February - August 1945

 

Formation and work-up

The personnel for 1852 Squadron assembled at Townhill Camp in December 1944, and sailed for the USA to form and train. The squadron officially formed on February 1st 1945 at USNAS Brunswick as a single seat fighter squadron under the command of Lt. Cdr (A) I.F. Voller RNVR. The squadron was issued with 18 Corsair IVs.

After familiarisation with the aircraft and equipment the squadron began training in earnest to prepare for active service. Training included navigation exercises, low flying, formation flying and combat tactics. On March 24th the squadron began practicing ADDLs (Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings) utilising the nearby US Naval Auxiliary Airfield at Bar Harbour, Maine in preparation for the real thing at sea, they returned to Brunswick on March 29th. The squadron then briefly moved to  USNAS Norfolk on April 3rd to carry out DLT (Deck Landing Training) on the training carrier the USS CHARGER, operating in Chesapeake Bay, returning to Brunswick on the 8th. The first few month of flying was a difficult time for the new pilots, many of whom were on their first operational squadron however there is only aircraft accident recorded during the work up period. The starboard flap of KD819, flown by Sub-Lt W.G. Russell RNVR, hit the runway on February 5th.

On completion of working up at USNAS Brunswick 1852  flew to USNAS Norfolk on April 30th where the squadron personnel and aircraft embarked in the escort carrier  HMS PATROLLER, alongside in the Norfolk Naval Operating Base. PATROLLER had arrived at Norfolk on May 1st to embark a ferry load of American airframes for delivery to the UK. The Corsairs of 1852 were towed through the streets from the Air Station to the quayside and were hoisted on board the carrier.

PATROLLER sailed for New York late in the morning of the 5th where further passengers and stores were embarked. She joined Convoy CU.69 which sailed from New York on May 10th; she detached from the convoy in the afternoon of the 20th and arrived at Belfast to unload on May 25th. She disembarked her ferry load and 1852 squadron at RNAMY Belfast.

Training in the UK

The squadron was earmarked to join the 18th Carrier Air Group ! Admiralty War Dairy, 8 June 1945, lays out plans for 6 Carrier Air Groups, all with 24 Corsair & 14 Barracuda; 13 – 16 for VENGEANCE, COLOSSUS, VENERABLE and GLORY, with 2 spare CAGs - 16 & 17? along with 822 Barracuda squadron for service in one of the new ‘Colossus’ class Light Fleet Carriers which were under construction; while waiting for the ship to enter service the squadron moved to RNAS Eglinton on May26th 1945 to continue training.

While at Eglinton the squadron began converting the aircraft from a normal reflector gun sight to the GGS Mk.IID gyro gun sight and training focused on teaching the new fighting techniques. There is only oe recorded flying incident for the squadron operating in the UK; on July 10th Sub-Lt A McLoskey RNVR in KD817 bounced on landing and ground looped. On August 9th the squadron moved to RNAS Belfast.