|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| No.801 Sqn Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Prints |
|
| Text for the above items : |
Fighter Recovery by Robert Tomlin. Produced with the co-operation and agreement of 801 Naval Fighter Squadron, Yeovilton, the picture clearly demonstrates the skills of the aircrew and ship crew as a Sea Harrier lines up to land on HMS Illustrious. 801 Squadron was the last to operate this aircraft. In the background is HMS Gloucester which operates in conjunction with Illustrious to provide protection with her Sea Dart missiles. This picture was issued to commemorate the forthcoming stand down of 801 Squadron in March 2006 and the withdrawal from service of the Sea Harrier. |
| No.801 Sqn FAA Aircraft details |
 Buccaneer | Buccaneer The Buccaneer. Designed for high-speed, deep penetration attacks at ultra low level, the Buccaneer has always been immensely popular with its aircrews. The design may be old, but the concept was brilliant, and the Buccaneer still retains a unique combination of range, war load and speed, unmatched by any other aircraft in RAF service. Pressed into service during the Gulf War, Buccaneers finally proved in the most spectacular manner what many had known for years - that the only suitable replacement aircraft for the Buccaneer is another Buccaneer. | |
 Sea Fury Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 860 | Sea Fury Single engine Fighter of the Fleet Air Arm. maximum speed 460mph at 18,000 feet. maximum ceiling 35,800 feet and a range of 1040 miles. The Sea Fury was armed with four 20mm Hispano cannon in the wings and a bomb load of 2000ilb or 12 3 inch rockets under the wings. The Sea Fury was developed from the Hawker Tempest. With the Fleet Air Arm receiving their first aircraft to 807 squadron in August 1947. It continued in service until 1953, The Hawker Sea Fury was a carrier borne aircraft and most of its operational career was during the Korean War, where it was used as a ground attack aircraft. It also saw alot of aerial combat against the Mig-15 Jets. The total number of Sea Furies built was 860 aircraft. | |
 Skua | Skua No profile available | |
 Spitfire Manufacturer : Supermarine Built : 20351 | Spitfire Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954. | |
| No.801 Sqn FAA Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Vice Admiral Sir Edward Anson KCB Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Vice Admiral Sir Edward Anson KCB Vice Admiral Sir Edward Anson KCB was born in Adelaide, South Australia. After being educated at Westgate-on-Sea, Kent and in Nairobi, Kenya, 'Ted' entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in 1943. As a Midshipman and Sub-Lieutenant he served on board the aircraft carrier HMS Implacable and in the destroyer HMS Agincourt. After pilot training he served in the aircraft carriers HMS Glory, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Bulwark and HMS Victorious. He was promoted Lieutenant Commander in 1959 when on loan to Blackburn Aircraft Limited as a Test Pilot. During this appointment he was closely associated with the development of the Buccaneer strike aircraft. On his return to the Royal Navy he was chosen to command the first RN Buccaneer Squadron – No 801 Naval Air Squadron – in 1962 and served with the Squadron embarked in HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious. Promoted Commander in 1964, 'Ted' took command of the frigate HMS Eskimo before serving as Commander (Air) at Lossiemouth, Scotland, and in HMS Eagle. He subsequently commanded the Inter-Service Hovercraft Unit. Following promotion to Captain in 1971 he was Naval Air Attaché to Japan and South Korea in 1972, based in Tokyo. During 1974 he became Commanding Officer of HMS Juno and Captain 4th Frigate Squadron. In 1976 he took command of HMS Ark Royal and after promotion to Rear Admiral in 1980 took up his appointment as Flag Officer Naval Air Command at Yeovilton. He was promoted Vice Admiral in 1982 and appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet at Fleet Headquarters at Northwood. Vice Admiral Anson and his wife Rosemary have two children and live at Ilminster, Somerset. He is descended from the sister of Admiral Lord Anson, who sailed round the world and captured a Spanish treasure ship in the Pacific during the War of Jenkin's Ear in the 18th Century. | |
Lieutenant T Austen Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant T Austen Staff Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant D Bedding Our estimated value of this signature : £20 | Lieutenant D Bedding Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant D Beech Our estimated value of this signature : £20 | Lieutenant D Beech Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
Captain Michael C Clapp CB Our estimated value of this signature : £10 | Captain Michael C Clapp CB Joined the Royal Navy in 1950 from Marlborough College. As a midshipman, he served in the Far East during the Korean campaign. In 1954 he was boarding officer capturing a caique running guns into Cyprus. In 1955, he was appointed to No. 1 Long Observer Course, expecting to specialise in anti-submarine warfare. His first operational flying tour was, however, with 849 Airborne Early Warning Squadron. In 1959, after a series of flying courses, he was posted to Ferranti Ltd to assist in test flying the weapon system for the Buccaneer Mk 1 finally joining 700 Z Flight, the Intensive Flying Trials Unit. In 1962, he was the Senior Observer of 801 Squadron, then the first operational Mk 1 Buccaneer squadron. They embarked in HMS Ark Royal and Victorious and sailed for the Far East and tropical trials returning home in January 1964. He returned to the Far East to command HMS Puncheston, a Minesweeper, during Indonesian Confrontation when he was mentioned in despatches. In late 1965 he took command of 801 Squadron now equipped with the Buccaneer Mk 2. The Squadron once again embarked in HMS Victorious and sailed for the Far East and tropical trials. After a brief stay at the Joint Warfare Establishment, he had two ship commands, HMS Jaguar and HMS Leander. He also completed two tours in the Naval Staff of the MOD and one as the executive officer of HMS Norfolk completing Exocet trials at Toulon. Later he was the Naval Director of the Joint Maritime Operational Training Staff. In 1981 he was appointed Commodore Amphibious Warfare and commanded the landings and inshore operations in the Falklands conflict in 1982 for which he was made a CB. He retired in 1983 to Devon where he became a stockbroker and lives with his wife. They have three children. On final retirement he sailed to the Caribbean and back in his 28 ft yacht. | |
  Commander Mike Crosley DSC* Royal Navy Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2010 | Commander Mike Crosley DSC* Royal Navy Robert Michael Crosley was born on February 24 1920 , Mike Crosley was a Metropolitan Police constable (a reserved occupation) when war broke out, but volunteered on the day of the Fleet Air Arm strike on Taranto, November 11 1940. Fleet Air Arm Ace Mike Crosley joined the carrier HMS Eagle in late 1941, one of four FAA pilots flying Sea Hurricanes in defence of the Malta convoys, On June 12 he was on alert on the deck of HMS Eagle. After two hours strapped in his cockpit, he was expecting to stand down when he heard the klaxon sound. Within a few moments he was airborne, being directed by radar to an enemy aircraft; and when his flight leader turned back with engine trouble, Crosley decided to pursue the enemy alone. He closed until the wingspan of the three-engined Italian bomber filled his gunsight, then pressed the trigger. At that moment he noted sparks coming from the underside of the bomber – it was the enemy returning fire. Then smoke burst from the Italians engines and its wingtip came dangerously close as it dived towards the sea. Crosley followed, determined to finish it off; but as he emerged from the cloud he saw the bomber floating on the water with a yellow life raft beside it. The next day Crosley shot down a twin-engined German fighter-bomber. He wove in and out of the Germans slipstream, and when the target filled his gunsight he fired one long burst which hit the aircrafts wing, 'sparking like firecrackers'. In August 1942, during Operation Pedestal, he was lucky to escape with his life after the carrier was torpedoed and sunk by U73. She capsized within 7 minutes. He later joined HMS Biter flying Sea Hurricanes, in Operation Torch. and on November 8 he shot down two Vichy French fighters in a dogfight over the airfield of La Senia, near Oran. He was awarded his first DSC. Mike Crosley was then selected to pass on his experience to new fighter pilots at HMS Dipper, near Yeovilton, where he flew the Royal Navys version of the Spitfire, known as the Seafire. By D-Day Crosley had joined 886 Naval Air Squadron, flying Seafires from Lee-on-the-Solent. His role was to direct the fire of the heavy ships which were bombarding the German defences. On the second day of the Allied landings he shot down a German Bf109, which crashed 15 miles south-west of Caen, and two days later damaged an Fw190 which he chased in a dogfight through the skies over Normandy. After D-Day Mike Crossley was appointed to command 880 Naval Air Squadron; this was based in Orkney as part of 30 Naval Air Wing, which embarked in the fleet carrier Implacable and carried out a series of attacks on German shipping in the fjords of Norway. By the time the war ended 880 Squadron and Implacable were prosecuting the war in the Pacific, striking at the Japanese mainland. Crosley was mentioned in despatches, and in August 1945 received a Bar to his DSC. he finished the war in the Far East, with 5.5 victories. After the war Mike Crosley joined No 6 Empire Test Pilots Course, and left the Navy to test Shorts flying boats under development in Belfast. On the outbreak of the Korean War he rejoined the Navy, helping to train new pilots and flying 75 missions over Korea from the carrier Ocean. He wrote pilots notes for a range of aircraft, which he flew to their limits, and was awarded the Queens Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air. In 1954-55 he was commanding officer of 813 Squadron, flying the Wyvern from the new HMS Eagle. In 1958 Crosley was promoted commander and returned to test flying at Boscombe Down, making the first deck landings of the Buccaneer low-level bomber. Mike Crosley logged 2,818 flying hours in 147 different types of aircraft and made 415 deck landings. Throughout the war he kept extensive diaries, on which he based two books: They Gave Me a Seafire (1986) and In Harms Way (1995). Sadly Mike Crosley died at the age of 90 on the 20th June 2010. | |
Lieutenant D R M Downie Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant D R M Downie Assitant Air Engineering Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Flight Lieutenant J J Edmondson Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Flight Lieutenant J J Edmondson Operations Support, No.801 Sqn. | |
Captain E M Hackett FCMI MNI RN Our estimated value of this signature : £10 | Captain E M Hackett FCMI MNI RN Joined the Royal Navy in 1961 from Dauntseys School and served in HM Ships URCHIN and DUCHESS under training, before joining the minesweeper PUNCHESTON (Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Mike Clapp!) in the Far East Fleet during the Confrontation against Indonesia. He began flying training in 1966 and qualified as a Buccaneer pilot in 1968 after which he joined 801 NAS in HERMES for his first deck landing off Singapore. He was Flag Lieutenant to the Flag Officer Naval Air Command between 1970 and 1972 flying Sea Devons and the Hawker Hunter. He then joined 809 NAS in ARK ROYAL after completing the Air Warfare Instructor's Course at RNAS Lossiemouth. He completed the Naval Staff Course and was Senior Pilot of 809 from 1974 to 1977, again in ARK ROYAL.His first Sea Command was HMS RHYL 1978-80 operating in the West Indies. This was followed by his first appointment to the MoD between 1980-82 as the Sea Harrier and Air Weapons Desk Officer in the Directorate of Naval Air Warfare. Between 1982-1984 he was the first Commander (Air) of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and flew the Harrier T4 and Gazelle and Sea King helicopters. This was immediately followed by being Staff Aviation Officer to Flag Officer Third Flotilla, Portsmouth 1984-85. On being promoted to Captain in 1985 he was appointed to command HMS ROOKE and be Chief of Staff to the Flag Officer Gibraltar. From there he commissioned the new HMS COVENTRY and between 1988-90 took her to the Arctic, Baltic, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and the Far East. Between 1990-92 he was Deputy Director Naval Warfare (Air), which encompassed the first Gulf War, and Adviser on Aircraft Accidents to the Navy Board. His final appointment in the Service was as Captain of the Port, Queen's Harbour Master and Chief Staff Officer to the Flag Officer Portsmouth from 1992 to 1994, after which he retired from the Active List. He is presently occupied as a consultant to OCTO Ltd where he advises, teaches and assesses senior managers on fast decision making under stress, for crisis and accident management in high risk and potentially dangerous industries. He is also a Trials Master for new Warships both for the RN and for export to other navies. Captain Hackett lives with his wife near Petersfield in Hampshire and has a son and daughter. | |
  Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2001 | Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay Ronnie Hay joined the Royal Marines in 1935 and volunteered to fly with the Fleet Air Arm. In 1940 he joined 801 Squadron flying Skuas on HMS Ark Royal for the Norwegian Campaign, claiming his first victory on his first operational sortie. He took part in the operations covering the Dunkirk beaches and flew Fulmars with 808 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. By the time Ark Royal was unk in 1941, he had a further 7 victories. In 1944 he became Wing Leader of 47 Naval Wing flying Corsairs aboard HMS Victorious in the Far East where his tally climbed. His final socre was 13 victories. Sadly Ronnie Hay died on 22nd November 2001. | |
Captain Alan Leahy CBE DSC RN Our estimated value of this signature : £25 Died : 2019 | Captain Alan Leahy CBE DSC RN Joined the Royal Navy in 1943 as Naval Airman 2nd Class. he was trained by the US Navy as a fighter pilot flying Corsairs. Later he qualified as an Air Weapons Officer. He has served on the aircraft carriers Implacable, Illustrious, Theseus, Vengeance, Glory, Bulwark, Ark Royal, Victorious and Hermes. He commanded 738 (Seahawks), 803 (Scimitars) 700 Z and 809 (Buccaneers) and has flown 35 different types of aircraft. In 1953 he was awarded the DSC for operations over Korea flying Sea Furies in 801 Squadron from HMS Glory. He was the leader of the all red Royal Navy Seahawk aerobatic team of five aircraft at the 1957 Farnborough Air Show. He was made MBE in 1958. Amongst a variety of appointments he was Director of the Naval Air Warfare Division of the Naval Staff when the Royal Navy got approval for the Sea Harrier. His final appointment was as Commodore Clyde in command of HMS Neptune and the Faslane Submarine Base. He was appointed ADC in 1977 and promoted to CBE in 1978. Unfortunately Alan Leahy passed away on December 26, 2019. | |
Lieutenant P M Lee Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant P M Lee Electronic Warfare Officer, No.801 Sqn | |
