764 Naval Air Squadron

764 Naval Air Squadron
764 NAS badge
Active8 April 1940 - 7 November 1943
19 February 1944 - 1 September 1945
18 May 1953 - 23 November 1954
1 February 1955 - 27 July 1972[1]
1 October 2008 onwards[2]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Advance Seaplane Training Squadron
  • User Trials Unit
  • Advanced Training Squadron
  • Fighter Pilot Holding Unit
  • Air Weapons Training Flight
  • Commanding Officers and Senior Pilots Designate Course
  • Jet Fighter Pilot Pool
  • Target Towing Unit
  • Air Warfare Instructor Training
  • Initial Training Squadron
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Motto(s)Experientia expertus
(Latin for 'Tested by trials')
AircraftSee Aircraft operated section for full list.
Insignia
Squadron BadgeBarry wavy of six white and blue, a balance gold (1945)[3]
Identification MarkingsY9A+ Swordfish
unmarked Walrus, Seafox and Kingfisher[4]
100-116 Seafire (from May 1953)
243-250 Firefly (from May 1953)
251-256 Sea Hawk (from February 1955)
161-175 Wyvern (from February 1955)
689-714 all types (from January 1956)[2]
Tail CodesLM:VL (from May 1953)
FD (from February 1955)
Hawker Hunter GA.11, XF300, formerly of 764 NAS

764 Naval Air Squadron (764 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in April 1940, at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as an Advance Seaplane Training Squadron. The Squadron moved to RAF Pembroke Dock in July 1940, and later to HMS Daedalus II, RNAS Lawrenny Ferry in October 1941 and remaining there until the Squadron disbanded in November 1943. It reformed at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, in February 1944, as the User Trials Unit, however, the squadron was decommissioned for the second time in September 1945. 764 Naval Air Squadron reformed again, at HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth, in May 1953, where it became an Advanced Training Unit. It moved to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, in September 1953, where it received its first jet aircraft. In November 1954 the Squadron disbanded.

It reformed in February 1955, at HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford, as a Fighter Pilot Holding Unit and equipped exclusively with jets. However, starting in the May, the squadron also provided Westland Wyvern aircraft type conversion for the next couple of years. In June 1957, 764 Naval Air Squadron moved to HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth, utilising its satellite airfield, HMS Fulmar II, RNAS Milltown, and with it a change to multiple training roles: Air Weapons Training, Commanding Officers and Senior Pilots Designate Course, a Jet Fighter Pool and a Target Towing Unit. With Hawker Hunter aircraft arriving in December 1958, the squadrons primary duty was Air Warfare Instructor training. It also undertook swept wing conversion to the Hawker Hunter. From March to November 1965 a ‘B’ flight was formed at HMS Fulmar, to train Airwork Limited pilots to fly Supermarine Scimitar aircraft. In July 1972, 764 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at HMS Fulmar.

764 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a non-flying squadron at HMS Sultan, in October 2008, as the Initial Training Squadron, as part of the Royal Naval Air Engineering & Survival School (RNAESS), within the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering (DSAE) to simulate a squadron environment[2] for training of Air Engineer Officers', Air Engineering Technicians and Survival Equipment ratings.[5]

  1. ^ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 81.
  2. ^ a b c Ballance 2016, p. 65.
  3. ^ Ballance 2016, p. 64.
  4. ^ Wragg 2019, p. 128.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference 764 Naval Air Squadron HMS Sultan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).