803 Naval Air Squadron
Encyclopedia
803 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
squadron.
803 Squadron was re-formed on 21 November 1938 at RNAS Worthy Down out of 'B' Flight of No 800 Squadron. Equipped with six Ospreys and three Nimrods
, then (from December 1938) six Skuas
and three Nimrods, the squadron embarked on the in April 1938 as an RAF squadron but was transferred to Admiralty control on 24 May 1939.
, the Skuas
and Rocs
which formed 803 Squadron were embarked on . Operating out of Scapa Flow
, the squadron carried out anti-submarine patrols in the Northwestern Approaches (losing two Skuas in an attack on on 14 September 1939 and defending ) and regular patrols off Norway (during which the squadron shot down the first German aircraft to be shot down by a British aircraft in the war, a Dornier 18, on 26 September 1939). The squadron's activities continued off Norway (though leaving her Rocs behind), operating there in April 1940 from . 803 and 800 Squadrons successfully dive bombed and sank the at Bergen
(with 800 providing five aircraft and seven crews in contrast to 803's eleven aircraft and nine crews), though an attack by 803 from Ark Royal on the in June was less successful, with the loss of all but two aircraft.
803 Squadron was re-formed (with Fairey Fulmar I
) in October 1940, and after that served in the Eastern Mediterranean off , fighting at the Battle of Cape Matapan
(shooting down two aircraft and damaging two more) and providing fighter cover for the Malta
convoys
and the evacuation of Crete
. After HMS Formidable was damaged at Crete, 803 Squadron moved to Dekheila
, where it was re-quipped with RAF Hurricanes
. Next it was based in Palestine for operations against Syria
from June 1941, then in August 1941 was merged into the RN Fighter Squadron (a combined unit fighting in the Western Desert
).
Re-equipped again with Fairey Fulmar II
in March 1942, it next operated from Ceylon against the Japanese (such as against the Easter Sunday Raid
), rejoining HMS Formidable in the Indian Ocean in April. 803 Squadron then saw operations in East Africa
in 1943, before absorbing 806 Squadron for army co-operation exercises. The new combined squadron was disbanded at Tanga
in August 1943, and only re-formed in June 1945 ready to join 19th Carrier Air Group
in the Far Eastern theatre. At the re-formation it was based at Arbroath
and equipped with 25 Seafire L.IIIs
, but just as it was about to ship out to the Far East in August 1945, the war came to an end.
in January 1946 when was commisissoned, in which she was re-numbered 870 Squadron (RCN) in May 1951 (with the 803 designation returning to the Royal Navy).
803 NAS became the first FAA squadron to operate a 'nuclear capable' aircraft in 1958 when it received the Supermarine Scimitar F.1
. The squadron deployed aboard the newly rebuilt carrier and remained attached to her air group for the next two years, after which the squadron transferred to for another two years then finally to . From first commissioning until it joined the Ark Royal, the squadron had a normal complement of eight aircraft, but when assigned to the Ark Royal´s air group the ships larger size and hangar capacity meant the squadron strength could be doubled to 16 aircraft. This was achieved by merging 800 NAS into 803 Squadron, as the former was due to re-equip with Blackburn Buccaneer S.1
aircraft. 803 NAS had the distinction of being both the first and last Scimitar frontline squadron in the Royal Navy, and disbanded on 1 October 1966 after eight years and five months in commission. The Scimitars went to RNAS Brawdy, Pembrokeshire
. There, they were overhauled before flying to Airworks at Hurn. Subsequently many appeared around the UK on display at large establishments. 803 NAS reformed as the Buccaneer S.2 trials and headquarters squadron on 3 July 1967, based at RNAS Lossiemouth, and in August 1968 demonstrated the FAA's ability to reinforce forward deployed carriers when a flight of four Buccaneer S.2s flew from Britain to HMS Hermes in the Indian Ocean. With the rundown of the British carrier force, 803 NAS was disbanded on 18 December 1969 and the aircraft were transferred to the RAF.
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
squadron.
Interwar
803 NAS was formed on 3 April 1933 by promoting No 409 (Fleet Fighter) Flight to the status of a squadron, with nine Ospreys. In the same month it embarked on for the Far East, where it remained (transferring to in January 1935) until disbandment on 1 October 1937.803 Squadron was re-formed on 21 November 1938 at RNAS Worthy Down out of 'B' Flight of No 800 Squadron. Equipped with six Ospreys and three Nimrods
Hawker Nimrod
The Hawker Nimrod was a British carrier-based single engine, single seat biplane fighter aircraft built in the early 1930s by Hawker Aircraft.-Design and development:...
, then (from December 1938) six Skuas
Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
and three Nimrods, the squadron embarked on the in April 1938 as an RAF squadron but was transferred to Admiralty control on 24 May 1939.
World War Two
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Skuas
Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
and Rocs
Blackburn Roc
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brew, Alec. The Turret Fighters: Defiant and Roc. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-497-6....
which formed 803 Squadron were embarked on . Operating out of Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, the squadron carried out anti-submarine patrols in the Northwestern Approaches (losing two Skuas in an attack on on 14 September 1939 and defending ) and regular patrols off Norway (during which the squadron shot down the first German aircraft to be shot down by a British aircraft in the war, a Dornier 18, on 26 September 1939). The squadron's activities continued off Norway (though leaving her Rocs behind), operating there in April 1940 from . 803 and 800 Squadrons successfully dive bombed and sank the at Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
(with 800 providing five aircraft and seven crews in contrast to 803's eleven aircraft and nine crews), though an attack by 803 from Ark Royal on the in June was less successful, with the loss of all but two aircraft.
803 Squadron was re-formed (with Fairey Fulmar I
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
) in October 1940, and after that served in the Eastern Mediterranean off , fighting at the Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
(shooting down two aircraft and damaging two more) and providing fighter cover for the Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
convoys
Malta Convoys
The Malta Convoys were a series of Allied supply convoys that sustained the besieged island of Malta during the Mediterranean Theatre of the Second World War...
and the evacuation of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
. After HMS Formidable was damaged at Crete, 803 Squadron moved to Dekheila
HMS Grebe
HMS Grebe was the Royal Navy designation for the prewar Alexandria airport, known as Dekheila, during its use in World War II as a shore base for aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm...
, where it was re-quipped with RAF Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
. Next it was based in Palestine for operations against Syria
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
from June 1941, then in August 1941 was merged into the RN Fighter Squadron (a combined unit fighting in the Western Desert
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
).
Re-equipped again with Fairey Fulmar II
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
in March 1942, it next operated from Ceylon against the Japanese (such as against the Easter Sunday Raid
Easter Sunday Raid
The Easter Sunday Raid was an air attack by carrier-based aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy against Colombo, Ceylon , on Easter Sunday, 5 April 1942, during World War II. This attack was part of the Indian Ocean Raid, and was followed a few days later by a similar attack on Trincomalee...
), rejoining HMS Formidable in the Indian Ocean in April. 803 Squadron then saw operations in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
in 1943, before absorbing 806 Squadron for army co-operation exercises. The new combined squadron was disbanded at Tanga
Tanga, Tanzania
Tanga is both the name of the most northerly seaport city of Tanzania, and the surrounding Tanga Region. It is the Regional Headquarters of the region.With a population of 243,580 in 2002, Tanga is one of the largest cities in the country...
in August 1943, and only re-formed in June 1945 ready to join 19th Carrier Air Group
Carrier air wing
A Carrier Air Wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft...
in the Far Eastern theatre. At the re-formation it was based at Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
and equipped with 25 Seafire L.IIIs
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
, but just as it was about to ship out to the Far East in August 1945, the war came to an end.
Post-war
803 Squadron was transferred to the Royal Canadian NavyRoyal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in January 1946 when was commisissoned, in which she was re-numbered 870 Squadron (RCN) in May 1951 (with the 803 designation returning to the Royal Navy).
Supermarine Scimitar
-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.* Birtles, Philip. Supermarine Attacker, Swift and Scimitar . London: Ian Allan, 1992. ISBN 0-7110-2034-5.* Buttler, Tony. "Database: Supermarine Scimitar"....
. The squadron deployed aboard the newly rebuilt carrier and remained attached to her air group for the next two years, after which the squadron transferred to for another two years then finally to . From first commissioning until it joined the Ark Royal, the squadron had a normal complement of eight aircraft, but when assigned to the Ark Royal´s air group the ships larger size and hangar capacity meant the squadron strength could be doubled to 16 aircraft. This was achieved by merging 800 NAS into 803 Squadron, as the former was due to re-equip with Blackburn Buccaneer S.1
Blackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
aircraft. 803 NAS had the distinction of being both the first and last Scimitar frontline squadron in the Royal Navy, and disbanded on 1 October 1966 after eight years and five months in commission. The Scimitars went to RNAS Brawdy, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
. There, they were overhauled before flying to Airworks at Hurn. Subsequently many appeared around the UK on display at large establishments. 803 NAS reformed as the Buccaneer S.2 trials and headquarters squadron on 3 July 1967, based at RNAS Lossiemouth, and in August 1968 demonstrated the FAA's ability to reinforce forward deployed carriers when a flight of four Buccaneer S.2s flew from Britain to HMS Hermes in the Indian Ocean. With the rundown of the British carrier force, 803 NAS was disbanded on 18 December 1969 and the aircraft were transferred to the RAF.
Second World War battle honours
- North Sea 1939
- Norway 1940
- Libya 1940–41
- Matapan 1941
- Crete 1941
- Mediterranean 1941–44
Aircraft flown
- Hawker OspreyHawker HartThe Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
1932–1944 - Hawker NimrodHawker NimrodThe Hawker Nimrod was a British carrier-based single engine, single seat biplane fighter aircraft built in the early 1930s by Hawker Aircraft.-Design and development:...
1933–? - Blackburn Skua IIBlackburn SkuaThe Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
Dec 1938 – Oct 1940 - Blackburn Roc IBlackburn Roc|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brew, Alec. The Turret Fighters: Defiant and Roc. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-497-6....
April 1939 – April 1940 - Fairey Fulmar IFairey FulmarThe Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
Oct 1940 – June 1941 - Hawker Hurricane IHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
June 1941 – March 1942 - Hawker Sea Hurricane June 1942 – Aug 1942
- Fairey Fulmar IIFairey FulmarThe Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
March 1942 – Aug 1943 - Supermarine Seafire IIISupermarine SeafireThe Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
June 1945-end of WW2 - Supermarine Seafire F.XVSupermarine SeafireThe Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
Aug 1945-end of WW2 - Hawker Sea HawkHawker Sea HawkThe Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm , the air branch of the Royal Navy , built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its origins stemmed from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk became the...
1953–57 - Supermarine ScimitarSupermarine Scimitar-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.* Birtles, Philip. Supermarine Attacker, Swift and Scimitar . London: Ian Allan, 1992. ISBN 0-7110-2034-5.* Buttler, Tony. "Database: Supermarine Scimitar"....
1958–1966 - Blackburn BuccaneerBlackburn BuccaneerThe Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
1967–1969