Post War
The squadron was re-formed twice previously at RNAS Lossimouth and went on to see action in the Suez Crisis and earlier during the Korean War flying Hawker Sea Furys. During Operation Musketeer, the squadron operated Hawker Sea Hawks from HMS Bulwark. The squadron was then disbanded.
The squadron was reformed under the command of Lieutenant-Commander A M Sinclair at RNAS Culdrose in May 1959 to embark in HMS Centaur to replace the defective Whirlwind AS Helicopters of 824 Naval Air Squadron. It embarked from RAF North Front at Gibraltar only six weeks later after a record re-conversion to fixed wing flying for many of the pilots and observers. No Telegraphists Air were carried because of the short drafting notice. This also necessitated Centaur landing her 849 AEW Flight to provide room as a large Commonwealth exercise in waters off Ceylon was scheduled based around carrier based AS operations.
The squadron remained with HMS Centaur throughout the remainder of that Commission, visiting the Persian Gulf - the first Aircraft Carrier to test conditions in the height of summer with cockpit and flight deck temperatures often approaching 160F, before sailing for the Far East including Japan and later Australia.
The ship returned to Home Waters in April 1960 and the Squadron was disbanded on board in the North Sea three months later, returning its aircraft to RNAS Abbotsinch - from whence they had hastily been retrieved from the mud 15 months previously. It was the last fixed wing AS Squadron embarked in the Royal Navy, although several aircraft went on to serve with 831 Squadron embarked and ashore and with COD flights. XG 797 is preserved at the Imperial War Museum at RAF Duxford.
It commissioned again on 3 March 1983 at RNAS Culdrose, flying ten Sea King HAS.5, with which they took on part of the role of 737 Naval Air Squadron. They had some responsibility for advanced flying training tasks, but some of these were transferred to 706 Naval Air Squadron in October 1985. The squadron was deployed at times on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships RFA Engadine and RFA Argus. The squadron was re-equipped with the Sea King HAS.6 in October 1989, with the last HAS.5s being retired in February 1990. 810 absorbed E Flt of 826 Naval Air Squadron in July 1993, when 826 Squadron was disbanded. 810 Squadron was decommissioned in July 2001, with its main role passing to 814 Naval Air Squadron, and its Search and Rescue element passing to 771 Naval Air Squadron.
Read more about this topic: 810 Naval Air Squadron, History
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