Blue, upon a base wavy white two bars wavy blue chief a Maltese Cross per pale red and white there on a hurt surmounted by a plate surmounted by a torteau pierced by an arrow point downward in bend sinister feathered black (1953)[2]
728 Naval Air Squadron (728 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was formed at the beginning of May in 1943, as a Fleet Requirements Unit, at RN Air Section Gibraltar. It provided detachments at RN Air Section Tafaraoui, in Algeria and later at RAF Oujda in Morocco. Moving to HMS Grebe, RNAS Dekheila, in Egypt, during June, it then merged into 775 Naval Air Squadron during July. It reformed in August, again as a Fleet Requirements Unit, at HMS Grebe, moving immediately to RN Air Section Takali, Malta. It provided target towing both for the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet and the British Army, before later providing a detachment to tow targets for the United States Navy at Naples, Italy.[5] The squadron remained on Malta, alternating between the airbases at Ta Kali, Luqa and Hal Far, until disbanding at the latter, in May 1967.[1]
With the post Second World War reduction of the Mediterranean Fleet, aircraft numbers were also reduced and changes in type took place. In 1949 de Havilland Mosquito TT Mk.39, a RN target towing variant, replaced the Miles Martinet target tug aircraft, later marks of Supermarine Seafire were used for fighter exercises, and Beech Expeditor, an American trainer, transport and utility aircraft, operated passenger and cargo flights. In 1951, de Havilland Sea Vampirejet fighter replaced the Supermarine Seafire and in 1952 the squadron received de Havilland Sea Hornet fighter aircraft and Short Sturgeon target tug aircraft replaced the de Havilland Mosquito TT Mk.39.[1]
Helicopters were added to supplement the squadron's inventory when it started operating the Westland Dragonfly HR.3, air-sea search and rescue helicopter, at the end of 1952. 728B Flight was the identity given to the new RNAS Hal Far SAR (Search and Rescue) flight, this operated utilising the Westland Whirlwind HAR.3, air-sea search and rescue variant, which arrived in 1957. In March 1963, Westland Whirlwind HAS.22, an anti-submarine helicopter, became available for the SAR flight, which was then amalgamated into 728 Naval Air Squadron.[4]
On 31 May 1967 728 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon).[8]
Aircraft flown
The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:[9][3]
Westland Whirlwind HAS.22 anti-submarine helicopter (March 1963 - August 1965)
Naval air stations
728 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of overseas naval air stations of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force stations, and a number of other air bases:[3]
Ballance, Theo; Howard, Lee; Sturtivant, Ray (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN978-0-85130-489-2.
Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN0-85130-223-8.