No. 800 Naval Air Squadron
Encyclopedia
800 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No's 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights.
fighter aircraft and three two-seat Hawker Ospreys to act as navigation leaders for the Nimrods. It served aboard HMS Courageous
in the Home Fleet. In 1935-1936, the carrier and squadron operated in the Mediterranean. The squadron re-equipped with the Blackburn Skua
in November 1938 and took these aboard HMS Ark Royal
. The Skua was a dive bomber
with a secondary fighter role to allow the destruction or driving-off of enemy reconnaissance aircraft.
In 1939, 800 Squadron was flying primarily Blackburn B-24 Skuas and a few Blackburn Roc
s from HMS Ark Royal. The Squadron was transferred to Admiralty
control on 24 May 1939.
in 1940, whilst based at Royal Navy Air Station Hatston
, Kirkwall
, Orkney 800 and 803 Squadrons dive-bombed the German cruiser Königsberg
at Bergen
. The squadron aircraft shot down six He 111 bombers. In the attack on the Königsberg, 800 Squadron provided five aircraft and seven crews. The 800 Squadron Commanding Officer, Captain
R.T. Partridge, RM
was taken POW and four aircraft lost on an attack on the Scharnhorst
on 13 June. In July 1940, the squadron was involved in the attack on the French Fleet at Oran
. Two SM-79 bombers were shot down off Sardinia
.
The squadron was regrouped with Fairey Fulmar
s in Gibraltar
during April 1941, proceeding with two Flights to HMS Victorious
to search for the Bismarck
, and to HMS Argus
. On regrouping later that year, the squadron joined HMS Furious
for an attack on Petsamo, and after the West Indies onboard HMS Indomitable
was involved in the Madagascar operations.
Hawker Sea Hurricanes were received in 1942 and took part in the North African landings off HMS Biter
in November 1942. In July 1943, the Squadron was the first FAA squadron to be equipped with the Grumman Hellcat. The squadron, operating from HMS Emperor
provided escort for Fairey Barracuda
s in the April 1944 attacks from against the Tirpitz
in Alta Fjord, Norway.
, the Squadron and its Seafire F.47
s were on board HMS Triumph
however, and their first operation was a strike by 12 Seafires and 9 Fairey Fireflies
on Haeju
airfield on 3 July 1950. Because of their short range, the Seafires were frequently given the Combat Air Patrol task over the fleet. During the Inchon landings
in September 1950 Seafires flew armed reconnaissance
missions and spotted for the bombarding cruisers. But, by the end of the month, No 800 had only three serviceable aircraft and no replacements were available in the Far East. The inevitable crop of landing accidents and cumulative airframe stress damage meant the end of the Seafire's operational life. During the Korean War the squadron flew 245 offensive patrols and 115 ground attack sorties before HMS Triumph was replaced by HMS Theseus
with its Sea Furies
and Fairey Fireflies.
In August 1951 the Supermarine Attacker
enters service with the Squadron at Ford, West Sussex
, later embarking on HMS Eagle
. It was the first jet fighter to be standardised in the Fleet Air Arms first-line squadrons, and by 1953 the sqn had upgraded to the FB.2 version of the Attacker, but the following year the Attacker was withdrawn from frontline service and passed to training and reserve units. 800 NAS then recommissioned with Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FB.3s in July 1954, and joined the newly commissioned HMS Ark Royal (R09)
the following year. As with other FAA Sea Hawk units at the time, the sqn operated later marks of Sea Hawk as they became available culminating in the FGA.6. During the 50s 800's aircraft usually had the tails painted red, and this evolved into a forward pointing red arrowhead design with crossed swords over a trident in yellow in the centre.
's air group in March 1960. After operating worldwide from the Ark, 800 returned to 'Lossie' in December 1963 and disbanded in February 1964, its aircraft being passed to 803NAS to bring that unit up to 16 aircraft. A month later 800 NAS recommissioned as a Blackburn Buccaneer
S.1 squadron, equipped with 10 Buccaneers and four Scimitar F1s for service on the newly refitted HMS Eagle
. The latter aircraft were for the next two years operated by 800B Flight, their aircraft adorned with a 'foaming tankard' badge on their tails as they were to be used as in-flight refuelling tankers as the underpowered Buccaneer S.1 could not be launched from a carrier with a full weapons load and full fuel tanks. The Buccaneers were launched fully armed but with a light fuel load, and would then 'top up' from waiting Scimitars which had been launched previously. 800 NAS was the only FAA squadron organised this way, and it was an interim measure pending the arrival of the Mk 2 Buccaneer. In June 1966 the Mk 2s began to replace the Mk 1s and the Scimitars, completing the process by November of that year.
In March 1967 the oil tanker Torrey Canyon
ran aground on Seven Stones Reef near Lands End and started to leak thousands of tons of crude oil into the sea, putting nearby beaches at risk of pollution. In an attempt to minimise the damage to the environment, the Buccaneers of 800 NAS along with those of the training squadron 736 NAS
were ordered to destroy the tanker and its cargo. Flying from RNAS Brawdy in Wales on 28 March 1967, eight Buccaneers dropped 42000 lbs of High Explosive bombs and achieved a 75% success rate. The aim was to rip open the hull of the tanker to release its cargo then set fire to it on the open sea, destroying the oil before it reached the beaches. After this the squadron rejoined HMS Eagle for the remainder of her career.
During this period the squadron operated 14 Buccaneer S.2s, and as with its sister squadron 809 Naval Air Squadron
aboard Ark Royal in the seventies, the squadron normally kept ten strike aircraft ready, two more fitted with a specially designed reconnaissance pallet in the rotating bomb bay, and the final two aircraft were fitted with buddy refuelling pods as tanker aircraft. After covering the British withdrawal from 'East of Suez
' HMS Eagle returned home to pay off in January 1972, her squadrons flown back to their shore bases to disband. 800 Squadron returned to Lossiemouth and disbanded on 23 February 1972, and its aircraft were passed to the RAF.
until June 1981 when it transferred to HMS Hermes
, recently refitted with a 12 degree 'Ski Jump' ramp to assist Sea Harrier operations.
On the outbreak of the Falklands War
800 NAS, now under the command on Lt/Cdr. Andy Auld RN, was brought up to its wartime strength of twelve Sea Harrier FRS1s by transferring seven aircraft and their crews from the training squadron 899 NAS. The other Sea Harrier squadron 801 NAS, aboard Invincible similarly received three aircraft. The squadron embarked on their carrier HMS Hermes
, whilst she was still alongside in Portsmouth Dockyard. Two of the squadron's planes were lost, one when it exploded on take off from HMS Hermes and one shot down during an attack on Goose Green
. No Harriers were lost in air-to-air fighting and the squadron destroyed 13 enemy aircraft. Lieutenant-Commander Gordon Batt DSC was killed in action flying a Sea Harrier
FRS 1 from HMS Hermes
on 23 May 1982. During the conflict another Sea Harrier squadron, 809 NAS
was formed with eight spare aircraft and sent south aboard the MV Atlantic Conveyor, and on arrival in the South Atlantic these aircraft were divided between the two carriers, four each to 800 NAS and 801 NAS. The aircraft were absorbed into these squadrons, as the 899 aircraft had been, but remained recognisable as they had been painted in light grey low visibility camouflage as opposed to the dark sea grey scheme used by all the other Sea Harriers.
Post war, 809 NAS reacquired its aircraft and crews and returned to the UK alongside 800 NAS aboard Hermes, only to embark aboard the newly completed HMS Illustrious (R06)
and return to the Falklands so that Invincible could be relieved to return home. 809 NAS disbanded in December 1982 on return to the UK. Illustrious had been sent into the South Atlantic before being commissioned properly and spent the next few months catching up on preparations for full commissioning, after which 800 NAS was transferred to HMS Illustrious (R06)
in September 1983. Squadron strength was increased first to six Sea Harriers then gradually up to eight aircraft as a result of lessons relearned during the conflict. In the mid-90s the squadron re-equipped with the more capable Sea Harrier FA.2.
In January 1998, in addition to 800 NAS’s Sea Harriers FA.2s, RAF Harriers GR.7s operated from HMS Invincible
in the Persian Gulf
, typically in a mix of seven FA.2s and seven GR.7s.
as part of Number 1 Group
within RAF Strike Command
. In March 2007, the squadron combined with 801 NAS
to form the Naval Strike Wing
. On 1 April 2010, NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron.
The squadron disbanded later that year, as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
and the subsequent withdrawal of Harrier fleet.
1956, Malaysian Emergency 1949 The Falklands
, 1982 and offensive operations in the Balkans in 1990s.
800 NAS are also the only fixed wing Squadron to complete a tour of Afghanistan operating out of Kandahar airport. Although the Naval Strike Wing have also completed tours, it is made up of elements of both 800 and 801.
during the Falklands War
under the command of Commander Lt Cdr Andy Auld. The Squadron was supplemented by eight pilots and seven aircraft from 899 NAS. Later in the conflict four aircraft and pilots were transferred from 809 NAS.
From an Air Combat perspective' 800 Squadron were effective to the extent of shooting down Thirteen Argentine Aircraft and Destroying Three more on the Ground.
1 May 1982
A Pucara
of FAA Grupo 3 destroyed and two more damaged and not repaired at Goose Green by CBU's
by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen, Lt Hale and Lt McHarg RN. Lt Jukic killed in the destroyed aircraft. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over East Falkland by Flt Lt Penfold RAF using Sidewinder. Lt Ardiles (Cousin of the Footballer Osvaldo Ardiles
) killed.
21 May 1982
Two A-4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4 shot down near Chartres, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Blissett and Lt Cmdr Thomas RN using Sidewinders. Lt Lopez and Lt Manzotti killed. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down near Teal River Inlet, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen RN using Sidewinder. Lt Luna ejected. A-4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 Esc shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Lt Morrell RN using Sidewinder. Lt Cmdr Philippi ejected. In same attack A-4Q Skyhawk shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Lt Marquez was killed.
23 May 1982
Puma SA.330L
of CAB 601 flew into ground near Shag Cove House, West Falkland attempting to evade Flt Lt Morgan RAF. Agusta A-109A of CAB 601 destroyed on ground in the same incident, by Flt Lt Morgan and Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over Pebble Island by Lt Hale RN using Sidewinder. Lt Volponi killed
24 May 1982
Two Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down north of Pebble Island by Lt Cmdr Auld and a third by Lt D Smith using Sidewinder. Maj Puga and Capt Diaz ejected, but Lt Castillo killed.
8 June 1982
Two A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5 shot down over Choiseul Sound by Flt Lt Morgan RAF and a third by Lt D Smith, using Sidewinders. Lt Arraras, Lt Bolzan and Ensign Vazquez killed.
Surface Ship
9 May 1982
Flt Lt Morgan and Lt Cdr Batt dropped 1000 lb bombs at the Spy trawler Narwal, when their original target of Port Stanley airfield was obscured by cloud, one bomb lodged in the trawler's hull before they raked it with 30mm cannon fire. Narwhal sank under tow the following day.
4 May 1982
Lt Nick Taylor RN, shot down over Goose Green by radar-controlled, 35mm Oerlikon fire
from GADA 601 as he ran in to attack. The aircraft exploded and hit the ground very close to the airstrip. Argentine forces buried Nick with military honours close to where he fell. Lt Nick Taylor's Grave
23 May 1982
Lt Cmdr 'Gordy' Batt crashed into sea north east of Falklands shortly after take-off, the cause is still unknown.
