824 Naval Air Squadron
| 824 Naval Air Squadron | |
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Fairey Swordfish of 824 Squadron
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| Active | 1933–1989 2001 – present day |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force (1933–1939) Royal Navy |
| Role | Training |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Garrison/HQ | RNAS Culdrose |
| Motto | Spectat Ubique Spiritus "Behold, the wind all around them" |
| Equipment | Merlin HM.2 |
| Battle honours | Calabria 1940 Mediterranean 1940 Taranto 1940 Libya 1940 Malta Convoys 1942 Arctic 1944 Falkland Islands 1982 [1] |
824 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron first formed on 3 April 1933, disbanding and reforming several times before assuming its current role at RNAS Culdrose as a training squadron.
History
The squadron was originally formed on 3 April 1933 as a Spotter Reconnaissance squadron.[2] During World War II, the squadron carried out various duties, such as convoy protection, bombing raids, spotting for gunnery bombardments and attacks on enemy destroyers. The squadron took part in the Battle of Taranto on 11 November 1940, where together with aircraft from 813, 815 and 819 squadrons flying from HMS Illustrious, it successfully attacked the Italian Battle Squadron. It was disbanded 10 times between 1934 and 1970, in that time it was equipped with the Fairey Seal, Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Barracuda, Fairey Firefly and finally the Fairey Gannet. [2]
The squadron participated in the Falklands War, later responsible for trials of the Sea King helicopter. The squadron again disbanded in August 1989 and its aircraft were transferred to 819 Naval Air Squadron at Prestwick.[2]
Current use
824 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 2 June 2000 at RNAS Culdrose, equipped with eight AgustaWestland Merlin HM.1 helicopter. It trains Pilots, Observers and Aircrewman on the Merlin HM.1 helicopter in Anti-Submarine Warfare and Search and Rescue.[3] Once trained the aircrew go to one of the front line Merlin squadrons 814 NAS, 820 NAS, 829 NAS. In January 2013 824 NAS received its first new HM.2 Merlin aircraft with the squadron fully converted by the end of 2013.
Aircraft operated
The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:[4]
- Fairey III F
- Fairey Seal
- Fairey Swordfish I & II
- Hawker Sea Hurricane IIc
- Grumman Wildcat V
- Fairey Barracuda II
- Fairey Firefly FR.1 & AS.6
- Grumman Avenger TBM-3E & AS.4
- Fairey Gannet AS.1, T.2 & AS.4
- Westland Whirlwind HAS.7
- Westland Sea King HAS.1, HAS.2/2a, HAS.2(AEW), HAS.5 & HAS,6
- AgustaWestland Merlin HM.1 & HM.2
References
External links
- Royal Navy – 824 Squadron
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Units in bold subsequently commissioned into Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm
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