1852 Naval Air Squadron
| 1852 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 February - 18 August 1945[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role | Fighter squadron |
| Size | Eighteen aircraft |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | See Naval air stations section for full list. |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lieutenant Commander(A) I.F. Voller, RNVR |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | 1V10+ single letters (May 1945) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Vought Corsair |
1852 Naval Air Squadron (1852 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick, in the United States on 1 February 1945 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk IV fighter aircraft. Following deck landing training aboard the USS Charger, it embarked in HMS Patroller for the United Kingdom on 5 May. It disembarked to HMS Gadwall, RNAS Belfast, on 25 May, but due to V-J Day it disbanded on 29 August.
History
[edit]Single-seat fighter squadron (1945)
[edit]1852 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 February 1945 in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, which was located at United States Naval Air Station (USNAS) Brunswick, Maine, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron,[2] under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) I.F. Voller, RNVR.[3]
It was equipped with eighteen Vought Corsair aircraft, an American carrier-borne fighter-bomber. These were the Goodyear built FG-1D variant, designated Corsair Mk IV by the Fleet Air Arm.[4] Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings (ADDLs) were undertaken at the nearby Bar Harbor Naval Auxiliary Air Facility (NAAF), Bar Harbor, Maine. The squadron flew to RN Air Section Norfolk situated at USNAS Norfolk, to enable it to undertake Deck Landing Training (DLT) with the escort carrier USS Charger, before returning to RN Air Section Brunswick.[5] It then returned to RN Air Section Norfolk arriving on 30 April for embarkation in the Ruler-class escort carrier, HMS Patroller, for transportation to the United Kingdom.[6]
By the May all aircrew, equipment and aircraft were embarked in HMS Patroller, at Naval Station Norfolk, and she sailed to New York City to embark further passengers. On 10 May HMS Patroller then joined Convoy CU 69 and sailed for Belfast, Northern Ireland. 1852 Naval Air Squadron disembarked on 25 May to Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard Belfast.[5]
The squadron moved to RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), Derry, Northern Ireland, the next day, and while here it began to convert from a normal reflector gunsight to a gyro gunsight.[3] The squadron was to form part of the 18th Carrier Air Group, along with 822 Naval Air Squadron. When the Japanese surrendered on 15 August, the 18th Carrier Air Group became unnecessary and on 29 August the squadron moved to RNAS Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail), County Antrim, Northern Ireland, disbanding on arrival.[7]
Aircraft flown
[edit]1852 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:[7]
- Vought Corsair Mk IV fighter bomber (February - August 1945)
Naval air stations
[edit]1852 Naval Air Squadron operated from a naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a number overseas, and a Royal Navy escort carrier:[7]
- RN Air Section Brunswick (1 February - 30 April 1945)
- RN Air Section Norfolk (Detachment DLT USS Charger) 3 - 8 April 1945)
- RN Air Section Norfolk (30 April - 4 May 1945)
- HMS Patroller (4 - 26 May- 1945)
- Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton (HMS Gannet) (26 May - 9 August 1945)
- Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard Belfast (HMS Gadwall) (9 - 29 August 1945)
- Royal Naval Air Station Nutts Corner (HMS Pintail) disbanded (29 August 1945)
Commanding officers
[edit]List of commanding officers of 1852 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][7]
- Lieutenant Commander(A) I.F. Voller, RNVR, from 1 February 1945
- disbanded - 29 August 1945
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 360.
- ^ "Brunswick". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Wragg 2019, p. 199.
- ^ Thetford 1991, pp. 80&83.
- ^ a b "A history of 1852 Naval Air Squadron". Royal Navy Research Archive - Royal Naval Air Squadrons 1938 - present day. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ "Norfolk". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 299.
Bibliography
[edit]- Ballance, Theo; Howard, Lee; Sturtivant, Ray (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN 978-0-85130-489-2.
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
- Thetford, Owen (1991). British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, an imprint of Conway Maritime Press Ltd. ISBN 0-85177-849-6.
- Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9303-6.
External links
[edit]- "A History of 1852 Naval Air Squadron". The Royal Navy Research Archive. 26 September 2021.
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