742 Naval Air Squadron (742 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded during August 1946. It was active initially from the end of 1943 as a Communications Squadron operating in Sri Lanka and India. It later became a Royal Navy Air Transport Squadron, covering the same geography.
| 742 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 6 December 1943 – 31 August 1946[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role |
|
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Captain Thomas Neville Stack, CVO, AFC |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | Uncoded |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Fairey Swordfish |
| Patrol | Supermarine Sea Otter Supermarine Walrus |
| Trainer | Avro Anson Stinson Reliant |
| Transport | Beech Expediter II Beech AT-7 Navigator |
742 Naval Air Squadron formed on 6 December 1943, at RNAS Colombo Racecourse (HMS Bherunda), located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Ceylon, as a Communications Squadron.[2] it was effectively made up from the Communication Flight of 797 Naval Air Squadron.[3] It was initially equipped mainly with Beech Expeditor, the military version of the Beechcraft Model 18, used as a trainer, transport and utility aircraft, building up to a strength of more than 20 aircraft. It was tasked with providing regular airline type services RN Air Stations in the Far East which included four return trips each day to nearby RNAS Trincomalee (HMS Bambara). [2] Other daily services were operated between RNAS Colombo Racecourse and Madras; RNAS Colombo Racecourse and RNAS Sullur (HMS Vairi) for Coimbatore; RNAS Sullur and R.N. Air Section Cochin (HMS Kalugu); and RNAS Sullur and Madras via Bangalore.[3]
The squadron operated out of RNAS Colombo Racecourse for the next nine months before moving to the RN Aircraft Repair Yard at Royal Naval Air Station Coimbatore (HMS Garuda), in Southern India, on the 15 September 1944. It was equipped primarily with Beech Expeditor C.II and Beech AT.7 Navigator aircraft, however, it also operated a small number of Avro Anson, a British multi-role training aircraft, Stinson Reliant, an American liaison and training aircraft, Supermarine Sea Otter, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, Fairey Swordfish, a torpedo bomber and Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft.[4]
Just after the squadron had moved to RNAS Coimbatore it became the RN Air Transport Squadron in November 1944 and included a detachment at Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard Tambaran (HMS Valluru), Madras, Southern India.[3] Another move was completed during February 1945 when it moved to RNAS Sullur (HMS Vairi), near Coimbatore, Southern India, on the 1st of the month.[5] with detachments operating from RNAS Colombo Racecourse, in Ceylon, RNAE Ratmalana (HMS Seruwa), Ceylon and RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa), Ceylon.[3] 'Round Robin' communication flights by the squadron regularly called at Ratmalana.[6]
Following the Japanese surrender in Singapore three aircraft flew to RNAS Sembawang (HMS Nabrock) in Singapore via Malaya, Siam and Burma and flew flights for the Flag Officer, Malaya and Forward Areas.[3] In January 1946 nine Beech Expediter began a 6,500 miles (10,461 km) flight from RNAS Sullur (HMS Vairi) to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire, England, in formation[2] and another nine aircraft were transported by sea, with a small number remaining in Ceylon and India. The squadron moved to RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa) on 26 February.[5] In August the remaining aircraft were transferred to 733 Naval Air Squadron[3] and 742 Naval Air Squadron disbanded in August 1946, having flown millions of miles with only one fatal accident.[2]
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[4][3]
742 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, and other airbases overseas:[3]
List of Commanding Officers of 742 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment:[7][3]