Lieutenant A R Leeson Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant A R Leeson Fighter Controller, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant Commander P A Mulvaney Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant Commander P A Mulvaney Air Engineering Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant R E Phillips Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant R E Phillips Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
Commander A J W Rae Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Commander A J W Rae Commanding Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Flight Lieutenant A K Raichura Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Flight Lieutenant A K Raichura Deputy Air Engineering Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Major B H Ritterby Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Major B H Ritterby Training Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant C A Roy Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant C A Roy Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant R J Sambrooks Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant R J Sambrooks Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
  Oberleutnant Ernst Scheufele Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2010 | Oberleutnant Ernst Scheufele Joining the Luftwaffe in October 1940, Ernst Scheufele was posted to Norway in June 1942, to join 4./JG5. There, flying Me109s he carried out a total of 67 escort missions for the German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz. In October 1943 he joined II./JG5 flying over Arctic waters, in Finland, and on the Russian Front, before transferring to the defence of the Reich in June 1944. On 3 December 1944 he was shot down by an American flak battery near Saxony, wounded and taken prisoner. He had a total of 18 victories. Sadly, Ernst Scheufele died on 18th February 2010. | |
Lieutenant K M Steen Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant K M Steen Operations Officer, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant Commander I C Tidball Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant Commander I C Tidball Senior Pilot, No.801 Sqn. | |
Lieutenant P N Tremelling Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Lieutenant P N Tremelling Air Warfare Instructor, No.801 Sqn | |
Commander Sharkey Ward Our estimated value of this signature : £60 | Commander Sharkey Ward Commander Nigel 'Sharkey' Ward DSC AFC. Born in Canada in 1943. Joined the fleet air arm in 1962. During the Falklands war, Commander Sharkey ward commanded the 801 Naval Air Squadron based on HMS Invincible during April to June 1982. Commander Sharkey Ward flew a total of 60 missions during the Falklands campaign and scored three air to air kills, as well as taking part in or witnessing the destruction of 10 aircraft. Commander Ward was also the leading night pilot and for his gallantry received the Distinguished Service Cross. After retiring form the Royal Navy he wrote the book 'Sea Harrier over the Falklands, A Maverick at war'. | |
Captain John de Winton RN Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Captain John de Winton RN Joined the Royal navy as a seaman officer. He qualified as a fighter pilot in 1955 after flying training with US Navy. Served in Sea Venom Night and all Weather Fighters based at Yeovilton 1956 to 1960. 809 Squadron HMS Albion (Suez) 56/57. Qualified as flying instructor 1958. QFI NAWF School 766 Squadron 58/60. Sea Vixens Squadrons based at Yeovilton 60/61. 893 Squadron HMS Ark Royal. Senior pilot 893 Squadron HMS Centaur. In 1962 he transferred to Lossiemouth, initially to Buccaneer Mk1 Intensive Flying Trials Unit, then as Senior Pilot 801 Squadron, first front line Buccaneer squadron, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious in the Far East. He was CO of 809 Squadron Trials and Training Squadron Lossiemouth in 1964. In 1965 he became CO 801 Squadron HMS Victorious, Far East, then after disbanding Mk 1 Squadron, CO 0f 801 Squadron again, first Mk 2 Buccaneer Squadron. He was promoted to Commander at the end of 1965. He commanded HMS Puma, frigate from 1967-1969, then London (MOD) i/c of all Fleet Air Arm officer appointments. Promoted to Captain in 1971. Staff of CinC Fleet 1971-73. Commanded HMS Leander and Captain 3rd Frigate squadron from 1974-75. Director of Naval Air Warfare (MOD) from 1975-78. He retired in 1980. Served in Sultan of Oman's Navy as Chief of Staff from 1982-88. He is married with four children, six grandchildren and lives in Somerset. He keeps busy with many jobs in his large garden, playing golf and croquet. | |
| Aces for : No.801 Sqn FAA | ||
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name. | ||
| Name | Victories | Info |
| Ronald Cuthbert Hay | 13.00 | The signature of Ronald Cuthbert Hay features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| J M Bruen | 6.50 | |
| R A Brabner | 5.50 | |
| Michael Robert Crosley | 5.50 | The signature of Michael Robert Crosley features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| A Sabey | 3.50 | |
| W H Martyn | 3.50 | |
|
Contact Details |
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
