731 Naval Air Squadron
731 NAS badge
Active5 December 1943 – 1 November 1945[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
RoleDeck Landing Control Officer training squadron
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Garrison/HQRNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit)
Motto(s)Circum Undique
(Latin for 'From everywhere around')
Insignia
Squadron BadgeBlue, in base a 19th Century anchor in bend gold with a seagull white alighting thereon (1945)[1]
Identification MarkingsE3A+[2]

731 Naval Air Squadron (731 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1943 and 1945 and its sole role throughout its formation was a Deck Landing Control Officer training squadron. Through this role the squadron pilots were nicknamed 'Clockwork Mice'. It was based out of the purpose built airbase, RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit), located near Carnoustie, in Scotland, as part of the Deck Landing Training School there.

History of 731 NAS

Deck Landing Control Officer training (1943 - 1945)

Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib 'Z7015 - 7-L' (G-BKTH). Example of aircraft used by 731 NAS

On 5 December 1943, 731 Naval Air Squadron was formed at RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit),[3] located approximately 1.5 miles (2 km) east of Carnoustie and 5 miles (8 km) south west of Arbroath, in Angus, Scotland, as a Deck Landing Control Officer training squadron for the training of Deck Landing Control Officers (DLCOs).

The squadron teamed up with two other Naval Air Squadrons, 767 Naval Air Squadron, a Deck Landing Training squadron and 769 Naval Air Squadron, a Torpedo, bomber and reconnaissance (TBR) Deck Landing Training squadron. Together they formed the Deck Landing Training School at RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit).

Training

731 Naval Air Squadron pilots, who were already qualified for carrier deck landing, operated a number of various Fleet Air Arm aircraft. Initially operating with Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalised Hawker Hurricane single seat fighter aircraft and Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber, they flew continuous circuits and approaches to land on whichever runway was in use. This enabled the prospective DLCOs to direct their approach and familiarise themselves with the differing landing characteristics across the aircraft types operated within the Fleet Air Arm.

The runway in use was known as the 'Dummy Deck', the trainee DLCOs were known as 'Batsmen' and the repetitive work earned them the nickname 'Clockwork Mice'. A Dummy Carrier Island was introduced, in an attempt to create authenticity, in the form of a converted 1930s Albion bus and given the nickname 'H.M.S. Spurious'.

Royal Navy officers 'aboard' 'HMS SPURIOUS MARK II' - a bus converted to resemble the island of an aircraft carrier. The bus is being driven along a runway or taxi way at Royal Naval Air Station East Haven at Carnoustie, Scotland.

Trainee DLCOs used high visibility paddles during the day and illuminated paddles at night. The paddles were similar to tennis rackets or 'bats', hence the DLCOs being referred to as 'bats'. The DLCO trainees had to learn the different signals used to communicate with the pilot during an intensive three week training course. Signals were given until the aircraft was committed to land, however, if the approach was deemed unsafe the trainee would 'wave him off', to go around for another approach. Training in aircraft carrier flight deck activities and incidents was provided through the Aircraft Handling and Fire Fighting School, located at HMS Peewit.[3] Curriculum included aircraft parking and Taxiing after landing, simulated ready for takeoff manoeuvring, the spreading and folding of wings and fire fighting.

The training course ended with the trainees operating on an actual aircraft carriers. A number of escort aircraft carriers were assigned as Deck Landing Training (DLT) Carriers. Carriers on DLT duty included:

Fairey Fulmar, a British carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, arrived in early 1944, with these aircraft followed by Supermarine Seafire, a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire single seat fighter adapted for operation from aircraft carriers, and Vought Corsair, an American fighter aircraft, by mid 1944. Around December 1944 the squadron received Fairey Firefly, a carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft, with Fairey Barracuda, a British carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber, arriving around the middle of 1945.

Disbandment

731 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded on the 1 November 1945 at RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit), its role absorbed into 767 and 768 Deck Landing Training Squadrons.[4]

Aircraft flown

LS326 Fairey Swordfish Mk2 Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm of the type used by 731 NAS throughout its existence

The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[5][4]

731 Naval Air Squadron operated from a single naval air station of the Royal Navy, in Scotland:[5]

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 731 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment and end:[5]

  • Lieutenant Commander (A) K. Stillard, RNVR (Dec 1943 – Jan 1945)
  • Lieutenant Commander R. Prideham-Wippell, RN (Jan 1945 – Nov 1945)

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 54.
  2. ↑ Wragg 2019, p. 119.
  3. 1 2 "RNAS East Haven". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. 1 2 "731 Naval Air Squadron". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "731 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 21 December 2022.

Bibliography

  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
  • Thetford, Owen (1991). British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, an imprint of Conway Maritime Press Ltd. ISBN 0-85177-849-6.
  • 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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