| 870 Naval Air Squadron RCN | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
1 May 1951 – 30 March 1954 1 November 1955 – 7 September 1962 |
| Disbanded | 7 September 1962 |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Branch |
 Royal Canadian Navy |
| Type | Fighter squadron |
| Motto(s) |
Intercedimus et delemus (Latin for To intercept and to destroy) |
| Colors | White and blue |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge | Azure issuant from a base barry wavy of three Argent and Azure a winged demi lion Or armed and langued Gules.[1](The design shows a lion rising from the water by means of wings and assuming a fighting posture.) |
| Squadron code | BC (May 1951–June 1952)[2] |
870 Naval Air Squadron (870 NAS), also known as VF-870, was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It was formed when 803 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy was renumbered to 870 NAS on 1 May 1951. It operated throughout the 1950s and early 1960s before disbanding on 7 September 1962. It was the first RCN squadron to operate jet aircraft.[3]
History[]
870 Naval Air Squadron was formed on 1 May 1951 when 803 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm was re-numbered.[4] It was initially based at RCNAS Shearwater, Nova Scotia, with the Squadron operating the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11.[4] In November 1952, 870 NAS adopted an American-styled squadron designation becoming VF-870.[5] On 24 September 1953, the Squadron relocated to RCAF Summerside on Prince Edward Island.[4] VF-870 had its first deployment in January 1954 when it was attached to HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), it finished its deployment on 9 March. The Squadron stood down for the first time on 30 March.[4]
Four McDonnell F2H-3 Banshees (of VF-870 or VF-871) in flight over HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22), in the late 1950s.
VF-870 reformed on 1 November 1955, this time equipped with 10 McDonnell F2H-3 Banshees, becoming the first jet squadron in the Royal Canadian Navy.[3][6] The commanding officer of VF-870 at its reformation was future Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Cdr. Robert Hilborn Falls.[6] A total of 39 Banshees were eventually purchased second-hand from the United States Navy (USN) for a cost of $25 million, serving with VF-870, VF-871 and VX-10.[7][8] VF-870 was attached, along with VF-871, to the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure (CVL 22) – Canada's newest carrier – from which it would deploy.[4] While not deployed, VF-870 was based at RCNAS Shearwater.[3] The Squadron participated in the 1956 Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.[6] The Squadron suffered a loss in August 1957, when a Banshee crashed into a Grumman Avenger AS.3, with one aircraft taking off as the other was landing.[9] VF-870 made their first deployment on 7 September 1957, which lasted until 30 October.[4]
On 26 March 1959, VF-871 amalgamated with VF-870 thus leaving the Squadron as the only RCN unit to operate the Banshee.[1] The Squadron made its final deployment on HMCS Bonaventure on 9 April 1962, lasting until 29 June 1962.[4] While not deployed, VF-870 flew intercepts in the Canadian sector of NORAD.[3][7] VF-870 disbanded for the last time on 7 September 1962. Throughout its service, the Royal Canadian Navy lost 12 of the 39 Banshees it had purchased, including those of VF-870.[10] A replacement for the Banshee never came to fruition making VF-870 one of only three RCN squadrons to ever operate a jet fighter.[3][8]
Aircraft flown[]
- Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 (1 May 1951–30 Mar 1954)[4]
- McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee (1 Nov 1955–7 Sep 1962)[4]
Commanding officers[]
- Lieutenant-Commander D. D. Peacocke (May 1951–Feb 1953)[4]
- Lieutenant-Commander D. M. Macleod (Feb 1953–Apr 1954)[4]
- Lieutenant-Commander R. H. Falls (Nov 1955–Dec 1957)[4]
- Lieutenant-Commander W. J. Walton (Jan 1958–Apr 1960)[4]
- Lieutenant-Commander K. S. Nicolson (Apr 1960–Sep 1962)[4]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Volume 4: Operational Flying Squadrons". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/ol-lo/vol-tom-4/870-fs-eng.asp. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ Walker, R. W. R.. "Canadian Military Aircraft – Serial Numbers – Royal Canadian Navy – 1945 to 1968". Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers. http://www.rwrwalker.ca/rcn.html. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Forsyth, Bruce. "The rise and fall of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm". Canadian Military History. http://militarybruce.com/the-royal-canadian-naval-air-service-the-fleet-arm/. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 "870 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. http://www.wings-aviation.ch/32-FAA/4-Sqn/870.htm. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ "870 Squadron (Canada)". Fleet Air Arm Archive (Archived). https://web.archive.org/web/20180107223030/http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Squadrons/870.html. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bourdon, Buzz (9 December 2009). "Admiral Falls 'trained for war, acted for peace'". https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/admiral-falls-trained-for-war-acted-for-peace/article4295210/. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "McDonnell Banshee". Shearwater Aviation Museum. http://www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca/aircraft/banshee.htm. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "McDonnell Banshee". Royal Canadian Air Force. http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/aircraft-historical/mcdonnell-banshee.page. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ↑ Kealy, J. D. F.; Russell, E. C. (1967). A History of Canadian Naval Aviation 1918-1962. Ottawa: Queen's Printer. pp. 47–71. OCLC 460555. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/RCN/Aviation/Naval_av_hist_e.txt.
- ↑ Cook, D. Glenn. "Aircraft on display: McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee 126464 (Archived)". Canada Aviation and Space Museum. https://web.archive.org/web/20080309172453/http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/pdf/McDonnell_F2H-3_Banshee_126464.PDF. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
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