Formation and Second World War (1936–1945) 702 Naval Air Squadron was founded on 15 July 1936 to operate aircraft from the ships of the
2nd Battle Squadron. Operating
Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, and
Fairey Seal, a carrier-borne spotter-reconnaissance biplane, from its base at the Royal Air Force station and flying boat base
RAF Mount Batten, located in Plymouth Sound, Devon, initially, later these were replaced by the biplane torpedo bomber
Fairey Swordfish float-plane variant. Aircraft were attached to the
name ship of
her class ,
sister ship and the . Granted Squadron status in 1939, and briefly disbanded in 1940.
Ships' Flights 702 (Catapult) Flight operated a number of ships’ flights between 1936 and 1940 whilst based out of RAF Mount Batten, including the name ship of her class HMS
Nelson between 1936–39, the
Revenge-class battleship during 1937, the
Revenge-class battleship HMS
Resolution between 1939–40, the
Nelson-class battleship HMS
Rodney between 1939–40, and the
Revenge-class battleship between 1937–38. 702 Naval Air Squadron reformed as a Long Range Catapult squadron equipped with the biplane
Fairey Seafox, a ship-borne reconnaissance seaplane, for duty in
armed merchant cruisers (AMCs) for much of the Second World War. It was based out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS
Daedalus), Hampshire, England. The initial ship was , followed by ,
Canton, and . On 10 May 1942 a
Hawker Sea Hurricane flight was formed and used on the
CAM ship HMS Maplin. The squadron disbanded in July 1943.
AMC Ships' Flights 702 Long Range Catapult squadron operated a number of armed merchant cruisers ships’ flights between 1941 and 1943: the armed merchant cruiser HMS
Alcantara between 1941-42, her sister ship HMS
Asturias during 1942–43, HMS
Canton 1941–42, the
auxiliary cruiser between 1941–42, the converted
ocean liner HMS
Pretoria Castle between 1941–42, and the converted ocean liner HMS
Queen of Bermuda between 1941–42.
Instrument Flying Training & Checking Squadron (1945–1946) On 1 June 1945 702 Naval Air Squadron reformed as an offshoot of
758 Naval Air Squadron, equipped with
Airspeed Oxford, a training aircraft, and
North American Harvard, an advanced training aircraft, as an Instrument Flying Training & Checking Squadron. Seven weeks later the squadron personnel took passage to
RNAS Schofields in Australia. It arrived at the airbase on 4 September. The airfield was on loan from the
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and was the chosen location for Mobile Operational Naval Air Base III (MONAB III) logistical unit, which was already equipped with a mobile Beam Approach Beacon System (BABS) van, however, the squadron’s training equipment did not materialise so it focused on the instrument flying training until 702 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded at RNAS Schofields in September 1946.
Naval Jet Evaluation Training Unit (1949–1952) In 1949 the squadron reformed at
RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), Cornwall, England, as the
Naval Jet Evaluation Training Unit. Equipped initially with four
de Havilland Sea Vampire single-seat jet fighter, it also became the first unit of either the RAF or FAA to fly the
Gloster Meteor T.7 jet trainer and was the first unit to achieve jet landings at night on an aircraft carrier, embarked in and later . The squadron received
Supermarine Attacker F.l, a British single-seat naval jet fighter, in March 1952, and proceeded converting piston-engined pilots to jets, but in August 1952 the squadron was renumbered as
736 Naval Air Squadron in August 1952.
Junior Officers Air Course (1957–1958) In September 1957, 702 Naval Air Squadron next reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS
Daedalus), Hampshire, England, out of the Junior Officers Air Course Flight of
781 Naval Air Squadron. It was quipped with
Boulton Paul Sea Balliol, an advanced trainer aircraft, de Havilland Sea Vampire T.22, a two-seat jet trainer, and a
Percival Sea Prince transport aircraft, for training. A fortnight after standing up it moved to RNAS Ford (HMS
Peregrine), Sussex, where it disbanded almost twelve months later in August 1958, being absorbed into
727 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Brawdy (HMS
Goldcrest), Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Lynx Headquarters and Training Squadron (1978–2014) In January 1978, 702 Naval Air Squadron reformed from
700L Naval Air Squadron, the Lynx Intensive Flying Trials Unit (IFTU), at
RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Somerset, England, to become the Lynx headquarters and training squadron. It operated the
Westland Lynx multi-purpose
military helicopter, using the Maritime Lynx anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare HAS.2 and HAS.3 and the maritime attack HMA.8 variants. The squadron was tasked to provide
Pilot and
Observer training, and maintenance personnel, and for advanced and operational flying training, ready for ship's flights. All RN Westland Lynx Flights were initially parented by 700L Naval Air Squadron from July 1977. This transferred to 702 Naval Air Squadron on its formation in January 1978. These Flights were formed of a single Westland Lynx HAS.2 anti-submarine helicopter, these were later followed with the HAS.3 variant and then eventually the HMA.8. Personnel consisted of a Pilot and an Observer, one as
Flight Commander,
Chief Petty Officer Senior Maintenance Rating and six Rating technicians. In January 1981 these roles were split and the headquarters parenting duty became the charge of 815 Naval Air Squadron. 702 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at a ceremony held at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton (HMS
Heron) on 1 August 2014. Its aircraft transferred to 815 Naval Air Squadron. == Aircraft flown ==