1853 Naval Air Squadron

Inactive flying squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm May 2017 May 2017 1853 Naval Air Squadron 300px A Fleet Air Arm Goodyear FG-1D Corsair; an example of the type used by 1853 NAS 1945 15 August 1945Sturtivant Ballance 1994 360 UK Single-seat fighter squadron Fighter squadron Eighteen aircraft Fleet Air Arm See Naval air stations section for full list. Home station Leutnant zur See J.R. Schuiling, RNethN 1V11+ single letters (May 1945) Identification Markings Vought Corsair 1853 Naval Air Squadron (1853 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It formed at RN Air Section Brunswick, in the United States on 1 April 1945 as a fighter squadron, with eighteen Vought Corsair Mk IV fighter aircraft. Following deck landing training aboard USS Charger, it embarked in HMS Rajah for the United Kingdom on 24 July. It disembarked to HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihanish, on 6 August, but due to V-J Day it disbanded there on 15 August. History Single-seat fighter squadron (1945) 1853 Naval Air Squadron formed on 1 April 1945 in the United States at RN Air Section Brunswick, which was located at United States Naval Air Station (USNAS) Brunswick, Maine, as a Single Seat Fighter Squadron, under the command of Leutnant zur See J. R. Schuiling, RNethN. Brunswick https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/FAA-Bases/Brunswick.htm Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day 16 September 2024Wragg 2019 199 It was equipped with eighteen Vought Corsair aircraft, an American carrier-borne fighter-bomber. These were the Goodyear built FG-1D, called Corsair Mk IV by the Fleet Air Arm.Thetford 1991 80 The squadron moved to RN Air Section Norfolk situated USNAS Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia to enable it to undertake deck landing training with the United States Navy's escort carrier, the Charger, before returning to RN Air Section Brunswick.Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 300 It then returned to RN Air Section Norfolk via RN Air Section Floyd Bennett Field, located at USNAS Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York City, arriving on 14 July for embarkation in the Ruler escort carrier, Rajah D10 6, for transport to the United Kingdom, departing on 24 July.Norfolk https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/FAA-Bases/Norfolk.htm Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day 16 September 2024 On 23 July, HMS Rajah arrived in Norfolk, where she took on board the personnel and eighteen Vought Corsair aircraft from 1853 Naval Air Squadron for their journey to the UK. She set sail on July 28th, likely not in convoy due to the conclusion of the war in Europe, and was headed for the Clyde, where she arrived on 5 August.A history of HMS Rajah https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/RAJAH.htm Royal Navy Research Archive 29 March 2025 The squadron disembarked to RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), Argyll and Bute, Scotland on 6 August.Wragg 2019 199 It was planned to form part of the 4th Carrier Air Group for the lead ship of her class of aircraft carrier, Illustrious 87 6, the plans were cancelled due to V-J Day and the squadron disbanded at RNAS Machrihanish on 15 August 1945.Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 300 Aircraft flown 1853 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 300 Vought Corsair Mk IV fighter bomber (April - August 1945) Naval air stations 1853 Naval Air Squadron operated from a naval air station of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a number overseas, and a Royal Navy escort carrier:Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 300 thumb|HMS Rajah RN Air Section Brunswick, Maine, (1 April – 14 July 1945) RN Air Section Norfolk, Virginia, (Detachment DLT Charger 6–15 June 1945) RN Air Section Norfolk, Virginia, (14–24 July 1945) Rajah D10 6 (24 July – 6 August 1945) Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), Argyll and Bute, (6–15 August 1945) disbanded (15 August 1945) Commanding officers List of commanding officers of 1853 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:Wragg 2019 199 Leutnant zur See J.R. Schuiling, RNethN, from 1 April 1945 disbanded - 16 August 1945 References Citations Bibliography Ballance Theo Howard Lee Sturtivant Ray The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm 2016 Air Britain Historians Ltd Haywards Heath 978-0-85130-489-2 Sturtivant R Ballance T The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm 1994 Air Britain (Historians) Ltd Tonbridge 0-85130-223-8 Thetford Owen British Naval Aircraft since 1912 1991 Putnam Aeronautical Books (Conway Maritime Press Ltd) London 0-85177-849-6 Wragg David The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939–1945 2019 The History Press Cheltenham 978-0-7509-9303-6 External links https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/SQUADRONS/1853_Squadron.htm A History of 1853 Naval Air Squadron 26 September 2021 The Royal Navy Research Archive Category:1800 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons Category:Military units and formations established in 1945 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945