848 Naval Air Squadron
| 848 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
848 NAS badge
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| Active | 1 June 1943-45 1952-56 1958-63 1964-76 1982 1990-91 1995-19 December 2013 May 2015-Present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Land based and amphibious squadron |
| Role | Commando Helicopter training |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Garrison/HQ | RNAS Yeovilton |
| Motto | Accipe Hoc Latin: "Take That" |
| Battle honours | Normandy 1944 Okinawa 1945 Japan 1945 Falkland Islands 1982 Kuwait 1991 |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Cdr Gav Simmonite DFC RN |
848 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates the Westland Sea King HC.4 helicopter and previously provided advanced flying training to pilots for the other squadrons in the Commando Helicopter Force. The squadron is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.
Contents
History
The squadron was officially formed in June 1943 as a torpedo bomber, reconnaissance, Avenger squadron at Quonset Point Naval Air Station, and subsequently embarked on HMS Trumpeter in October 1943, for the UK.
Assigned to HMS Formidable between 1944 and 1945, 848 Squadron provided air support for the invasion of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg).
During its 69-year history, 848 Squadron has been disbanded and reformed several times but now has a more permanent standing, having been made the Commando Helicopter Training Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton. The Squadron took the role from 707 NAS which was responsible for the training of aircrew and maintainers in the Commando role. Part of this Squadron was taken to form 847 NAS during Operation Corporate to retake the Falkland Islands 1982. The Squadron operated Westland Wessex HU.5 aircraft at this time.
With a complement of one hundred ratings and thirty officers, the Squadron is responsible for the instruction of up to sixty pilots and aircrewmen each year. Operating the Westland Sea King HC.4, pilots undertake Advanced Flying Training - how to handle emergencies and how to fly with sole reference to instruments -before crewing up with the aircrewmen, taken from Royal Navy Ratings and Royal Marines, to learn how to operate the aircraft in a tactical environment during operational flying training.
Current Role
The Squadron also trains more than one hundred and fifty helicopter maintainers annually before sending them to the front line. Aircrew and maintainers receive military and amphibious training and are taught how to operate in the field and from the deck of a ship.
848 NAS disbanded in 2013.[1] It reformed on 1 May 2015 as an operational Sea King HC.4 squadron; this is to allow 845 NAS to convert to the Merlin without a loss of operational capability.[2]
Aircraft operated
The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:[3]
- Grumman Avenger I & II
- Fairey Swordfish I
- Westland Whirlwind HAR.21, HAR.1, HAS.22 & HAS.7
- Westland Wasp HAS.1
- Westland Wessex HU.5
- Westland Sea King HC.4
Affiliations
The squadron has a number of affiliations:[4]
- The Pirate Trust
- Downside School Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
- Birmingham University Royal Naval Unit (URNU)
- Crewkerne Branch of The Royal British Legion
References
Citations
- ↑ http://www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2014/03/25/top-award-for-848-naval-air-squadron/
- ↑ The Past, Present and Future of the 'Junglie' - Forces.tv
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 275.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Bibliography
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
| Currently active squadrons | |
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| Inactive squadrons |
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| Display teams | |
| Other units | |
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Units in bold subsequently commissioned into Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm
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