1791 Naval Air Squadron

1791 Naval Air Squadron (1791 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It was formed on 15 March 1945 at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent as a Night Fighter squadron. It was equipped with Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I. The squadron joined HMS Puncher in June for deck landing practice but saw no action. Following V-J Day the squadron was disbanded on 23 September 1945 at HMS Ringtail, RNAS Burscough.

1792 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), on 15 March 1945, as a night fighter squadron. It was equipped with Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I, a night fighter variant of the carrier-borne fighter, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft, which was fitted with radar in a centre-line container.

It moved to RNAS Inskip (HMS Nightjar), Lancashire, on 19 April and from 11 June the squadron embarked in the Ruler-class escort carrier HMS Puncher, for deck landing training, for a couple of days. The squadron disembarked to RNAS Drem (HMS Nighthawk), East Lothian, Scotland, where the Naval Night Fighter School and Night Fighter Direction Centre were based. It remained in Scotland for two months before returning to Lancashire, this time going to RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) on 18 August.

With the surrender of Japan there was no longer a requirement for the squadron to join the British Pacific Fleet and 1791 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Burscough on 23 September.

1791 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type, two variants:

• Fairey Firefly NF.Mk I night fighter (March - September 1945)
• Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft (May - September 1945)

1791 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom:

• Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire, (15 March - 19 April 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Inskip (HMS Nightjar), Lancashire, (19 April - 11 June 1945)
  • HMS Puncher (Detachment six aircraft Deck Landing Training (DLT) 11 - 13 June 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Drem (HMS Nighthawk), East Lothian, (18 June - 18 August 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS Ringtail), Lancashire, (18 August - 23 September 1945)
• disbanded - (23 September 1945)

List of commanding officers of 1791 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:

• Lieutenant Commander(A) H.J. Hunter, RCNVR, from 15 March 1945
• disbanded - 23 September 1945

Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.