| Unit Name: | 740 Naval Air Squadron |
| Dates: | 4 May 1943 – 5 August 1943 30 December 1943 – 1 September 1945 |
| Type: | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role: |
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| Size: | Squadron |
| Command Structure: | Fleet Air Arm |
| Equipment: | See Aircraft flown section for full list. |
| Equipment Label: | Aircraft |
| Identification Symbol: | M9A+ (all types 1944-1945) |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Identification Markings |
740 Naval Air Squadron (740 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active between May and August in 1943, formed as an Observer Training Squadron at HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. From December 1943 to September 1945 it was a Communications Squadron formed at and operated from HMS Landrail, at RNAS Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
740 Naval Air Squadron formed on 4 May 1943, at RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), as an Observer Training Squadron, as part of No. 2 Observer School. It was equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, plus a few Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber and Vought Kingfisher, an American catapult-launched observation floatplane.[1] The squadron also dispersed flying to Dundee, on the River Tay and where the squadron disbanded into 751 Naval Air Squadron on 5 August 1943.
740 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 30 December 1943 at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), as a Communications Squadron. It was formed out of the communications flight of 772 Naval Air Squadron. It used the amphibious maritime patrol aircraft Supermarine Walrus and later Supermarine Sea Otter for transportation around the Islands, Lochs and Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Clyde. The squadron also operated various types of other aircraft including Stinson Reliant, a four-five seat liaison and training aircraft, Beech Traveller, a utility aircraft, de Havilland Dominie, a six–eight passenger short-haul airliner, Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine training aircraft and Avro Anson, a twin-engine multi-role training aircraft.
740 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) on 1September 1945, the squadron having been one of its permanent residents between December 1943 and September 1945.[2]
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:[1]
740 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom:
1943
1943 - 1945
List of commanding officers of 740 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment:
1943
1943 - 1945