- Posthumous
Lt Cmdr A D Auld RN, Lt Cmdr N W Thomas RN & Flt Lt D H S Morgan RAF were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
for their conduct and leadership throughout the campaign.
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...
carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No's 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights.
1930s
The squadron was first equipped with nine single-seat Hawker NimrodHawker 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:...
fighter aircraft and three two-seat Hawker Ospreys to act as navigation leaders for the Nimrods. It served aboard HMS Courageous
HMS Courageous (50)
HMS Courageous was the lead ship of the cruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord, John Fisher, the ship was very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Courageous was completed in late...
in the Home Fleet. In 1935-1936, the carrier and squadron operated in the Mediterranean. The squadron re-equipped with the Blackburn Skua
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...
in November 1938 and took these aboard HMS Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (91)
HMS Ark Royal was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War.Designed in 1934 to fit the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, Ark Royal was built by Cammell Laird and Company, Ltd. at Birkenhead, England, and completed in November 1938. Her design...
. The Skua was a dive bomber
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
with a secondary fighter role to allow the destruction or driving-off of enemy reconnaissance aircraft.
In 1939, 800 Squadron was flying primarily Blackburn B-24 Skuas and a few Blackburn Roc
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....
s from HMS Ark Royal. The Squadron was transferred to Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
control on 24 May 1939.
Second World War
During the German invasion of NorwayOperation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in 1940, whilst based at Royal Navy Air Station Hatston
RNAS Hatston
RNAS Hatston, also called HMS Sparrowhawk, was a Royal Naval Air Station.It was situated one mile to the north west of Kirkwall on the island of Mainland, Orkney...
, Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, Orkney 800 and 803 Squadrons dive-bombed the German cruiser Königsberg
German cruiser Königsberg
Königsberg was a light cruiser of the in the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. Her sisterships were Köln and Karlsruhe.After a number of foreign visits in the 1930s, the ship operated along the Spanish coast from November 1936 to January 1937 during the Spanish Civil War...
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 , ....
. The squadron aircraft shot down six He 111 bombers. In the attack on the Königsberg, 800 Squadron provided five aircraft and seven crews. The 800 Squadron Commanding Officer, Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
R.T. Partridge, RM
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
was taken POW and four aircraft lost on an attack on the Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
on 13 June. In July 1940, the squadron was involved in the attack on the French Fleet at Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
. Two SM-79 bombers were shot down off Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
The squadron was regrouped with Fairey Fulmar
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...
s in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
during April 1941, proceeding with two Flights to HMS Victorious
HMS Victorious (R38)
HMS Victorious was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939...
to search for the Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
, and to HMS Argus
HMS Argus (I49)
HMS Argus was a British aircraft carrier that served in the Royal Navy from 1918–1944. She was converted from an ocean liner under construction when the First World War began, and became the world's first example of what is now the standard pattern of aircraft carrier, with a full-length flight...
. On regrouping later that year, the squadron joined HMS Furious
HMS Furious (47)
HMS Furious was a modified cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord John Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Furious was modified while...
for an attack on Petsamo, and after the West Indies onboard HMS Indomitable
HMS Indomitable (R92)
HMS Indomitable was a modified Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. The Illustrious class came about due to the 1937 Naval Programme...
was involved in the Madagascar operations.
Hawker Sea Hurricanes were received in 1942 and took part in the North African landings off HMS Biter
HMS Biter (D97)
HMS Biter was a Royal Navy escort carrier during the Second World War. She was laid down as a merchant ship at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard at Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 28 December 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 6 May...
in November 1942. In July 1943, the Squadron was the first FAA squadron to be equipped with the Grumman Hellcat. The squadron, operating from HMS Emperor
HMS Emperor (D98)
The USS Pybus was laid down 23 June 1942 as MC Hull No. 245 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Washington; originally classified AVG-34, she was reclassified as ACV-34 on 20 August 1942; launched 7 October 1942; commissioned 31 May 1943 at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Wash.; reclassified as CVE-34 15...
provided escort for Fairey Barracuda
Fairey Barracuda
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive bomber used during the Second World War, the first of its type used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to be fabricated entirely from metal. It was introduced as a replacement for the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore biplanes...
s in the April 1944 attacks from against the Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
in Alta Fjord, Norway.
1950s
During the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the Squadron and its Seafire F.47
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:...
s were on board HMS Triumph
HMS Triumph (R16)
HMS Triumph was a Royal Navy Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier. She served in the Korean War and later, after reconstruction, as a support ship.-Construction and commission:...
however, and their first operation was a strike by 12 Seafires and 9 Fairey Fireflies
Fairey Firefly
The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....
on Haeju
Haeju
Haeju is a city located in South Hwanghae Province near Haeju Bay in North Korea. It is the administrative centre of South Hwanghae Province. As of 2000, the population of the city is estimated to be 236,000. At the beginning of 20th century, it became a strategic port in Sino-Korean trade...
airfield on 3 July 1950. Because of their short range, the Seafires were frequently given the Combat Air Patrol task over the fleet. During the Inchon landings
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
in September 1950 Seafires flew armed reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
missions and spotted for the bombarding cruisers. But, by the end of the month, No 800 had only three serviceable aircraft and no replacements were available in the Far East. The inevitable crop of landing accidents and cumulative airframe stress damage meant the end of the Seafire's operational life. During the Korean War the squadron flew 245 offensive patrols and 115 ground attack sorties before HMS Triumph was replaced by HMS Theseus
HMS Theseus (R64)
HMS Theseus was a Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in 1943 by Fairfield at Govan, and launched on 6 July 1944.-Workup and initial service:...
with its Sea Furies
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
and Fairey Fireflies.
Supermarine Attacker
The Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
enters service with the Squadron at Ford, West Sussex
Ford, West Sussex
Ford is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is located 3 km to the south-west of Arundel...
, later embarking on HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle (R05)
HMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship , she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built....
. It was the first jet fighter to be standardised in the Fleet Air Arms first-line squadrons, and by 1953 the sqn had upgraded to the FB.2 version of the Attacker, but the following year the Attacker was withdrawn from frontline service and passed to training and reserve units. 800 NAS then recommissioned with Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FB.3s in July 1954, and joined the newly commissioned HMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
the following year. As with other FAA Sea Hawk units at the time, the sqn operated later marks of Sea Hawk as they became available culminating in the FGA.6. During the 50s 800's aircraft usually had the tails painted red, and this evolved into a forward pointing red arrowhead design with crossed swords over a trident in yellow in the centre.
1960s
800 NAS reformed as a Supermarine Scimitar F.1 unit in July 1959 with eight aircraft, under the command of Lt. Cmdr. D. P. Norman AFC at RNAS Lossiemouth, later re joining HMS Ark Royal (R09)HMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
's air group in March 1960. After operating worldwide from the Ark, 800 returned to 'Lossie' in December 1963 and disbanded in February 1964, its aircraft being passed to 803NAS to bring that unit up to 16 aircraft. A month later 800 NAS recommissioned as a Blackburn Buccaneer
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...
S.1 squadron, equipped with 10 Buccaneers and four Scimitar F1s for service on the newly refitted HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle (R05)
HMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship , she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built....
. The latter aircraft were for the next two years operated by 800B Flight, their aircraft adorned with a 'foaming tankard' badge on their tails as they were to be used as in-flight refuelling tankers as the underpowered Buccaneer S.1 could not be launched from a carrier with a full weapons load and full fuel tanks. The Buccaneers were launched fully armed but with a light fuel load, and would then 'top up' from waiting Scimitars which had been launched previously. 800 NAS was the only FAA squadron organised this way, and it was an interim measure pending the arrival of the Mk 2 Buccaneer. In June 1966 the Mk 2s began to replace the Mk 1s and the Scimitars, completing the process by November of that year.
