Naval Air Fighting Development Unit (1941–1956) 787 Naval Air Squadron formed at
RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), in
Somerset,
England, on 5 March 1941 and tasked as a Fleet Fighter Development Unit. The unit formed out of
804 Naval Air Squadron and was initially equipped with five
Gloster Sea Gladiator, a British
biplane fighter aircraft and three
Fairey Fulmar, a British
carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft. As different types of fighter aircraft were introduced for service the squadron tested and evaluated them for naval use. It would test the aircraft’s capabilities, enabling it to devise tactics for use against enemy aircraft, and part the role was comparative testing of captured aircraft, for example the squadron contrasted a
Fairey Fulmar Mk.II against a
Fiat CR.42 Falco, an Italian
sesquiplane fighter aircraft, and a
Grumman Martlett Mk I, an American carrier-based fighter aircraft, against a
Messerschmitt Bf 109E, a German fighter aircraft. On 18 June 1941, 787 NAS moved to
RAF Duxford, in
Cambridgeshire, to become the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, attached to the RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit. During January 1943 the squadron began development around the use of
rocket projectiles with naval aircraft, forming a ‘Z’ Flight which operated out off
RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture) and conducted trials at the
Treligga Range, under the code-name 'Glowworm'. The RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit moved to
RAF Wittering, in Cambridgeshire, and 787 NAS moved with it on 26 March 1943. It received new fighter aircraft acquiring
Vought Corsair an American carrie-borne fighter aircraft,
Fairey Firefly, a British carrier-borne fighter and
anti-submarine aircraft, and
Grumman Hellcat, an American carrier-based fighter aircraf, but was also now equipped with TBR aircraft:
Fairey Barracuda a British carrier-borne
torpedo and
dive bomber and
Grumman Avenger, an American torpedo bomber. The squadron formed ‘Y’ Flight at
RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), in
Angus, Scotland, in June 1944, which was known as the Fighter Affiliation Unit and which was equipped with
Supermarine Seafire, a
navalised version of the
Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, and a small number of
Bristol Blenheim,
light bomber aircraft, with the latter being used as target aircraft. The flight travelled around, visiting various operational squadrons, demonstrating fighter tactics and in particular to the TBR units, defensive flying. July 1944 saw the disbandment of ‘Z’ Flight, however, ‘Y’ Flight continued into 1945, based firstly at
RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) in
Lancashire from August 1944 through to November with a variety of different aircraft, then moving briefly to
RNAS Ballyhalbert (HMS Corncrake), in
County Down,
Northern Ireland, for two weeks mid-February 1945, before relocating to
RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), in
Argyll and Bute, Scotland. where it disbanded (becoming 'B' Flight of
736 Naval Air Squadron at
RN Air Section Speke on 1 March 1945). As well in March, 787 Naval Air Squadron moved to
RAF Tangmere, in
West Sussex, the new home of Air Fighting Development Unit, which then become the Air Fighting Development Squadron of the Central Fighter Establishment, while 787 Naval Air Squadron became the Air Support Development Section of the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit. It again formed an ‘X’ Flight, this time at
RAF Odiham, in
Hampshire and was equipped with three
Grumman Hellcat fighter aircraft and an
Avro Anson, a multi-role aircraft, this Flight undertook
Rebecca radar trails. FGA.6 ‘WV797 - J-491’, wearing Suez markings, saw service with 787 NAS. On display at the
Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, UK The squadron also had a detachment at
RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), West Sussex, starting on 29 April 1945. It was formed of five
Fairey Firefly for trials with ASH, an American
air-to-surface vessel (ASV) radar. After
VE Day the squadron was intended to deploy 'X' Flight to the Far East, however, the plan was cancelled following
V-J Day. Following a short spell at
RAF Westhampnett, in West Sussex, from July, 787 Naval Air Squadron then moved to
RAF West Raynham, in
Norfolk, in November, where it absorbed
746 Naval Air Squadron on 30 January 1946. The squadron continued its trials role in the years following the Second World War, successively flying
de Havilland Sea Hornet, a twin-engine fighter aircraft,
Hawker Sea Fury, a carrier-based fighter aircraft,
de Havilland Sea Vampire, a
jet fighter,
Supermarine Attacker, a jet fighter,
Westland Wyvern, a carrier-based multi-role
strike aircraft and
Hawker Sea Hawk, a jet
day fighter, before disbanding in January 1956. == Aircraft operated ==