Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 759 Naval Air Squadron

Motto: -

759 NAS was first formed on 1st November 1939 at Eastleigh, as a Fighter School and aircraft pool unit. Its original inventory included; 9 Blackburn Skuas, 5 Blackburn Rocs and 4 Gloster Sea Gladiators. On 1st December it absorbed 769 NAS and became the Fleet Fighter School.

On 16th September 1940, the Squadron made the move to RNAS Yeovilton, and soon began to receive examples of the Grumman Martlet, Fairey Fulmar and Miles Master, with the Sea Hurricane also arriving at Yeovilton in 1941.

In 1943 it became a part of the Naval Air Fighter School as the advanced flying training component, and by the middle of that year it had a fleet of over 100 aircraft! From 1944 the Squadron re-equipped with Corsairs, and remained based at Yeovilton until disbandment in February 1946, when it was absorbed into 794 NAS.

On 16 August 1951 759 NAS reformed under the command of Lt Cdr R Lygo at RNAS Culdrose, becoming an element of the Naval Air Fighter School. Its original equipment was Seafires and Firebrands, but a Jet conversion course was added in 1952, signalling the arrival of Meteor T.7s and Sea Vampires. The Squadron moved to RNAS Lossiemouth in November 1953 and remained in commission until October 1954 when it was disbanded for the second time.

Its third life began at RNAS Brawdy on 1st August 1963, as the Naval Advanced Flying Training School, and it was during this time the squadron's association with the Hunter began. Under the command of Lt. Cdr. C. D. W. Pugh, 759 NAS was equipped solely with Hunter T.8s and undertook Part 1 of the Fleet Air Arm's Advance Flying Training course. Pupils then passed on to 738 NAS for weapons training, again on Hunters, or to 849 NAS for Airborne Early Warning training on the Fairey Gannet. In 1965, 759 received the annual Boyd trophy for its outstanding work in converting Jet Provost-trained pilots to the Hunter.

On Christmas Eve 1969 the Squadron was 'stood down', and the aircraft moved to 738 and 764 NAS.