772 Naval Air Squadron | |
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Active | 28 September 1939 - 13 October 1948 6 September 1974 - 29 September 1995[1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
Role |
|
Size | Squadron |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
Home station | See Naval air stations section for full list. |
Aircraft | See Aircraft operated section for full list. |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge | White, issuant from water barry wavy of four blue and white an arm embowed proper vested white the hand grasping a trident gold impaled thereon a twin-engined aircraft black (1942) Blue, a pair of wings displayed white surmounted by a trident and a shepherds crook in saltire gold (1975)[2] |
Identification Markings | R3A+ (all types 1939-1941) K9A+ (all types 1942) M8A+ (all types from 1943) AR8A+ (all types from 1944) BR8A+ & BR0A+ (FRU School all types 1944-1945) 08A+ & 09A+ (all types from 1946) 501-509 (1947-1948) 510-517 (Wessex from September 1974) 610-617 (Wessex from March 1981) 610-617 (Sea King) (6)21-(6)28 (later on)[3][2] |
Tail Codes | AO (1947-1948) PO (from September 1974)[2] |
772 Naval Air Squadron (772 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded during September 1995. 772 Naval Air Squadron formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit out of 'Y' Flight from 771 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) in September 1939. While the headquarters remained there, floatplanes were operated out of RNAS Portland (HMS Osprey), however, mid 1940 saw the whole squadron move north to RNAS Campbeltown and roughly twelve months afterwards the short distance to RNAS Machrihanish. The unit moved to RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail) in July 1944 and became the Fleet Requirements Unit School. In January 1946 the squadron moved to RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) in Lancashire, before moving to RNAS Anthorn (HMS Nuthatch) in Cumberland, in May. It became the Northern Fleet Requirements Unit upon moving to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), in June 1947, but disbanded into 771 Naval Air Squadron in October. 772 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Helicopter Support Squadron at RNAS Portland (HMS Osprey) in September 1974. In September 1977 the squadron took over responsibility for a number of Ships' Flights of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. The squadron was used to reform 848 Naval Air Squadron for the Falklands Task Force in 1982, with the Ships' Flights absorbed into 847 Naval Air Squadron. In August 1982 it took on the Anti-Submarine Warfare Flight from 737 Naval Air Squadron and between 1983 - 1985 a Search and Rescue Flight operated out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus).