorpedo bomber,Fairey Fulmar, a carrier-bornereconnaissance and fighter aircraft, andHawker Sea Hurricane, anavalised version of theHawker Hurricane fighter aircraft, were also used, but in April 1943, a target tug variant of theBoulton Paul Defiantinterceptor aircraft replaced the Blackburn Skua aircraft.[3]
Later in the year the squadron received a number ofBristol Beaufighter II, amultirole combat aircraft, and during September they formed a detachment atTaranto, Italy. Once this had finished they were then on numerous detachments aroundNorth Africa,[2] including atR N Air Section Tafaraoui,RAF Oujda,Blida,Maison Blanche andLa Senia.[4]Miles Martinet target tug aircraft replaced the Boulton Paul Defiants in June 1944, and the squadron consisted two Fairey Swordfish, three Bristol Beaufighters, two Hawker Sea Hurricanes and nine Miles Martinets.[3] 779 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RN Air Section Gibraltar, North Front on 5 August 1945.[4]
The squadron operated a number of different aircraft types, including:[2][5]
779 Naval Air Squadron operated from anaval air station of the Royal Navy, overseas and number of other airbases:[2]
List ofcommanding officers of 779 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][2][5]
Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.[6]
The 779 Fleet Requirement unit was formed as the Gibraltar fleet requirement unit on 1 October 1941 with just two Skuas for target towing and coastal defence, later acquiring a small number of Swordfish as well as Defiants, Fulmars and Sea Hurricanes. Variety of aircraft later included Beaufighters IIs, while detachments saw service in Italy and North Africa, but two Swordfish remained in the squadron to the end of the war.