1791 Naval Air Squadron (1791 NAS) was a

Naval Air Squadron A naval air squadron (NAS) is the title of naval aviation squadrons in some countries. Poland The Polish ''Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy'' #Naval Air Squadron# was formed in 1920 with two ''Escadrille''s# United Kingdom The squadrons of the Fleet Air ...

of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was formed on 15 March 1945 at HMS ''Daedalus'', RNAS Lee-on-Solent as a Night Fighter squadron. It was equipped with Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I. The squadron joined HMS ''Puncher'' in June for deck landing practice but saw no action. Following V-J Day the squadron was disbanded on 23 September 1945 at HMS ''Ringtail'', RNAS Burscough.

History

Night Fighter Squadron (1945)

1792 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS ''Daedalus''), on 15 March 1945, as a night fighter squadron. It was equipped with Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I, a night fighter variant of the carrier-borne fighter,

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

and

reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as ...

, which was fitted with radar in a centre-line container. It moved to RNAS Inskip (HMS ''Nightjar''), Lancashire, on 19 April and from 11 June the squadron embarked in the , for deck landing training, for a couple of days. The squadron disembarked to RNAS Drem (HMS ''Nighthawk''),

East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...

, Scotland, where the Naval Night Fighter School and Night Fighter Direction Centre were based. It remained in Scotland for two months before returning to Lancashire, this time going to RNAS Burscough (HMS ''Ringtail'') on 18 August. With the

surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...

there was no longer a requirement for the squadron to join the British Pacific Fleet and 1791 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Burscough on 23 September.

Aircraft flown

1791 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type, two variants: * Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I night fighter (March - September 1945) * Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft (May - September 1945)

Naval air stations

1791 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom: * Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS ''Daedalus'') (15 March - 19 April 1945) * Royal Naval Air Station Inskip (HMS ''Nightjar'') (19 April - 11 June 1945) ** (Detachment six aircraft DLT 11 - 13 June 1945) * Royal Naval Air Station Drem (HMS ''Nighthawk'') (18 June - 18 August 1945) * Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS ''Ringtail'') (18 August - 23 September 1945) * ''disbanded'' - (23 September 1945)

Commanding Officers

List of

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

s of 1791 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: * Lieutenant Commander( A) H.J. Hunter,

RCNVR The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) was a naval reserve force of the Royal Canadian Navy, which replaced the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve (RNCVR). Foundation The RCNVR was created in 1923. The organization was established ...

, from 15 March 1945 * ''disbanded'' - 23 September 1945

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * {{Royal Naval Air Squadrons Military units and formations established in 1945 1700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons