892 Naval Air Squadron
| 892 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
892 NAS badge | |
| Active | 15 July 1942 - 11 August 1943 1 April 1945 - 19 April 1946 4 July 1955 - 5 January 1957 1 July 1959 - 4 October 1968 31 March 1969 - 15 December 1978 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role | Carrier-based fighter squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | See Naval air stations section for full list. |
| Motto(s) | Strike Unseen |
| Aircraft | See Aircraft flown section for full list. |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Battle honours | Atlantic 1943 |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge | Black, above water barry wavy of six white and black and below a flash of lightning white a human eye proper conjoined with two wings displayed gold (1946) |
| Identification Markings | single letters (Martlet) 05A+ later 5A+ (Hellcat) 251-258 (Sea Venom) 445-452 (Sea Venom January 1956) 207-219 later 301-314 (Sea Vixen) 001-017 (Phantom) |
| Fin Carrier Codes | Z (Sea Venom) J (Sea Venom January 1956) R:V:H:C later H (Sea Vixen) R (Phantom) |
892 Naval Air Squadron (892 NAS), also known as 892 Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It most recently operated the Phantom FG.1 all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber, between March 1969 and December 1978.
Established in July 1942, as a fighter squadron in the United States (US), it embarked in HMS Battler in December for the United Kingdom, disembarking at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihanish. In February 1943, the squadron was assigned to HMS Archer to provide air cover for Atlantic convoys, but was officially disbanded aboard the ship in August. Re-established as a night fighter squadron, at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland, in April 1945, the squadron conducted training exercises at HMS Nighthawk, RNAS Drem, before embarking in HMS Ocean towards the end of the year, ultimately disbanding in the spring of 1946.
In July 1955, 892 Naval Air Squadron was reestablished as an All-Weather Fighter unit. The squadron embarked on HMS Albion in January 1956, for operations in the Mediterranean and the Far East. In August it joined HMS Eagle, participating in attacks on Egyptian airfields during the Suez Crisis. The squadron was officially disbanded aboard HMS Eagle in January 1957. 892 Squadron was re-established at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, in July 1959, from 700Y Naval Air Squadron. It took part in exercises in the Mediterranean and the Far East, embarked in HMS Ark Royal, HMS Victorious, HMS Hermes and HMS Centaurus. The squadron disbanded at HMS Heron in October 1968.
In March 1969, it was reformed at HMS Heron from a core group of 700P Squadron, equipped with Phantom FG. 1. It joined the Air Group of HMS Ark Royal alongside 809 Naval Air Squadron (Blackburn Buccaneer), 824 Naval Air Squadron (ASW Sea King), and B Flight of 849 Naval Air Squadron, (AEW Gannet). In May, the squadron participated in the Daily Mail Transatlantic Air Race. It spent many periods on board HMS Ark Royal, with deployments to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the US. While stationed at RAF Leuchars from August 1973, it also provided aircraft for the Quick Reaction Alert. The squadron was disbanded in December 1978.