15th Carrier Air Group
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox military unit The 15th Carrier Air Group (15th CAG) was an aircraft carrier air group of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed in June 1945, for service in the British Pacific Fleet, until disbanding in March 1947. The group was embarked on the Template:Sclass, Template:HMS (R63).
The 15th CAG reformed in May 1947, at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, for embarkation on another Colossus-class aircraft carrier, Template:HMS (R71). In late 1951 the group was deployed on Template:HMS (R64), a Colossus-class aircraft carrier. The 15th Carrier Air Group disbanded in January 1952, at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), in Cornwall, England.
Naval Air Squadrons
15th Carrier Air Group consisted of a number of squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm.Template:Sfn
| Squadron | Aircraft | From | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 814 Naval Air Squadron | Fairey Barracuda to Dec 1945, then Fairey Firefly |
June 1945 | March 1947 | |
| 1851 Naval Air Squadron | Vought Corsair | June 1945 | June 1946 | Transferred to Template:HMS |
| 802 Naval Air Squadron | Supermarine Seafire | June 1946 | March 1947 | |
| 802 Naval Air Squadron | Hawker Sea Fury | May 1947 | April 1950 | 15th CAG reformed at RNAS Eglinton |
| 814 Naval Air Squadron | Fairey Firefly | May 1947 | November 1950 | 15th CAG reformed at RNAS Eglinton |
| 809 Naval Air Squadron | de Havilland Sea Hornet | April 1950 | September 1950 | replaced 802 Squadron |
| 802 Naval Air Squadron | Hawker Sea Fury | September 1950 | January 1952 | returned and replaced 809 Squadron |
| 825 Naval Air Squadron | Fairey Firefly | June 1951 | September 1951 | |
| 814 Naval Air Squadron | Fairey Firefly | September 1951 | January 1952 | rejoined |
History
The squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, stationed aboard the Royal Navy's Fleet and Light Fleet aircraft carriers for the British Pacific Fleet, were restructured into Air Groups in accordance with the policies of the United States Navy after the end of World War II in Europe. This reorganisation was intended to enhance operational effectiveness in the Pacific Theater against Japanese forces in 1945. The first four Template:Sclasss were intended to accommodate Carrier Air Groups numbered from thirteen to eighteen. Each group was to consist of a squadron of twenty-one Vought Corsair aircraft and a squadron of twelve Fairey Barracuda planes.Template:Sfn
1945 - 1947
The 15th Carrier Air Group was formed on 30 June 1945 and was based on the light aircraft carrier, Template:HMS, a Colossus-class aircraft carrier. The group initially consisted 814 Naval Air Squadron, flying Fairey Barracuda, a carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber aircraft, and 1851 Naval Air Squadron, flying Vought Corsair, an American carrier-borne fighter aircraft.Template:Sfn 814 Squadron replaced its Fairey Barracuda with Fairey Firefly, a carrier-borne fighter and reconnaissance aircraft, in December 1945. Then, in June 1946 1851 NAS transferred to sister ship, Template:HMS and 802 Naval Air Squadron replaced it in the Air Group, bringing its Supermarine Seafire aircraft, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter.Template:Sfn The 15th CAG was disbanded in 1947.Template:Sfn
1947 - 1952
The 15th Carrier Air Group was reestablished on 16 May 1947 at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. This reformation was intended for the Colossus-class aircraft carrier, HMS Vengeance, and included 802 and 814 Naval Air Squadrons. At this location, 802 Squadron transitioned from its Supermarine Seafire aircraft to Hawker Sea Fury, a British fighter aircraft. In April 1950, 802 Squadron departed from the group and was succeeded by 809 Naval Air Squadron, which introduced the de Havilland Sea Hornet, a twin-engined fighter aircraft. However, in the subsequent September, 802 Squadron rejoined the group while 809 Squadron exited.
In November 1950, the group was reduced to only 802 Squadron following the departure of 814 Squadron. It was not until June 1951 that the group regained its original strength with the arrival of 825 Naval Air Squadron, which operated Fairey Firefly aircraft. Nevertheless, 825 Squadron remained for approximately three months before departing in September 1951. Subsequently, 814 Squadron returned to the Air Group and the group embarked on another Colossus-class aircraft carrier, Template:HMS. The 15th Carrier Air Group was disbanded on 15 January 1952 at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) in Cornwall, England.Template:Sfn
Air Group Commanders
List of the commanding officers of the 15th Carrier Air Group, with date of appointment:Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
1945 - 1947
- Lieutenant Commander P.D. Gick, Template:Postnominals, RN, from 30 June 1945
- Lieutenant Commander T.G.V. Percy, DSC, RN, from 14 January 1946
- disbanded - 30 March 1947
1947 - 1952
- Lieutenant Commander W.R.J. MacWhirter, DSC, RN, from 16 May 1947
- Lieutenant Commander J.G. Baldwin, DSC, RN, from 15 March 1948
- Lieutenant Commander J.N. Ball, DSC, RN, from 16 May 1949
- Lieutenant Commander J.O. Armour, RN, from 19 April 1950
- none, from 22 November 1950
- disbanded - 15 January 1952
See also
- List of Fleet Air Arm groups
- List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
- List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
- List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft in World War II