In March 1967 the oil tanker Torrey Canyon
Torrey Canyon
The Torrey Canyon was a supertanker capable of carrying a cargo of 120,000 tons of crude oil, which was shipwrecked off the western coast of Cornwall, England in March 1967 causing an environmental disaster...
ran aground on Seven Stones Reef near Lands End and started to leak thousands of tons of crude oil into the sea, putting nearby beaches at risk of pollution. In an attempt to minimise the damage to the environment, the Buccaneers of 800 NAS along with those of the training squadron 736 NAS
736 Naval Air Squadron
736 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy. She was recommissioned at RNAS Lossiemouth in June 1959. The squadron was equipped with Supermarine Scimitar F MK1 aircraft under the command of Lieutenant Commander J.D. Baker, to provide support for operational squadrons...
were ordered to destroy the tanker and its cargo. Flying from RNAS Brawdy in Wales on 28 March 1967, eight Buccaneers dropped 42000 lbs of High Explosive bombs and achieved a 75% success rate. The aim was to rip open the hull of the tanker to release its cargo then set fire to it on the open sea, destroying the oil before it reached the beaches. After this the squadron rejoined HMS Eagle for the remainder of her career.
During this period the squadron operated 14 Buccaneer S.2s, and as with its sister squadron 809 Naval Air Squadron
809 Naval Air Squadron
-WWII:Formed in January 1941 at St Merryn with 12 Fairey Fulmars, the squadron embarked in HMS Victorious in July 1941. At first involved in operations against Petsamo and Bodø, and then the convoys to North Russia, Victorious and her air group fought in the Mediterranean from July 1942, including...
aboard Ark Royal in the seventies, the squadron normally kept ten strike aircraft ready, two more fitted with a specially designed reconnaissance pallet in the rotating bomb bay, and the final two aircraft were fitted with buddy refuelling pods as tanker aircraft. After covering the British withdrawal from 'East of Suez
East of Suez
The phrase East of Suez is used in British military and political discussions in reference to imperial interests beyond the European theatre ....
' HMS Eagle returned home to pay off in January 1972, her squadrons flown back to their shore bases to disband. 800 Squadron returned to Lossiemouth and disbanded on 23 February 1972, and its aircraft were passed to the RAF.
1980s, Falklands War, 1990s
On 31 March 1980, 800 NAS was recommissioned with five BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1s at RNAS Yeovilton under Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gedge, a former Buccaneer pilot, and embarked in the new HMS InvincibleHMS Invincible (R05)
HMS Invincible was a British light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class in the Royal Navy. She was launched on 3 May 1977 and is the seventh ship to carry the name. She saw action in the Falklands War when she was deployed with , she took over as flagship of the British fleet when...
until June 1981 when it transferred to HMS Hermes
HMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
, recently refitted with a 12 degree 'Ski Jump' ramp to assist Sea Harrier operations.
On the outbreak of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
800 NAS, now under the command on Lt/Cdr. Andy Auld RN, was brought up to its wartime strength of twelve Sea Harrier FRS1s by transferring seven aircraft and their crews from the training squadron 899 NAS. The other Sea Harrier squadron 801 NAS, aboard Invincible similarly received three aircraft. The squadron embarked on their carrier HMS Hermes
HMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
, whilst she was still alongside in Portsmouth Dockyard. Two of the squadron's planes were lost, one when it exploded on take off from HMS Hermes and one shot down during an attack on Goose Green
Goose Green
Goose Green is a settlement in Lafonia on East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. It lies on Choiseul Sound, on the east side of the island's central isthmus, south-southwest of Darwin. With a population of about 70, it is the second largest settlement of the Falkland Islands.Goose Green has a shop...
