751 Naval Air Squadron (751 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.1 Observer School. 751 NAS formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine) in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor). Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee (HMS Condor II), remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.
In 1945 it had a brief existence as a trials unit, at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), followed by another short reformation, during 1947, this time at RAF Watton. The squadron reformed for a second longer spell at Watton, from 1951, remaining there for the next six years, before moving to RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), in September 1957. During this period the squadron went on frequent detachments, on exercises, however, it eventually disbanded at RNAS Culdrose in May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron
History of 751 NAS
Observer Training (1939 - 1944)
751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), in West Sussex, on 24 May 1939, as an Observer Training Squadron and being part of No.1 Observer School. The squadron was equipped with Supermarine Walrus Amphibious aircraft.
On the 18 August 1940, a formation of Junkers Ju 87, or Stuka, dive bombers, attacked RNAS Ford as part of a large Luftwaffe force attacking airfields around Hampshire and Sussex. 28 personnel were killed and 75 wounded in the raid, which also destroyed 17 aircraft, damaged 26 more and caused significant infrastructure damage.
The following day, 751 NAS moved from Ford to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), in East Angus, Scotland, then as part of the No.2 Observer Training School. The squadron remained at Arbroath for around twelve months, before moving to the Satellite station and Seaplane base at RNAS Dundee (HMS Condor II), Dundee, Angus, on the 13 August 1941, operating as a Seaplane Observer Training Squadron and continuing to use Walrus aircraft. The squadron disbanded at Dundee on the 2 May 1944.
Trials Unit (1945)
751 NAS reformed at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), close to Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the 22 September 1945, as a Trials Unit when 846 NAS disbanded and re-numbered as 751 NAS. The squadron was equipped with Grumman Avenger Mk.II, American torpedo bomber aircraft, however, 751 NAS only lasted just over one month and it disbanded on the 31 October 1945 at Machrihanish.
Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1947)
751 NAS reformed at RAF Watton, located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England, on the 1 March 1947. It operated Avro Anson, a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft, and Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane aircraft. The squadron was active for six months, disbanding on the 30 September 1947.
Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1951 - 1958)
Four years later, 751 NAS reformed again at RAF Watton, on the 3 December 1951, remaining there for around the next six years until 27 September 1957 when the squadron moved to RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), located near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, England.
While at Watton, it then participated in four separate aircraft carrier deployments, between August 1953 and November 1957. From the 31 August to the 2 October 1953, a detachment from 751 NAS, was deployed on the lead ship of her class, the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (87), operating with Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In 1955, between the 19 February and the 15 March, a detachment spent the time operating from another lead ship of her class, the light aircraft carrier HMS Centaur (R06), again with Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In June 1955, a detachment spent approximately two weeks, from the 7 to the 23, deployed to the light fleet aircraft carrier, HMS Bulwark (R08), again operating the Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In November 1957, the squadron saw an approximate one week deployment, aboard the , HMS Eagle (R05).
751 NAS disbanded on 1 May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose.
Aircraft flown
751 Naval Air Squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including: