Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 405 (Fleet Fighter)/(Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight
[Jan 1925 | Feb 1925 | Mar 1925 | Apr 1925 | May 1925 | Jun 1925 | Jul 1925 | Mar 1926 | Jul 1926 | Dec 1926 | Jul 1927 | Jul 1928 | Sep 1928 | Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932]
This was formed on 31 May 1924 at RAF Base Leuchars for service with HMS Furious, equipped with six Flycatchers and some Plovers but the latter were soon withdrawn.
Source - January 1925 Air Force List
Source - February 1925 Air Force List
Source - March 1925 Air Force List
Source - April 1925 Air Force List
Source - May 1925 Air Force List
Source - June 1925 Air Force List
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Leuchars | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | William Jones | 31 May 1924 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | William C P Bullock | 31 May 1924 | |
Fg Off | Arthur Sattin | 31 May 1924 |
Source - Air Force List July 1925
Date | Location |
xx Oct 1925 | RAF Donibristle |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | William Jones | 31 May 1924 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Arthur A R Chipper | 8 Oct 1924 | |
Fg Off | Eric S Burns | 14 Aug 1924 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | Arthur Sattin | 31 May 1924 | |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Source - March 1926 Air Force List
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | William Jones | 31 May 1924 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Arthur A R Chipper | 8 Oct 1924 | |
Fg Off | Eric S Burns | 14 Aug 1924 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | Arthur Sattin | 31 May 1924 | |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert C Giles | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RM |
Source - Air Force List July 1926
Date | Location |
16 Sep 1926 | HMS Furious |
1 Nov 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Frank E Bond | 18 Aug 1926 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Arthur A R Chipper | 8 Oct 1924 | |
Fg Off | Arthur Sattin | 31 May 1924 | |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alexander B F Foulerton | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert C Giles | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RM |
Source - December 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
14 Jan 1927 | HMS Furious |
28 Mar 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
29 Mar 1927 | RAF Donibristle |
17 May 1927 | HMS Furious |
29 Jun 1927 | RAF Base Gosport (Detachment?) |
11-15 Jul 1927 | RAF Base Gosport (Detachment?) |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Frank E Bond | 18 Aug 1926 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Arthur A R Chipper | 8 Oct 1924 | |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alexander B F Foulerton | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert C Giles | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RM |
Source - Air Force List July 1927
Date | Location |
25 Jul 1927 | RAF Base Leuchars |
1 Sep 1927 | HMS Furious |
21 Oct 1927 | RAF Donibristle |
8 Jan 1928 | HMS Furious |
2 Apr 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
30 Apr 1928 | HMS Furious |
4 Jun 1927 | RAF Donibristle |
xx Jun 1928 | Novar |
14 Jun 1928 | RAF Northolt |
3 Jul 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Frank E Bond | 18 Aug 1926 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Maurice V Ward | 21 Jul 1927 | |
Fg Off | Ian R Grant | 1 Jan 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John H F Burroughs | 1 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1928
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Maurice V Ward | 21 Jul 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | John H F Burroughs | 1 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Laurence C Sharman | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John P G Bryant | 1 Sep 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Charles A Kingsley-Rowe | 2 Jul 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Francis W Bourne | 27 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Peter D Heinemann | 24 Jun 1928 | Sub-Lt, RN |
Plt Off | Reginald David | 21 Jun 1928 |
Source - September 1928 Air Force List
Date | Location |
5 Sep 1928 | HMS Furious |
26 Oct 1928 | RAF Donibristle |
xx xxx 1928 | HMS Furious |
1 Jan 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
10 Jan 1929 | HMS Furious |
6 Apr 1929 | Shore based |
13 May 1929 | HMS Furious |
10 Jun 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
13-17 Jun 1929 | RAF Hendon |
xx Jul 1929 | RAF Donibristle |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Maurice V Ward | 21 Jul 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Cyril B Tidd | 8 Apr 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth Hunt | 27 Jul 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John P G Bryant | 1 Sep 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Gerald W Dennis | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Peter D Cracroft | 1 Nov 1928 | later AVM |
Source - Air Force List July 1929
Date | Location |
22 Aug 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
3 Sep 1929 | HMS Furious |
5 Nov 1929 | RAF Donibristle |
27 Dec 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
17 Jan 1930 | HMS Furious |
29 Mar 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
26 May 1930 | HMS Glorious |
29 May 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
3-19 Jun 1930 | HMS Furious (Detachment carried out deck landing trials on various types) |
24 Jun 1930 | HMS Glorious |
4 Jul 1930 | RAF Hal Far |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Malta/HMS Glorious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Maurice V Ward | 21 Jul 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | John H F Burroughs | 5 Dec 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John P G Bryant | 1 Sep 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Gerald W Dennis | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur G Poe | 26 May 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | David J Waghorn | 19 Aug 1929 | later A/Cdre |
Source - Air Force List July 1930
Source - August 1930 Air Force List
Source - September 1930 Air Force List
Source - October 1930 Air Force List
Source - November 1930 Air Force List
Source - December 1930 Air Force List
Date | Location |
25 Nov 1930 | HMS Glorious |
30 Jan 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Mar 1931 | HMS Glorious |
27 May 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Malta/HMS Glorious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cyril R Smythe | 29 Nov 1930 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | John H F Burroughs | 5 Dec 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Gerald W Dennis | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Norman S Luard | 24 May 1931 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur G Poe | 26 May 1930 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1931
Date | Location |
10 Sep 1931 | HMS Glorious |
26 Oct 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Jan 1932 | HMS Glorious |
29 Jan 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
9 Mar 1932 | HMS Glorious |
22 Apr 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
23 Jun 1932 | HMS Glorious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Malta/HMS Glorious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cyril R Smythe | 29 Nov 1930 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Gerald W Dennis | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Norman S Luard | 24 May 1931 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur G Poe | 26 May 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Dennis R F Cambell | 10 Oct 1931 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | William V L Spendlove | 14 Aug 1931 | |
Fg Off | Francis E C Judd | 13 May 1932 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1932
Date | Location |
16 Aug 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
1 Sep 1932 | HMS Glorious |
16-24 Sep 1932 | RAF Aboukir (Detachment) |
10 Nov 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
Ospreys began to arrive in December 1932 but had not completely replaced the Flycatchers by the time it was absorbed into No 803 Squadron on 3 April 1933. On 2 January 1933 it was redesignated No 405 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight.
Re-equipment and movement dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray Sturtivant
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This page was last updated on 08/07/19