History 

History 

1942 - 1943
893 NAS formed at Donibristle on 15 June 1942 as a single seater fighter squadron, Equipped with 6 Martlet Is, and also a small number of Fulmars as a temporary measue, lt was intended for seryice in HMS Archer, but in the event joined HMS Formidable with 10 Martlet IVs in October to provide fighter patrols during the North African landings, assisting in an attack on a U-boat duing this period. Remaining in the area, patrols were carried out over the Meditermnean duing the next few months, and in July 1943 patrols were carried out over the Siclly landings, a similar task beeing performed at Salerno in September. Shortly afterwards a clange of climate saw 893 NAS assisting in the defence of a North Russian convoy, but on 16. November 1943 it disbanded on arrival back in the UK.

Plans to reforn with 10 Corsairs at NAS Brunswick, Maine USA on 1. February 1944 were abortive, as was a later proposal to reforn with 16 Hellcat IINFs at RNAS Eglinton on 15. August 1945.

1956 - 1960
893 reformed as an all-weather fighter squadron at RNAS Yeovilton on 6. February 1956 with 6 Sea Venom FAW.21s intended for HMS Ark Royal. However, the Suez crisis brought a change of plans, and 893 NAS increased in June to 9 aircraft by absorbing 890 NAS, taking part in operations from HMS Eagle. It was further lncreased in December by absorbing 892 NAS. Transferring to HMS Ark Royal in February 1957 in the Mediterranean, periods were also spent in Home waters and the Atlantic before transfer to HMS Victorious in the Medlterranean in September 1958. The squadron became the first with Sea Venoms equipped with Firestrak guided missiles, re-equipping in January 1959 with FAW.22s. It disbaned at RNAS Yeovilton on 29. February 1960.

1960 - 1965
On 9 September 1960, No.893 NAS reformed at RNAS Yeovilton with 6 Sea Vixen FAW.1s, with which it ftew out to  join HMS Ark Royal in the Mediterranean two months later. By the time of the 1961 Kuwait crisis it was in HMS Centaur, later spending periods in both the Far East and the Mediterranean before transferring to HMS Victorios in AWßt 1963 for a trip to the Far Fast and Australia. After return to the UK it disbanded at RNAS Yeovilton on. 29 July 1965.

1966 - 1970
Equipped with 11 Sea Vixen FAW.2s, the squadron reformed at RNAS Yeovilton on 4. November 1966, embarking six months later in HMS Victorious. After a spell in the Far East the squadron returned home, and in May 1968 joined HMS Hermes for a further eastern trip. Periods were subsequently spent in the Mediterranean, but on 14. July 1970 893 NAS disbanded.

* Simon Idiens was boss from January 1965 to July 1965, following the death of Sandy Sanderson and the squadron’s return to Yeovilton from the Indian Ocean. Bob King, who you list as boss, was the Senior Pilot.
Simon later was the boss of Simon’s Sircus, the Sea Vixen display team.

Ed Poultney (24. April 2020)

- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron -