804 Naval Air Squadron

804 Naval Air Squadron
Squadron badge
Active
  • 1939–1944
  • 1944–1945
  • 1946–1955
  • 1956–1959
  • 1960–1961
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeSingle-seat fighter squadron
RoleCarrier-based fighter squadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Motto(s)Swift to Kill
AircraftSee Aircraft flown section for full list.
Engagements
Battle honours
  • Norway 1940
  • Atlantic 1941
  • North Africa 1942
  • Normandy 1944
  • East Indies 1945
  • Burma 1945
  • Korea 1951-52
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Insignia
Squadron Badge DescriptionBlue, a tiger's head inclined to profile proper holding in the jaws a sword fesswise silver pommel and hilt gold (1944)
Identification Markings
  • S7A+ (Martlet)
  • single letters (Fulmar)
  • S7A+ (Sea Hurricane)
  • single letters (Hellcat August 1943-February 1944)
  • 1A+ and 2A+ (Hellcat from September 1944)
  • to 6A+ (Hellcat February 1945)
  • then K6A+, O8A + (Hellcat by September 1945)
  • 130-142 (Seafire)
  • 100-121 (Sea Fury)
  • to 150-159 (Sea Fury July 1952)
  • 186-199 (Sea Hawk December 1954)
  • 160-171 (Sea Hawk February 1956)
  • 161-166 (Scimitar)
Fin Carrier Codes
  • O:T (Seafire)
  • R (Sea Fury)
  • to T (Sea Fury July 1952)
  • J (Sea Hawk December 1954)
  • O:B:R:A (Sea Hawk February 1956)
  • H (Scimitar)

804 Naval Air Squadron (804 NAS), also referred to as 804 Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It most recently operated the Supermarine Scimitar between March 1960 and September 1961.

It formed in November 1939 from part of 769 Naval Air Squadrons Gloster Sea Gladiators which had been detached to RNAS Hatston. It served throughout the Second World War with a further variety of fighter aircraft including Brewster Buffalo, Grumman Martlet, Hawker Sea Hurricane, Fairey Fulmar and Grumman Hellcat. The squadron was merged into 800 Naval Air Squadron in June 1944 and subsequently reformed in September, when it flew Supermarine Seafire. During the Korean War, it flew Hawker Sea Fury and these were followed by the Hawker Sea Hawk during the Suez Crises.