758 Naval Air Squadron (758 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, from 1939 and 1941, renumbered from 759 Naval Air Squadron, operating out of RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven). It moved to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), in 1940, disbanding there the following year. The squadron reformed at RNAS Donibristle (HMS Merlin), in 1942, as a Beam Approach School. Moving to RNAS Hinstock (HMS Godwit), it was known as the Naval Advanced Instrument Flying School. It provided instrument courses, utilising a large number of Oxford aircraft, with detachments sent to the specialised flying schools at RNAS Crail (HMS Jackdaw), RNAS East Haven (HMS Peewit), RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl) and RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron). 'X' and 'Y' Rover Flights supplemented the detachments, 'Z' Flight was on calibration work and evolving homing and landing capabilities, with the squadron disbanding in 1946, at RNAS Peplow (HMS Godwit II), into 780 Naval Air Squadron.[3]
History of 758 NAS
Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron (1939 - 1941)
758 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven), in Hampshire, on 1 July 1939, as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, re-numbered from 759 Naval Air Squadron and as part of No.2 Air Gunners School. It operated with Blackburn Shark II, a carrier-borne torpedo bomber, Hawker Osprey III, a navalised carrier-borne version of the Hawker Hart, used in the fighter and reconnaissance roles and Percival Proctor Ia and IIa, a radio trainer and communications aircraft.[4]
The squadron continued Telegraphist Air Gunner training at RNAS Eastleigh throughout the following fifteen months, before moving to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), East Angus, Scotland, on 14 October 1940. Here, the squadron kept its Percival Proctor and acquired Blackburn Roc, a naval turret fighter aircraft and Blackburn Skua, a British carrier-borne dive bomber and fighter aircraft, leaving the Hawker Osprey and Blackburn Shark behind and continuing the TAG training for a further four months, before disbanding on 1 February 1941.[5]
Naval Advanced Instrument Flying Training Unit (1942 - 1946)
It was initially known as the Beam Approach School, then later known as the Blind Approach School. In 1943 it was titled Naval Advanced Instrument Flying School and as well as Airspeed Oxford aircraft, the squadron also operated Avro Anson, a multi-role training aircraft, Stinson Reliant, a liaison and training aircraft, de Havilland Tiger Moth, a trainer aircraft and Vickers Wellington, a twin-engined long-range medium bomber aircraft. Later in the year North American Harvard, an American advanced trainer aircraft replaced the Vickers Wellington aircraft and by 1944, 758 Naval Air Squadron had over one-hundred aircraft.[8]