826 Naval Air Squadron 826 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadron formed during World War II which has been reformed several times since then until last disbanded in 1993 . History . World War II . No . 826 Squadron was formed at RNAS Ford in Sussex as a torpedo bomber squadron equipped with 12 Fairey Albacore biplanes . After initial training it was placed under the operational control of RAF Coastal Command , flying its first mission , a daylight bombing raid against a road junction at Nieuwpoort , Belgium on 31 May 1940 . The squadron continued to fly a mixture of convoy escort missions , daylight attacks against German land and sea targets and nighttime patrols against German E - boat s until the Albacore was grounded on 3 July 1940 owing to the unreliability of the aircraft ' s Bristol Taurus engines . This resulted in the Squadron being temporarily re - equipped with the older Fairey Swordfish until the Albacore was returned to use in August . From August to October 1940 , the Squadron carried out more convoy escort patrols and raids against barges being massed by the Germans in the Channel ports in preparation for Operation Sealion . On 7 October the squadron left Coastal Command control to undertake more training in preparation for carrier - based operations . From May to October , the Squadron dropped 55 . 5 tons of bombs and seven tons of mines , escorted over 100 convoys . It claimed two Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters shot down for the loss of five Albacores . In November 1940 , the squadron embarked on the newly commissioned aircraft carrier , which sailed for the Mediterranean via South Africa and the Red Sea , the squadron flying attacks against Massawa in Italian - ruled Eritrea on the way . The squadron ' s strength was supplemented by two Swordfishes in March 1941 to replace losses . 826 Squadron took part in the Battle of Cape Matapan on 28 March 1941 , damaging the Italian battleship " Vittorio Veneto " . On 26 May 1941 , following an attack on an airfield on Karpathos , " Formidable " was badly damaged by German bombers , and was withdrawn from operations for repair , with 826 Squadron being detached for land - based operations . The Squadron was then deployed on night bombing raids over the Western desert in support of the Eighth Army , before being transferred ( along with 815 Squadron ) to Nicosia , Cyprus for operations against Vichy French naval forces during the Syria – Lebanon Campaign on 28 June 1941 . The squadron returned to North Africa on 15 July , and continued to carry night bombing attacks until early 1942 , when it returned to the torpedo bomber role , operating from Berka in Libya to attack Italian convoys . The Squadron continued to carry out both anti - shipping and bombing missions in support of the army for much of the rest of 1942 , adding the role of dropping flares to illuminate targets for Vickers Wellington bombers , participating in both the first and second Battles of El Alamein . Following the British victory at El Alamein , the squadron continued to fly anti - shipping and convoy escort missions until disbanded on 25 August 1943 . 826 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 1 December 1943 at RNAS Lee - on - Solent equipped with the Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber as part of No 9 Torpedo - Bomber - Reconnaissance ( TBR ) Wing . The Squadron deployed aboard the carrier HMS " Indefatigable " on 10 June , taking part in an unsuccessful raid against the German battleship Tirpitz ( Operation Mascot ) at Kaa Fjord in Northern Norway in July 1944 , and deploying aboard HMS " Formidable " for another series of attacks on " Tirpitz " , Operation Goodwood , attacking on 24 and 29 August 1944 . The Squadron was again disbanded on 13 October 1944 . Post War . Canada . The squadron reformed on 15 August 1945 , again equipped with Barracudas , with the intention of forming part of the air wing of HMCS " Magnificent " , a carrier building for the Royal Canadian Navy . It re - equiiped with Fairey Firefly fighter bombers in January 1946 , but was disbanded on 26 February 1946 , as delays to the completion of " Magnificant " meant that the squadron was not yet needed . The squadron reformed on 1 June 1947 as part of the Royal Canadian Navy , equipped with Fairey Fireflys , operating both from " Magnificent " and HCMS " Warrior " . It re - equiiped with Grumman TBM Avenger anti - submarine aircraft in June 1950 . On 1 May 1951 , the squadron was renamed 881 Squadron ( RCN ) , later VS 881 . Reformation . 826 Squadron reformed as part of the Fleet Air Arm in May 1951 , equipped with Firefly Mk 5 ( soon replaced by Firefly AS . Mk . 6 ) in the anti - submarine role . The Squadron flew its Fireflys off the carriers HMS " Indomitable " , " Theseus " and " Glory " , before re - equipping with the new Fairey Gannet anti - submarine aircraft in January 1955 , becoming the first squadron to operate the Gannet . It embarked aboard HMS " Eagle " but disbanded in November 1955 . Helicopters . The 826 designation was then reactivated in 1966 at RNAS Culdrose , where the squadron was equipped with 8 Westland Wessex HAS . 1 helicopters , and was attached to HMS " Hermes " on a tour of the Mediterranean and Far East in 1966 – 1967 . It then deployed detachments aboard the Replenishment oiler s RFA " Olmeda " and " Olna " before deploying aboard HMS " Eagle " in 1969 . The squadron disbanded at RNAS Culdrose on 25 March 1970 . It was reformed a sixth time on 2 June 1970 with Westland Sea King s , serving on HMS " Eagle " , HMS " Tiger " and HMS " Bulwark " . Following the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982 , the squadron , equipped with nine Sea King HAS . 5s , deployed aboard " Hermes " as part of the Operation Corporate Task Force sent to retake the Islands . The squadron carried anti - submarine and surface search patrols around the task force , unsuccessfully attacking a suspected Argentine submarine on the night of 1 / 2 May , and also rescued survivors from HMS " Sheffield " , HMS " Coventry " and the " Atlantic Conveyor " . Four Sea Kings were transferred to the stores ship " Fort Austin " to free up space aboard " Hermes " on 17 May . The Squadron lost two helicopters during the Falklands War , but on both occasions the crews escaped unharmed . The Squadron continued to operate from " Hermes " until 1986 . In 1991 part of the squadron deployed to the Middle East to take part in the Gulf War . After the squadron ' s aircraft had been reallocated to 810 Naval Air Squadron and 819 Naval Air Squadron the squadron was again disbanded in 1993 .