861 Naval Air Squadron
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Netherlands Netherlands Navy| 861 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 16 September 1946 – April 1947 |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Branch | Netherlands Navy |
| Type | Naval Air Squadron |
| Role | Fighter pilot training |
| Part of | Netherlands Naval Aviation Service |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | 6-5 to 6-12 (Firefly) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Fairey Firefly |
861 Naval Air Squadron (861 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Navy's Netherlands Naval Aviation Service, attached to the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm for a period of work-up.
861 Naval Air Squadron was established at RNAS Dale (HMS Goldcrest) in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on 16 September 1946, serving as a squadron of the Royal Netherlands Navy temporarily integrated with the Royal Navy for preparatory operations,[1] under the command of Luitenant G.H. Greve, RNIN.[2]
Initially equipped with four Fairey Firefly I fighter aircraft,[3] the squadron spent the next five months working up at RNAS Dale before embarking in the Royal Netherlands Navy’s first aircraft carrier, HNLMS Karel Doorman (QH1), on 22 February 1947.[1]
The squadron relocated to Valkenburg Naval Air Base, near Leiden, Netherlands, in early April 1947,[3] but was disbanded soon afterwards,[4] where it was rebranded as Opleiding Gevechts Vliegers (OGV) to facilitate the training of pilots and observers to meet operational standards.[3]
Aircraft flown
860 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:[3]
- Fairey Firefly I fighter aircraft (September 1946 - April 1947)
Naval air stations
861 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom, one Royal Netherlands Navy airbase in the Netherlands, and a Royal Netherlands Navy aircraft carrier:[3]
- Royal Naval Air Station Dale (HMS Goldcrest), Pembrokeshire, (16 September 1946 - 22 February 1947)
- HNLMS Karel Doorman (QH1) (22 February - March 1947)
- Royal Naval Air Station Fearn (HMS Owl), Scottish Highlands, (March - April 1947)
- Valkenburg Naval Air Base, Katwijk, Netherlands, (April 1947)
- disbanded - (April 1947)
Commanding officers
List of commanding officers of 861 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3]
- Leutnant zur See G.H. Greve, RNIN, from 16 September 1946
- Leutnant zur See G.J. Zegers de Beij, DSC, RNIN, from 12 December 1946
- disbanded - April 1947