704 Naval Air Squadron
Active11 April 1945 - 2 December 1945[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
RoleNaval Operational Training Unit
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Garrison/HQRNAS Zeals
RAF Thorney Island
Insignia
Identification MarkingsFD3A+[2]
Aircraft flown
Attackde Havilland Mosquito
TransportAirspeed Oxford
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito T Mk.III, an example of the type used by 704 NAS

704 Naval Air Squadron (704 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed as a Operational Training Unit, at RNAS Zeals (HMS Hummingbird) in Wiltshire, in April 1945, operating with de Havilland Mosquito aircraft. The squadron later moved to RAF Thorney Island in West Sussex, in the September, and continued with de Havilland Mosquito conversion courses, however the squadron disbanded in December 1945.

History of 704 NAS

On 11 April 1945, 704 Naval Air Squadron was formed at RNAS Zeals (HMS Hummingbird), located near the village of Zeals in Wiltshire, as a Naval Operational Training Unit, for the conversion of de Havilland Mosquito aircrew.[2] The squadron was equipped with de Havilland Mosquito, a British twin-engined, multirole combat aircraft. It mainly operated with the FB.VI strike ("fighter-bomber") variant and also had a smaller number of T.III two-seat trainer versions.[3]

On 20 June four of the aircraft were detached to 703 Naval Air Squadron which was operating at RAF Thorney Island, which was located on Thorney Island, West Sussex. The aircraft were utilised for development work in conjunction with the Royal Air Force’s Air-Sea Warfare Development Unit (ASWDU).[2] The rest of 704 NAS relocated to RAF Thorney Island on 4 September and the detachment was incorporated back into the squadron. Three months later the squadron disbanded on 2 December 1945 when it was absorbed into 762 Naval Air Squadron, a Twin Engine Conversion Unit.[3]

Aircraft flown

The squadron operated a couple of different aircraft types:[3]

  • de Havilland Mosquito T.III (October - December 1945)
  • de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI (April - July 1945)
  • de Havilland Mosquito B.25 (June - September 1945)
  • Airspeed Oxford (September - November 1945)

704 Naval Air Squadron operated from one naval air stations of the Royal Navy and one Royal Air Force station, both in England:[3]

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 704 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment:[2][3]

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • 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.
  • Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9303-6.
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