750 Naval Air Squadron The Royal Navy Observer School grew out of HM Naval Seaplane Training School at RNAS Lee - on - Solent as a result of a series of changes of identity and parent unit . From 1918 until 1939 the Royal Air Force was responsible for naval aviation , including training and provision of aircrew to the Royal Navy . With the return of naval aviation to the Royal Navy on 24 May 1939 , the Observer School was established as 750 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm . During World War II the squadron moved to Trinidad to continue training aircrew . It was temporarilly disbanded in October 1945 . The squadron reformed in 1952 and is currently based at RNAS Culdrose , where it trains approximately 30 Royal Navy observers every year . History . The Royal Navy established HM Naval Seaplane Training School on 30 July 1917 at Lee - on - Solent ; the unit was responsible for the training of seaplane pilots and observers . When the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps merged on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force , the school was renamed No . 209 Training Depot . Throughout the early 1920s pilots and observers of seaplanes were trained at Lee - on - Solent under a variety of names ; from 1921 the base was renamed the RAF Seaplane Training School , and from 1923 , the RAF School of Naval Co - operation . Although the school now concentrated on observer training , from 1925 all naval aircrew were provided by the RAF , and training of naval officers as observers ceased . During this period the primary training aircraft was the Fairey IIID . From 1932 Lee - on - Solent was provided with a full airfield and became the headquarters of the RAF ' s Coastal Command . Observer training continued apace and the airfield was home to a wide range of naval aircraft including Fairey Seal s , Hawker Osprey s , Blackburn Shark s , Supermarine Walrus es , and Fairey Swordfish es . Telegraphist Air Gunner s were also trained at Lee - on - Solent in the years leading up to the Second World War . 750 Naval Air Squadron was formed at RNAS Ford on 24 May 1939 from the Royal Navy Observer School , but after Ford was bombed early in the war , it moved to RNAS Yeovilton . Changing title from a school to a squadron did not change its basic purpose , which was the training of observers for the Fleet Air Arm . The squadron initially flew Hawker Osprey s and Blackburn Shark s , but in November 1940 it moved to Piarco Savannah ( HMS " Goshawk " ) in Trinidad and at about the same time re - equipped with Fairey Albacore s . On 15 January 1941 , 21 officers and 121 ratings from 749 , 750 and 752 squadrons sailed from Liverpool on bound for Trinidad . Two days later the sank " Almeda Star " in heavy seas north of Rockall . There were no survivors . The squadron operated in Trinidad for the duration of World War II and was disbanded on 10 October 1945 . The squadron reformed on 17 April 1952 at RNAS St Merryn . At first it was equipped with twelve Fairey Barracuda s and four Avro Anson s , but in 1953 the Fairey Firefly T7 and Percival Sea Prince T1 aircraft were introduced , and in the same year the squadron moved to RNAS Culdrose . In 1955 the squadron changed its name to the Observer and Air Signal School . After discontinuing the training of air telegraphists , it changed again to the Observer School in May 1959 . The squadron moved to Hal Far ( HMS " Falcon " ) , Malta in October 1959 , and in 1965 it was transferred again , this time to RNAS Lossiemouth . The last move came in 1972 , back to RNAS Culdrose , still equipped with the Sea Prince T1 . These were replaced by the Jetstream T2 in 1978 and in 1992 the squadron became the first Naval Air Squadron to achieve 50 unbroken years in commission . Current role . Now flying the T2 & T3 versions of the BAe Jetstream , 750 NAS is tasked with training the Fleet Air Arm ' s Observers . After undergoing initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College , trainee aircrew officers join 750 NAS for a seven - month period of training in all aspects of airborne navigation , airmanship and other tactical skills . This is conducted in classrooms as well as in the air and in a computer - controlled simulator . Upon completion of this course they will be ready for Advanced Flying Training and will be streamed for their eventual specialisation . On completion of the training observers choose or are selected to serve in Westland Sea King , Westland Lynx or AugustaWestland Merlin helicopters . These then help extend the eyes and ears of the fleet at sea . In 2011 , the Jetstreams were replaced by Beechcraft Super King Air 350ER ( Avenger ) aircraft . Aircraft flown . Since 1939 705 NAS has flown 13 types of aircraft :