. No Harriers were lost in air-to-air fighting and the squadron destroyed 13 enemy aircraft. Lieutenant-Commander Gordon Batt DSC was killed in action flying a Sea Harrier
BAE Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
FRS 1 from HMS Hermes
HMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
on 23 May 1982. During the conflict another Sea Harrier squadron, 809 NAS
809 Naval Air Squadron
-WWII:Formed in January 1941 at St Merryn with 12 Fairey Fulmars, the squadron embarked in HMS Victorious in July 1941. At first involved in operations against Petsamo and Bodø, and then the convoys to North Russia, Victorious and her air group fought in the Mediterranean from July 1942, including...
was formed with eight spare aircraft and sent south aboard the MV Atlantic Conveyor, and on arrival in the South Atlantic these aircraft were divided between the two carriers, four each to 800 NAS and 801 NAS. The aircraft were absorbed into these squadrons, as the 899 aircraft had been, but remained recognisable as they had been painted in light grey low visibility camouflage as opposed to the dark sea grey scheme used by all the other Sea Harriers.
Post war, 809 NAS reacquired its aircraft and crews and returned to the UK alongside 800 NAS aboard Hermes, only to embark aboard the newly completed HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew...
and return to the Falklands so that Invincible could be relieved to return home. 809 NAS disbanded in December 1982 on return to the UK. Illustrious had been sent into the South Atlantic before being commissioned properly and spent the next few months catching up on preparations for full commissioning, after which 800 NAS was transferred to HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew...
in September 1983. Squadron strength was increased first to six Sea Harriers then gradually up to eight aircraft as a result of lessons relearned during the conflict. In the mid-90s the squadron re-equipped with the more capable Sea Harrier FA.2.
In January 1998, in addition to 800 NAS’s Sea Harriers FA.2s, RAF Harriers GR.7s operated from HMS Invincible
HMS Invincible (R05)
HMS Invincible was a British light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class in the Royal Navy. She was launched on 3 May 1977 and is the seventh ship to carry the name. She saw action in the Falklands War when she was deployed with , she took over as flagship of the British fleet when...
in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, typically in a mix of seven FA.2s and seven GR.7s.
2000s
In April 2004, while based in Yeovilton the squadron was disbanded following the decision to withdraw the FA.2s early as a cost saving measure. It was re-commissioned on 31 March 2006 under Commander Adrian Orchard RN, when 800 NAS became the first RN squadron within Joint Force HarrierJoint Force Harrier
Joint Strike Wing, previously known as Joint Force Harrier, was the British military formation which controlled the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm...
as part of Number 1 Group
No. 1 Group RAF
Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command.The group is today referred to as the Air Combat Group, as it controls the RAF's combat fast-jet aircraft and has airfields in the UK plus RAF Unit Goose Bay in Canada, which is used extensively as an...
within RAF Strike Command
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
. In March 2007, the squadron combined with 801 NAS
801 Naval Air Squadron
801 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm squadron of the Royal Navy formed in 1933 which fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Falklands War.- Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force:...
to form the Naval Strike Wing
Naval Strike Wing
The Naval Strike Wing was a flying unit of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. It was formed on 9 March 2007...
. On 1 April 2010, NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron.
The squadron disbanded later that year, as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
and the subsequent withdrawal of Harrier fleet.
Post World War II engagements
Action over Korea, flying more than 350 combat sorties without losing a single man or aircraft, and in the Suez crisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
1956, Malaysian Emergency 1949 The Falklands
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, 1982 and offensive operations in the Balkans in 1990s.
800 NAS are also the only fixed wing Squadron to complete a tour of Afghanistan operating out of Kandahar airport. Although the Naval Strike Wing have also completed tours, it is made up of elements of both 800 and 801.
Falklands War
The squadron operated Twelve Sea Harrier FRS.1s aboard HMS HermesHMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
under the command of Commander Lt Cdr Andy Auld. The Squadron was supplemented by eight pilots and seven aircraft from 899 NAS. Later in the conflict four aircraft and pilots were transferred from 809 NAS.
From an Air Combat perspective' 800 Squadron were effective to the extent of shooting down Thirteen Argentine Aircraft and Destroying Three more on the Ground.
1 May 1982
A Pucara
FMA IA 58 Pucará
The FMA IA 58 Pucará is an Argentine ground-attack and counter-insurgency aircraft. It is a low-wing two-turboprop-engined all-metal monoplane with retractable landing gear, manufactured by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones.-Development:...
of FAA Grupo 3 destroyed and two more damaged and not repaired at Goose Green by CBU's
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen, Lt Hale and Lt McHarg RN. Lt Jukic killed in the destroyed aircraft. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over East Falkland by Flt Lt Penfold RAF using Sidewinder. Lt Ardiles (Cousin of the Footballer Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo César Ardiles , often referred to in Britain as Ossie Ardiles, is a football coach, pundit and former midfielder who won the 1978 World Cup as part of the Argentine national team...
) killed.
21 May 1982
Two A-4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4 shot down near Chartres, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Blissett and Lt Cmdr Thomas RN using Sidewinders. Lt Lopez and Lt Manzotti killed. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down near Teal River Inlet, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen RN using Sidewinder. Lt Luna ejected. A-4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 Esc shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Lt Morrell RN using Sidewinder. Lt Cmdr Philippi ejected. In same attack A-4Q Skyhawk shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Lt Marquez was killed.
23 May 1982
Puma SA.330L
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
of CAB 601 flew into ground near Shag Cove House, West Falkland attempting to evade Flt Lt Morgan RAF. Agusta A-109A of CAB 601 destroyed on ground in the same incident, by Flt Lt Morgan and Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over Pebble Island by Lt Hale RN using Sidewinder. Lt Volponi killed
24 May 1982
Two Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down north of Pebble Island by Lt Cmdr Auld and a third by Lt D Smith using Sidewinder. Maj Puga and Capt Diaz ejected, but Lt Castillo killed.
8 June 1982
Two A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5 shot down over Choiseul Sound by Flt Lt Morgan RAF and a third by Lt D Smith, using Sidewinders. Lt Arraras, Lt Bolzan and Ensign Vazquez killed.
Surface Ship
9 May 1982
Flt Lt Morgan and Lt Cdr Batt dropped 1000 lb bombs at the Spy trawler Narwal, when their original target of Port Stanley airfield was obscured by cloud, one bomb lodged in the trawler's hull before they raked it with 30mm cannon fire. Narwhal sank under tow the following day.
Losses
800 NAS lost two Aircraft and Pilots during the conflict.4 May 1982
Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon
The Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon is a towed anti-aircraft gun made by Oerlikon Contraves . The system was originally designated as 2 ZLA/353 ML but this was later changed to GDF-001...
from GADA 601 as he ran in to attack. The aircraft exploded and hit the ground very close to the airstrip. Argentine forces buried Nick with military honours close to where he fell. Lt Nick Taylor's Grave
23 May 1982
Lt Cmdr 'Gordy' Batt crashed into sea north east of Falklands shortly after take-off, the cause is still unknown.
Gallantry Awards
Lt Cmdr G W J Batt RN was Awarded the Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
- Posthumous
Lt Cmdr A D Auld RN, Lt Cmdr N W Thomas RN & Flt Lt D H S Morgan RAF were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
for their conduct and leadership throughout the campaign.
Aircraft flown
The 800 squadron has flown 15 different aircraft types, including- 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:...
- Hawker Osprey
- Blackburn SkuaBlackburn 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...
- Blackburn RocBlackburn 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....
- Fairey FulmarFairey 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...
- Gloster Sea GladiatorGloster GladiatorThe Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
- Hawker Sea HurricaneHawker 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...
- Grumman Hellcat I (F6F-3) and II (F6F-5)
- Supermarine SeafireSupermarine 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:...
- Fairey FireflyFairey FireflyThe Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....
- BAE Sea HarrierBAE Sea HarrierThe British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
- 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...
- 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"....
- Supermarine AttackerSupermarine AttackerThe Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
- 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...