809 Naval Air Squadron (809 NAS), nicknamed the Immortals , is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm of the United Kingdom . It was first formed in 1941 and flew in the Soviet Union , the Mediterranean and the Far East during the Second World War . After active service during the Suez Crisis , 809 was disbanded in 1959. Reformed in 1963 to fly Blackburn Buccaneers , the squadron was disbanded briefly in 1965–66, and then again in 1978. A brief period during the Falklands War saw 809 reformed to bring Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft south to the UK task group and to fly from HMS Illustrious .
28-402: Sea Venom may refer to: de Havilland Sea Venom , a 1950s-era carrier based fighter aircraft Sea Venom (missile) , an air to surface anti-ship missile Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Sea Venom . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
56-538: A display team and attended many air shows. In 1970, having increased its complement to 14 Buccaneer S.2s, 809 embarked in HMS ; Ark Royal and, from 1972 onward, became the last Royal Navy Buccaneer squadron following the disbandment of 800 Naval Air Squadron . In 1972, Ark Royal and 809 RNAS were despatched "with haste" from the North Atlantic to 'show presence' over British Honduras , now Belize , in
84-541: A lighter low visibility grey than the rest of the Sea Harrier fleet, and were then issued to the reformed 809 NAS, under Lieutenant Commander Tim Gedge, which were transported south on the ill-fated Atlantic Conveyor . After arriving with the Task force, the aircraft and pilots were split between the two carriers and were absorbed by their squadrons, as 899's aircraft had been earlier. After the ceasefire, 809 re-formed as
112-647: A single unit and returned to the UK aboard Hermes , where after a very short break they embarked aboard the newly completed Illustrious and returned to the South Atlantic to provide air defence cover until Port Stanley Airport could be repaired. The squadron remained on station until relieved by RAF Phantom FGR2s of No. 29 Squadron based at Stanley. Illustrious returned home in December, and 809 NAS finally disbanded on 17 December 1982. In September 2013, it
140-753: Is a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom . It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy . The French Navy operated the Aquilon , developed from the Sea Venom FAW.20, built under licence by SNCASE (Sud-Est). The Sea Venom was the navalised version of the Venom NF.2 two-seat night fighter, and was used as an all-weather interceptor by
168-465: Is jointly manned by both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel and operates from Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers . Formed on 15 January 1941 at RNAS St Merryn with 12 Fairey Fulmars , the squadron embarked in HMS Victorious in July 1941. At first involved in operations against Petsamo and Bodø , and then the convoys to North Russia, Victorious and her air group fought in
196-556: The Aquilon for the French Navy. Data from De Havilland's Sea Venom General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists 809 Naval Air Squadron In December 2023, 809 NAS was recommissioned at RAF Marham , Norfolk, to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning . The unit
224-811: The Eastern Fleet at Ceylon . The final days of World War II saw 809 providing fighter cover for Operation Dracula , the re-occupation of Rangoon , then in June operations in British Malaya and Sumatra . The ship subsequently gave cover for Operation Zipper , the re-occupation of Malaya after V-J Day . In January 1949, the De Havilland Sea Hornet NF.21 equipped 809 Squadron at RNAS Culdrose , moved to HMS Illustrious and then, in May 1951 to HMS Vengeance . The unit
252-723: The Hawker Sea Fury . The Sea Venom entered service in 1956 and, during its service with the RAN, operated off the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne . It was taken out of first-line service in 1967, replaced by the American McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk . From 1957 to 1961, French Navy Aquilons took part in counter-insurgency operations in Algeria. They were withdrawn from service in 1965. SNCASE (Sud-Est) license-built 101 Sea Venom FAW.20 as
280-620: The Suez War . They were from Nos. 809 , 891 , 892 , 893 , 894 , 895 Naval Air Squadrons based on the light fleet carrier HMS Albion and fleet carrier HMS Eagle . The Anglo-French invasion, codenamed Operation Musketeer , began on 31 October 1956 signalling the beginning of the Suez War. The Sea Venoms launched many sorties, bombing a variety of targets in Egypt in the process. Sea Venoms also saw service during conflicts in
308-553: The designation FAW.20 (Fighter, All-Weather). It was powered by a single de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine and its armament was the same as the RAF version. The next variant was the FAW.21 , which included the modifications introduced in the Venom NF.2A and NF.3. Some of these modifications included the Ghost 104 engine, a clear-view canopy and American radar. The final Royal Navy variant
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#1732790349018336-494: The Armed Forces , stated that 809 NAS was "due to stand up in quarter two of 2023", with full operating capability expected in 2025. 809 NAS formally stood-up at RAF Marham , Norfolk, on 8 December 2023 and is expected to be "deployable" in 2025. Initial operating capability was anticipated by 1 December 2024. On 1 October 2024, it was announced that F-35B aircraft from 809 NAS had deployed to HMS Prince of Wales in
364-467: The Buccaneer's nuclear role, with the squadron badge of a phoenix on the sides of the jet intakes. By 1965 the Buccaneer force had switched to the standard Fleet Air Arm finish of dark sea grey upper surfaces and white undersides, and the squadron badge was moved to the tail. In April 1965, 809 NAS disbanded again and its role was taken over by 736 NAS at RNAS Lossiemouth . 809 re-formed in 1966 under
392-596: The Fleet Air Arm (FAA). The necessary modifications for use on the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers included folding wings , a tailhook (which retracted into a characteristic "lip" over the jetpipe) and strengthened, long-stroke undercarriage . The canopy was modified to allow ejection from underwater. The first prototype made its first flight in 1951, and began carrier trials that same year. A further two prototypes were built. The first production Sea Venom took
420-784: The Mediterranean from July 1942, including participating in Operation Pedestal . After being trained in army co-operation duties at Sawbridge, 809 re-embarked in Victorious in October 1942 and conducted tactical reconnaissance for the North African landings of Operation Torch . After being re-equipped with the Supermarine Seafire IIc , the squadron provided cover for Operation Avalanche ,
448-621: The Middle East. By 1959, the Sea Venom began to be replaced in Royal Navy service by the de Havilland Sea Vixen, an aircraft that also had the distinctive twin-boom tail. The Sea Venom would be withdrawn from frontline service soon afterwards. The type continued to fly with second line FAA units until the last were withdrawn in 1970. Thirty-nine Sea Venom FAW.53s saw service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), replacing
476-610: The aircraft were formally handed over to the RAF. 809 Squadron was officially disbanded at HMS Daedalus on the 13 December 1978, and the aircraft were used to form the RAF's No. 216 Squadron in 1979. During the Falklands War of 1982, the Fleet Air Arm only had three Sea Harrier squadrons, 800 NAS and 801 NAS (with five aircraft each for front line operations from Hermes and Invincible ) and 899 NAS (training) (with around twelve Sea Harriers operating as
504-718: The allied landings at Salerno . The squadron flew Seafires off HMS Stalker during 1944, including landing detachments in North Africa and Italy between May and July. Stalker and 809 formed part of Task Force 88 covering the Operation Dragoon landings in Southern France in August 1944. In November 1944 the squadron transferred to HMS Attacker , rejoining Stalker in March 1945, bound for
532-499: The command of Lt Cdr Lyn Middleton and was now equipped with the Rolls-Royce Spey -powered Buccaneer S.2 . Royal Navy Buccaneers were now being painted dark sea grey overall with all markings other than roundels in either light grey or light blue to reduce visibility. 809 embarked in HMS Hermes with six aircraft for the next two years, then from 1968 were shore-based again at Lossiemouth, during which time they formed
560-528: The face of neighbouring Guatemalan threats to invade Belize. Steaming hard at 27 knots, and when eventually off Bermuda , two Buccaneers were launched along with two more buddy tanker versions to make one of the longest journeys of its type. In a six-hour round trip the two Buccaneers showed presence over Belize and made the Guatemalan government, with its P-51D Mustangs and limited ground forces, hesitate long enough for other events to intervene. Later
588-576: The headquarters and training squadron). At the outbreak of war, 899 sent three aircraft to join 801 aboard Invincible and seven aircraft to join 800 aboard Hermes . These aircraft sailed with the Falklands Task Force , whilst the remains of 899 NAS set about bringing the remaining Sea Harriers in store or on other duties into operational use. It was planned to form a third front line squadron with ten Sea Harriers, but only eight could be brought together initially. These aircraft were painted
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#1732790349018616-407: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sea_Venom&oldid=933116223 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages De Havilland Sea Venom The de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom
644-526: The second frontline Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 squadron (after 801 NAS), using aircraft and crews from the recently disbanded 700Z NAS (the Buccaneer S.1 trials and training unit) under the command of 700Z's commanding officer, Commander 'Spiv' Leahy. The squadron was tasked with continuing 700Z's duties and became the Buccaneer Headquarters squadron. The aircraft at the time were painted in 'anti-flash' white with toned-down markings because of
672-407: The squadron transferred its home base from RNAS Lossiemouth (which was being transferred to RAF control, and later became the home base of the last RAF Buccaneer squadrons) to RAF Honington . 809 NAS continued to alternate between RAF Honington and Ark Royal until November 1978, when after flying off the carrier for the last time in the Mediterranean, the squadron flew direct to RAF St Athan , where
700-529: Was announced that 809 NAS was to be reformed to become the first Fleet Air Arm squadron to be equipped with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning . In 2016, it had been planned that the squadron would be recommissioned in April 2023 as the UK's second frontline F-35B squadron after No. 617 Squadron RAF , however this was delayed until later in 2023. In September 2022, James Heappey , the Minister of State for
728-516: Was shore-based at RAF Watton from 1963 and disbanded in 1966. Converted FAW.22s were similarly known as the ECM.22 . A modernised Sea Venom project, the DH.116 with swept wings and upgraded radar was considered, but cancelled as the Royal Navy believed that any replacement needed two engines. The de Havilland Sea Vixen ultimately replaced the Sea Venom. In 1956 Sea Venoms, alongside RAF Venoms, took part in
756-459: Was the FAW.22 powered by the Ghost 105 engine. A total of 39 of this type were built in 1957–58. Some were later fitted out with the de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile. Seven FAW.21s were modified in 1958 for Electronic countermeasures (ECM) purposes, with the cannon replaced by the ECM equipment. These became the ECM.21 . 831 Naval Air Squadron , the sole squadron to be equipped with it,
784-714: Was then briefly seconded to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Coltishall before a posting to RAF Hal Far on Malta where it transitioned from the Sea Hornet to the De Havilland Sea Venom jet aircraft in 1954. Between May 1954 and August 1959 the squadron operated Sea Venoms, in the all-weather fighter role, including active service during the Suez Crisis in 1956 while embarked aboard HMS Albion . 809 NAS re-formed on 15 January 1963 as
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