800 Naval Air Squadron 800 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No ' s 402 and 404 ( Fleet Fighter ) Flights . History . 1930s . The squadron was first equipped with nine single - seat Hawker Nimrod fighter aircraft and three two - seat Hawker Osprey s to act as navigation leaders for the Nimrods . It served aboard HMS " Courageous " in the Home Fleet . In 1935 - 1936 , the carrier and squadron operated in the Mediterranean . The squadron re - equipped with the Blackburn Skua in November 1938 and took these aboard HMS " Ark Royal " . The Skua was a dive bomber with a secondary fighter role to allow the destruction or driving - off of enemy reconnaissance aircraft . In 1939 , 800 Squadron was flying primarily Blackburn B - 24 Skuas and a few Blackburn Roc s from HMS " Ark Royal " . The Squadron was transferred to Admiralty control on 24 May 1939 . Second World War . During the German invasion of Norway in 1940 , whilst based at Royal Navy Air Station Hatston , Kirkwall , Orkney 800 and 803 Squadrons dive - bombed the German cruiser " Königsberg " at Bergen on 10 April 1940 , 800 Squadron providing five Skuas to the force that sank the " Königsberg " . The squadron embarked on " Ark Royal " later that month , with the carrier providing air cover to the fleet and to Allied troops . 800 Squadron ' s Skua ' s claimed six Heinkel He 111 bombers shot down and a further as probably destroyed . On 13 June 1940 , " Ark Royal " launched a dive bomber attack against the German Battleship " Scharnhorst " , under repair at Trondheim , with 800 Squadron losing four Skuas out of six , with the Squadron ' s Commanding Officer , Captain R . T . Partridge , RM was taken POW , while 803 Squadron lost four Skuas from nine . In July 1940 , the squadron was involved in the attack on the French Fleet at Oran . Two SM - 79 bombers were shot down off Sardinia . The squadron was regrouped with Fairey Fulmar s in Gibraltar during April 1941 , proceeding with two Flights to to search for the " Bismarck " , and to . On regrouping later that year , the squadron joined for an attack on Petsamo , and after the West Indies onboard was involved in the Madagascar operations . Hawker Sea Hurricane s were received in 1942 and took part in the North African landings off in November 1942 . In July 1943 , the Squadron was the first FAA squadron to be equipped with the Grumman Hellcat . The squadron , operating from HMS " Emperor " provided escort for Fairey Barracuda s in the April 1944 attacks from against the " Tirpitz " in Alta Fjord , Norway . 1950s . During the Korean War , the Squadron and its Seafire F . 47 s were on board HMS " Triumph " however , and their first operation was a strike by 12 Seafires and 9 Fairey Fireflies on Haeju airfield on 3 July 1950 . Because of their short range , the Seafires were frequently given the Combat Air Patrol task over the fleet . During the Inchon landings in September 1950 Seafires flew armed reconnaissance missions and spotted for the bombarding cruisers . But , by the end of the month , No 800 had only three serviceable aircraft and no replacements were available in the Far East . The inevitable crop of landing accidents and cumulative airframe stress damage meant the end of the Seafire ' s operational life . During the Korean War the squadron flew 245 offensive patrols and 115 ground attack sorties before HMS " Triumph " was replaced by HMS " Theseus " with its Sea Furies and Fairey Fireflies . In August 1951 the Supermarine Attacker enters service with the Squadron at Ford , West Sussex , later embarking on HMS " Eagle " . It was the first jet fighter to be standardised in the Fleet Air Arms first - line squadrons , and by 1953 the sqn had upgraded to the FB . 2 version of the Attacker , but the following year the Attacker was withdrawn from frontline service and passed to training and reserve units . 800 NAS then recommissioned with Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FB . 3s in July 1954 , and joined the newly commissioned HMS Ark Royal ( R09 ) the following year . As with other FAA Sea Hawk units at the time , the sqn operated later marks of Sea Hawk as they became available culminating in the FGA . 6 . During the 1950s , 800 ' s aircraft usually had the tails painted red , and this evolved into a forward pointing red arrowhead design with crossed swords over a trident in yellow in the centre . 1960s . 800 NAS reformed as a Supermarine Scimitar F . 1 unit in July 1959 with six aircraft , under the command of Lt . Cmdr . D . P . Norman AFC at RNAS Lossiemouth , later re joining HMS Ark Royal ( R09 ) ' s air group in March 1960 . After operating worldwide from the Ark , 800 returned to ' Lossie ' in December 1963 and disbanded in February 1964 , its aircraft being passed to 803NAS to bring that unit up to 16 aircraft . A month later 800 NAS recommissioned as a Blackburn Buccaneer S . 1 squadron , equipped with 10 Buccaneers and four Scimitar F1s for service on the newly refitted HMS Eagle . The latter aircraft were for the next two years operated by 800B Flight , their aircraft adorned with a ' foaming tankard ' badge on their tails as they were to be used as in - flight refuelling tankers as the underpowered Buccaneer S . 1 could not be launched from a carrier with a full weapons load and full fuel tanks . The Buccaneers were launched fully armed but with a light fuel load , and would then ' top up ' from waiting Scimitars which had been launched previously . 800 NAS was the only FAA squadron organised this way , and it was an interim measure pending the arrival of the Mk 2 Buccaneer . In June 1966 the Mk 2s began to replace the Mk 1s and the Scimitars , completing the process by November of that year . In March 1967 the oil tanker Torrey Canyon ran aground on Seven Stones Reef near Lands End and started to leak thousands of tons of crude oil into the sea , putting nearby beaches at risk of pollution . In an attempt to minimise the damage to the environment , the Buccaneers of 800 NAS along with those of the training squadron 736 NAS were ordered to destroy the tanker and its cargo . Flying from RNAS Brawdy in Wales on 28 March 1967 , eight Buccaneers dropped 42000 lbs of High Explosive bombs and achieved a 75 % success rate . The aim was to rip open the hull of the tanker to release its cargo then set fire to it on the open sea , destroying the oil before it reached the beaches . After this the squadron rejoined HMS Eagle for the remainder of her career . During this period the squadron operated 14 Buccaneer S . 2s , and as with its sister squadron 809 Naval Air Squadron aboard Ark Royal in the 1970s , the squadron normally kept ten strike aircraft ready , two more fitted with a specially designed reconnaissance pallet in the rotating bomb bay , and the final two aircraft were fitted with buddy refuelling pods as tanker aircraft . After covering the British withdrawal from ' East of Suez ' HMS Eagle returned home to pay off in January 1972 , her squadrons flown back to their shore bases to disband . 800 Squadron returned to Lossiemouth and disbanded on 23 February 1972 , and its aircraft were passed to the RAF . 1980s , Falklands War , 1990s . On 31 March 1980 , 800 NAS was recommissioned with five BAe Sea Harrier FRS . 1s at RNAS Yeovilton under Lt . Cmdr . Tim Gedge , a former Phantom pilot , and embarked in the new until June 1981 when it transferred to , recently refitted with a 12 - degree " ski jump " ramp to assist Sea Harrier operations . On the outbreak of the Falklands War 800 NAS , now under the command of Lt / Cdr . Andy Auld RN , was brought up to its wartime strength of twelve Sea Harrier FRS1s by transferring seven aircraft and their crews from the training squadron 899 NAS . The other Sea Harrier squadron 801 NAS , aboard HMS " Invincible " similarly received three aircraft . The squadron embarked on HMS " Hermes " whilst she was still alongside in Portsmouth Dockyard . Two of the squadron ' s planes were lost , one when it exploded on take off from HMS " Hermes " and one shot down during an attack on Goose Green . No Harriers were lost in air - to - air fighting and the squadron destroyed 13 enemy aircraft . Lieutenant - Commander Gordon Batt DSC was killed in action flying a Sea Harrier FRS 1 from HMS " Hermes " on 23 May 1982 . During the conflict another Sea Harrier squadron , 809 NAS was formed with eight spare aircraft and sent south aboard the MV " Atlantic Conveyor " , and on arrival in the South Atlantic these aircraft were divided between the two carriers , four each to 800 NAS and 801 NAS . The aircraft were absorbed into these squadrons , as the 899 aircraft had been , but remained recognisable as they had been painted in light grey low visibility camouflage as opposed to the dark sea grey scheme used by all the other Sea Harriers . Post war , 809 NAS reacquired its aircraft and crews and returned to the UK alongside 800 NAS aboard Hermes , only to embark aboard the newly completed and return to the Falklands so that " Invincible " could be relieved to return home . 809 NAS disbanded in December 1982 on return to the UK . " Illustrious " had been sent into the South Atlantic before being commissioned properly and spent the next few months catching up on preparations for full commissioning , after which 800 NAS was transferred to " Illustrious " in September 1983 . Squadron strength was increased first to six Sea Harriers then gradually up to eight aircraft as a result of lessons relearned during the conflict . In the mid - 1990s . the squadron re - equipped with the more capable Sea Harrier FA . 2 . In January 1998 , in addition to 800 NAS ’ s Sea Harriers FA . 2s , RAF Harriers GR . 7s operated from HMS " Invincible " in the Persian Gulf , typically in a mix of seven FA . 2s and seven GR . 7s . 2000s . In April 2004 , while based in Yeovilton the squadron was disbanded following the decision to withdraw the FA . 2s early as a cost - saving measure . It was re - commissioned on 31 March 2006 under Commander Adrian Orchard RN , when 800 NAS became the first RN squadron within Joint Force Harrier as part of Number 1 Group within RAF Strike Command . In March 2007 , the squadron combined with 801 NAS to form the Naval Strike Wing . On 1 April 2010 , NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron . The squadron disbanded later that year , as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and the subsequent withdrawal of Harrier fleet . Post World War II engagements . Action over Korea , flying more than 350 combat sorties without losing a single man or aircraft , and in the Suez crisis 1956 , Malaysian Emergency 1949 The Falklands , 1982 and offensive operations in the Balkans in 1990s . 800 NAS are also the only fixed wing Squadron to complete a tour of Afghanistan operating out of Kandahar airport . Although the Naval Strike Wing have also completed tours , it is made up of elements of both 800 and 801 . Falklands War . The squadron operated Twelve Sea Harrier FRS . 1s aboard HMS Hermes during the Falklands War under the command of Commander Lt Cdr Andy Auld . The Squadron was supplemented by eight pilots and seven aircraft from 899 NAS . Later in the conflict four aircraft and pilots were transferred from 809 NAS . From an Air Combat perspective ' 800 Squadron were effective to the extent of shooting down Thirteen Argentine Aircraft and Destroying Three more on the Ground . 1 May 1982 A Pucara of FAA Grupo 3 destroyed and two more damaged and not repaired at Goose Green by CBU ' s by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen , Lt Hale and Lt McHarg RN . Lt Jukic killed in the destroyed aircraft . Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over East Falkland by Flt Lt Penfold RAF using Sidewinder . Lt Ardiles ( Cousin of the Footballer Osvaldo Ardiles ) killed . 21 May 1982 Two A - 4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4 shot down near Chartres , West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Blissett and Lt Cmdr Thomas RN using Sidewinders . Lt Lopez and Lt Manzotti killed . Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down near Teal River Inlet , West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen RN using Sidewinder . Lt Luna ejected . A - 4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 Esc shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Lt Morrell RN using Sidewinder . Lt Cmdr Philippi ejected . In same attack A - 4Q Skyhawk shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon . Lt Marquez was killed . 23 May 1982 Puma SA . 330L of CAB 601 flew into ground near Shag Cove House , West Falkland attempting to evade Flt Lt Morgan RAF . Agusta A - 109A of CAB 601 destroyed on ground in the same incident , by Flt Lt Morgan and Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon . Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over Pebble Island by Lt Hale RN using Sidewinder . Lt Volponi killed 24 May 1982 Two Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down north of Pebble Island by Lt Cmdr Auld and a third by Lt D Smith using Sidewinder . Maj Puga and Capt Diaz ejected , but Lt Castillo killed . 8 June 1982 Two A - 4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5 shot down over Choiseul Sound by Flt Lt Morgan RAF and a third by Lt D Smith , using Sidewinders . Lt Arraras , Lt Bolzan and Ensign Vazquez killed . Surface Ship 9 May 1982 Flt Lt Morgan and Lt Cdr Batt dropped 1000 lb bombs at the Spy trawler Narwal , when their original target of Port Stanley airfield was obscured by cloud , one bomb lodged in the trawler ' s hull before they raked it with 30mm cannon fire . Narwhal sank under tow the following day . Losses . 800 NAS lost two Aircraft and Pilots during the conflict . 4 May 1982 Lt Nick Taylor RN , shot down over Goose Green by radar - controlled , 35mm Oerlikon fire from GADA 601 as he ran in to attack . The aircraft exploded and hit the ground very close to the airstrip . Argentine forces buried Nick with military honours close to where he fell . Lt Nick Taylor ' s Grave 23 May 1982 Lt Cmdr ' Gordy ' Batt crashed into sea north east of Falklands shortly after take - off , the cause is still unknown . Gallantry Awards . Lt Cmdr G W J Batt RN was Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross - Posthumous Lt Cmdr A D Auld RN , Lt Cmdr N W Thomas RN & Flt Lt D H S Morgan RAF were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for their conduct and leadership throughout the campaign . Aircraft flown . The 800 squadron has flown 15 different aircraft types , including