800 Naval Air Squadron

800 Naval Air Squadron
Squadron badge
ActiveRoyal Air Force
1933–1939
Royal Navy
  • 1939–1945
  • 1946–1950
  • 1951–1954
  • 1954–1956
  • 1956–1959
  • 1959–1964
  • 1964–1972
  • 1980–2004
  • 2006–2011
Disbanded28 January 2011
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeSingle-seat fighter squadron
RoleCarrier-based fighter squadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Motto(s)Nunquam non-paratus
(Latin for 'Never unprepared')
AircraftSee Aircraft flown section for full list.
Engagements
Battle honours
  • Norway 1940–44
  • Mediterranean 1940–41
  • Spartivento 1940
  • Malta Convoys 1941–42
  • "Bismarck" 1941
  • Diego Suarez 1942
  • North Africa 1942
  • Normandy 1944
  • South France 1944
  • Aegean 1944
  • Burma 1945
  • Malaya 1945
  • East Indies 1945
  • Korea 1950
  • Falkland Islands 198
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Insignia
Squadron Badge DescriptionBlue, in front of a trident erect two swords in saltire point upward winged at the hilt all gold (1937)
Identification Markings
  • 501-510 (Nimrod)
  • 102-109, 120 (Nimrod May 1936)
  • 208-210 (Osprey)
  • 123-125 (Osprey May 1936)
  • 102-109 (Osprey
  • December 1938)
  • single letters (Skua)
  • A6A+ (Skua May 1939)
  • 6A+ (Skua October 1940)
  • single letters (Fulmar from May 1941)
  • 6A+ (Fulmar February 1942)
  • single letters (Sea Hurricane)
  • single letters (Hellcat)
  • E:A+ (Hellcat on Emperor December 1943)
  • C3A+ (Hellcat February 1945)
  • K3A+ (Hellcat by May 1945)
  • single letters (Seafire)
  • 171-182 (Seafire)
  • 101-112 (Attacker)
  • 100-113 (Sea Hawk)
  • 100-113 (Scimitar)
  • also 800B 114-117 (Scimitar)
  • 100-115 (Buccaneer)
  • 250-254 (Sea Harrier)
  • 123-126 (Sea Harrier April 1981)
Fin Carrier Codes
  • P (Seafire)
  • J (Attacker)
  • 0:J:Z:R (Sea Hawk)
  • R (Scimitar)
  • also 800B E (Scimitar)
  • E (Buccaneer)
  • N:H:L (Sea Harrier April 1981)

800 Naval Air Squadron (800 NAS) also referred to as 800 Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It most recently operated the Harrier as part of Joint Force Harrier (JFH), from March 2006 until January 2011.

Formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No's 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights. Operating as a carrier-based fighter squadron, it served throughout the Second World War. During the Korean War, it flew Supermarine Seafire. These were followed with the Supermarine Attacker in the mid-1950s, then the Hawker Sea Hawk during the Suez Crises, and later the Supermarine Scimitar and Blackburn Buccaneer during the 1960s. The squadron flew the Sea Harrier throughout the 1980s, 1990s and early noughties, notably during the Falklands War.