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The squadron was to conducted trials on radio and radar equipment and some torpedo trials. Lt. (A) D.L.R. Hutchinson RNVR, assumed his appointment as Commanding Officer, and a second observer arrived on April 19th just before the squadron was to fly North to operate as a detachment at
RNAS Crail commencing on April 22nd, The Avengers returned to
Gosport at the end of May 1944 but the Barracudas operated from
RNAS Crail until May 1945. Detached operations The squadron moved into
RNAS Lee-on-Solent on July 1st 1944 where Lt. (A) K. Lee-White RN took over as commanding officer, also on this date ’B’ flight formed as a
Tactician Trials flight equipped with Firebrand
F.Is but this was redesignated No.708 Squadron on October 1st. A second detachment, a Torpedo Trials Flight, operated from
RNAS Machrihanish, the largest of these trials started on September 27th 1944 when aircraft carried out net defence trials in the Clyde. On completion of these trials the flight was absorbed into 778 Trails squadron at
RNAS Arbroath.
The squadron received its fourth commanding officer on November 5th 1944 when Lt. (A) G.A. Donaghue RNVR arrived; he was one of only two squadron pilots to have a recorded flying
incident, while at
RNAS Machrihanish on a very icy January 22nd 1945, when his Avenger slid forward out of control with its brakes fully on when the chocks were removed. The other was at
RNAS Lee-on-Solen on June 22nd 1945 when Sub-Lt J. Incley
RNVR had to make an emergency landing in Barracuda LS799
after a hydraulic leak, he hit an air raid shelter on
landing. Squadron DisbandedThe whole squadron was back at
RNAS Lee-on-Solent by the end of May 1945 and Captain D.B.L. Smith Royal Marines arrived to take over as CO on June 3rd. Several Firefly Is were received in June for familiarisation on the type prior to their planned addition to the squadron’s inventory but
permanent issue was cancelled when it was decided two disband the squadron. 764 squadron disbanded at
RNAS Lee-on-Solent on September 1st 1945.
764 (3) May 1953 - November 1954
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Fairey Firefly T.1 trainer © IWM (ATP 16304C) |
The squadron moved to RNAS Yeovilton on September 23rd 1953, where a new commanding officer, Lt. Cdr B. Bevans
DSC, RN took over on the 28th. In May 1954 the first jet
aircraft were added to the inventory in the form of the Sea
Hawk F.1 alongside 13 Seafires and 6 Fireflies.
The squadron disbanded at Yeovilton on November 23rd 1954.
No.764 next reformed on February 1st 1955 at RNAS Ford as a Fighter Pilot Holding Unit under the command of Lt. Cdr D.F. Battison RN. Equipped with 10 Sea Hawk F.1 and F.2ss and 10 Sea Vampires including some T.22 dual trainers, it gave continuous flying to pilots awaiting appointment to first line squadrons, and also converted USA-trained pilots to British procedures. The Sea Vampire T.22s were equipped to train pilots in all forms of fighter combat and ground attack.
In May 1955 two Wyvern S.4 were added to give type conversion to pilots who had completed their operational training, before joining a first line squadron. Sea Hawk FB.3s began to arrive in March 1956; on March 1st part of the squadron became No.767 Squadron taking with it some of the Sea Hawk F.2s to become a Fighter Pilot Pool Squadron. In February 1957 the Wyvern element also became independent, as the Wyvern Conversion Flight.
On June 21st 1957 the squadron moved to RNAS Lossiemouth leaving behind its Sea Vampires and the Sea Hawk F,I and F.2s, receiving new Sea Hawk FGA.4s in July. With this move its role changed to comprise of an Air Weapons Training Flight, a Commanding Officers and Senior Pilots Designate Course, a Jet Fighter Pilot Pool and a Target Towing Unit. The squadron operated out of RNAS Milltown, the satellite airfield for RNAS Lossiemouth. Meteor T.7 two-seat trainers were received in December 1957 but were withdrawn in March 1958 but Sea Hawk FGA.6s were received that October. Beginning in December 1958 Hunter T.8 two-seat trainers began to arrive, and the Sea Hawk were gradually withdrawn the last leaving in July 1959. A few Scimitars were received in February 1959 but these departed in May and by August the squadron equipment comprised 12 Hunter T.8s.
