1847 Naval Air Squadron

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1847 Naval Air Squadron
Active1 February - 20 May 1944 [1]
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
TypeSingle-seat fighter squadron
RoleFighter squadron
SizeTen aircraft
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Home station RNAS Eglinton
Insignia
Identification MarkingsSingle letters
Aircraft flown
Fighter Grumman Hellcat
A Fleet Air Arm Grumman Hellcat The Royal Navy during the Second World War A20017.jpg
A Fleet Air Arm Grumman Hellcat

1847 Naval Air Squadron (1847 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed, at the start of February 1944, at (HMS Gannet), RNAS Eglinton, Derry, Northern Ireland, as a fighter squadron with eight of its twelve pilots from the Royal Netherlands Navy, and was equipped with Grumman Hellcat fighter aircraft. After three months existence the squadron was absorbed into 1840 Naval Air Squadron, at HMS Gannet, during May 1944.

Contents

History

Single-seat fighter squadron (1944)

1847 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 February 1944 in Northern Ireland at Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton (HMS Gannet), which was located next to the city of Derry, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron, under the command of Lieutenant Commander(A) H. Colville-Stewart, RNVR. [2]

It consisted twelve pilots in total, four from Britain and augmented with eight pilots from the Royal Netherlands Navy. The squadron was intended for service in an escort carrier and was issued with ten Grumman Hellcat, an American carrier-based fighter aircraft. [3] These were the F6F-3 variant, designated Hellcat F. Mk. I by the Fleet Air Arm. [4]

While training and working up the squadron suffered a series of fatal accidents. On 27 March two Dutch pilots were killed in a mid-air collision. Another Dutch pilot died the following day and then on 22 April a British pilot died when he crashed into a hill top. [5]

With the loss of one quarter of the aircrew and forty percent of it’s aircraft, a decision was made to disband the squadron and it was absorbed by 1840 Naval Air Squadron, at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), on 20 May. [3]

Aircraft flown

1847 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type: [3]

1847 Naval Air Squadron operated from a single naval air station of the Royal Navy in Northern Ireland: [3]

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 1847 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment: [2]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1848 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

1848 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It officially formed in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, in July 1944 as a fighter squadron. It was quipped with Vought Corsair fighter aircraft. The squadron embarked in HMS Ranee in October for the Atlantic crossing back to the United Kingdom. However, soon after arrival it disbanded at HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, in November, its resources shared equally between 1843, 1845 and 1846 Naval Air Squadrons.

References

Citations

  1. Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 358.
  2. 1 2 Wragg 2019, p. 198.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 297.
  4. Thetford 1991, pp. 224–226.
  5. "A history of 1847 Naval Air Squadron". Royal Navy Research Archive - Royal Naval Air Squadrons 1938 - present day. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

Bibliography