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]
| 870 Naval Air Squadron VF-870 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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] |
History
edit870 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.[5] In November 1952, 870 NAS adopted an American-styled squadron designation becoming VF-870.[6] On 24 September 1953, the Squadron relocated to RCAF Summerside on Prince Edward Island.[5] 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.[1]
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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][7] The commanding officer of VF-870 at its reformation was future Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Cdr. Robert Hilborn Falls.[7] 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.[8][9] 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.[5] While not deployed, VF-870 was based at RCNAS Shearwater.[3] The Squadron participated in the 1956 Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.[7] 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.[10] VF-870 made their first deployment on 7 September 1957, which lasted until 30 October.[5]
On 16 March 1959, VF-871 amalgamated with VF-870 thus leaving the Squadron as the only RCN unit to operate the Banshee.[4] The Squadron made its final deployment on HMCS Bonaventure on 9 April 1962, lasting until 29 June 1962.[5] While not deployed, VF-870 flew intercepts in the Canadian sector of NORAD.[3][8] 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.[11] 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][9]
Aircraft operated
editAircraft operated included:[5]
- Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 (1 May 1951–30 Mar 1954)
- McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee (1 Nov 1955–7 Sep 1962)
Commanding officers
editCommanding officers included:[5]
- Lieutenant-Commander D. D. Peacocke (May 1951–Feb 1953)
- Lieutenant-Commander D. M. Macleod (Feb 1953–Apr 1954)
- Lieutenant-Commander R. H. Falls (Nov 1955–Dec 1957)
- Lieutenant-Commander W. J. Walton (Jan 1958–Apr 1960)
- Lieutenant-Commander K. S. Nicolson (Apr 1960–Sep 1962)
References
edit- ^ a b "Volume 4: Operational Flying Squadrons". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ Walker, R. W. R. "Canadian Military Aircraft – Serial Numbers – Royal Canadian Navy – 1945 to 1968". Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Forsyth, Bruce. "The rise and fall of the Royal Canadian Navy's Fleet Air Arm". Canadian Military History. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ a b "870 Fighter Squadron". Government of Canada. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g "870 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "870 Squadron (Canada)". Fleet Air Arm Archive (Archived). Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ a b c Bourdon, Buzz (9 December 2009). "Admiral Falls 'trained for war, acted for peace'". The Global and Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ a b "McDonnell Banshee". Shearwater Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ a b "McDonnell Banshee". Royal Canadian Air Force. 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.
- ^ Cook, D. Glenn. "Aircraft on display: McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee 126464 (Archived)" (PDF). Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