The squadron’s main task changed again from March 1959, its main task became Air Warfare Instructor training; the Commanding Officers and Senior Pilots Designates Course was retained, but a mew third task was Swept Wing Conversion to Hunter T.8s. From July 1962 some of the Hunter T.8s were replaced by Hunter GA.11s; a few of these were later converted to PR.11s. Three Hunter T.8Bs arrived in 1968, and later a few T.8Cs were also used.
On March 26th 1965 No.764B Squadron was formed from the remnants of No.736 Squadron; this squadron was operating Scimitars as part of the Naval Air Warfare and Strike School and these aircraft were passed to 764B. On the same day 736 reformed and reequipped with Buccaneer S.1s from 809 squadron. Under the command of Lt. Cdr J. Worth RN, 764B had been formed solely to train Airwork pilots to fly the Scimitar, disbanding in November on completion of this task.
No.764 continued operating a complement of 10 Hunter GA.Ils and 4 Hunter T.8Cs.from Lossiemouth/Milltown until it disbanded on July 27th 1972.
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Content revised: 27 September 2021
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Experientia expertus
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Battle HonoursNone
Aircraft TypesSeafox I Apr - Nov 1940 Swordfish I/SP Apr 1940 - Sep 1941
Walrus Apr 1940 - Nov 1943 Kingfisher I Jul 1942 - Nov 1943 Firefly I Jun 1945 - ?1945 Seafire XVII ? 1945 - Aug 1945
Seafire XVII May 1953 - Nov 1954 Firefly T.1 Nov 1953 - Nov 1954 Firefly T.2 May 1953 - Nov 1954
Sea Hawk F.1 May 1954 - Jun 1957 Sea Hawk F.2 Feb 1955 - Jun 1957 Sea Hawk FB.3 Mar 1956 - Jan 1959 Sea Hawk FGA.4 Jul 1957 - Jul 1959 Sea Hawk FGA.6 Oct 1958 - Jul 1959 Sea Vampire F.20 Jun 1955 - Feb 1956 Sea Vampire F.21 Jul 1955 - Mar 1956 Sea Vampire T.22 Jan 1955 - Jun 1957 Wyvern S.4 May 1955 - Feb 1957 Meteor T.7 Dec 1957 - Mar 1958 Scimitar F.1 Feb 1959 - May 1959 Hunter T.8/T.8b/T.8c Dec 1958 - Jul 1972
Hunter GA.11/PR.11 Jul 1962 Jul 1972
Commanding Officers
Squadron disbanded 7 Nov 1943
Lt. (A) E.D.J.R. Whatley RN, (temp) 19 Feb 1944 Lt. (A) D.L.R. Hutchinson RNVR, 19 Apr 1944
Lt. (A) G.A. Donaghue RNVR, 15 Nov 1944 Capt. D.B.L. Smith RM, 3 Jun 1945 Squadron disbanded 1 Sep 1945
Lt. Cdr P.S. Brewer RN, 18 May 1953 Lt. Cdr B. Bevans DSC, RN, 28 Sep 1953 Squadron disbanded 23 Nov 1954
Lt. Cdr D.F. Battison RN, 1 Feb 1957 Lt. Cdr J.W. Ayres RN, 15 Apr 1957 Lt. Cdr D.T. McKeown RN, 17 Jun 1957 Lt. R.M.P. Carne RN, 20 Apr 1959 Lt. Cdr J.C. Mather RN, 2 Dec 1960 Lt. Cdr J.N.S. Anderson RN, 7 Jan 1963 Lt. Cdr G.W.G. Hunt RN, 31 Aug 1964 Lt. Cdr M.F. Kennett RN, 22 Nov 1965 Lt. Cdr E. Cope RN, 1 May 1967 Lt. Cdr R.J. Northard RN, 6 Sep 1968 Lt. Cdr R.W. Edwards RN, 6 May 1970 Squadron disbanded 27 Jul 1972
Aircrew and Squadron Personnel
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