Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 407 (Fleet Fighter)/(Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight
[Jul 1928 | Sep 1928 | Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932 | Jul 1933 | Jan 1934 | Jul 1934 | Jul 1935 | Jul 1936]
This was formed on 1 September 1927 at RAF Donibristle equipped with Fairey Flycatchers.
| Date | Location |
| 1 Sep 1927 | RAF Donibristle |
| 15 May 1928 | HMS Courageous |
| 10 Jun 1928 | RAF Hal Far? |
| 6 Jul 1928 | RAF Hal Far |
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Courageous | RAF Mediterranean |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | James N D Anderson | 20 Mar 1928 | Officer Commanding |
| Fg Off | Hugh Ditton | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Aylmer M Rundle | 1 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John G Franks | 1 Sep 1927 | Armament duties; later AVM |
| Fg Off | Samuel G Long | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1928
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Courageous | RAF Mediterranean |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | James N D Anderson | 20 Mar 1928 | Officer Commanding |
| Fg Off | Hugh Ditton | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Aylmer M Rundle | 1 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John G Franks | 1 Sep 1927 | Armament duties; later AVM |
| Fg Off | Samuel G Long | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Gerald L Brinton | 26 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Harry D Barlow | 26 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
Source - September 1928 Air Force List
| Date | Location |
| 20 Jul 1928 | HMS Courageous |
| 30 Oct 1928 | RAF Hal Far |
| 19 Nov 1928 | HMS Courageous |
| 14 Jan 1929 | HMS Eagle |
| 15 Jan 1929 | RAF Hal Far |
| 25 Feb 1929 | HMS Courageous |
| 3 May 1929 | RAF Hal Far |
| 14 Jun 1929 | HMS Courageous |
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Courageous | RAF Mediterranean |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | James N D Anderson | 20 Mar 1928 | Officer Commanding |
| Fg Off | Geoffrey H Birley | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Samuel G Long | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Gerald L Brinton | 26 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Harold P Sears | 27 Aug 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Plt Off | John H L Dillon-Trenchard | 25 Oct 1928 |
Source - Air Force List July 1929
| Date | Location |
| 21 Aug 1929 | RAF Hal Far |
| 24 Aug 1929 | HMS Courageous |
| 30 Aug 1929 | Gaza |
| 9 Sep 1929 | HMS Courageous |
| 28 Sep 1929 | RAF Aboukir |
| 8 Oct 1929 | HMS Courageous |
| 1 Nov 1929 - 20 Jan 1930 | Calafrana (Detachment) |
| 30 Jan 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 7 Apr 1930 | RAF Donibristle |
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Aleth T S Leguen de Lacroix | 5 Feb 1930 | Officer Commanding |
| Fg Off | Samuel G Long | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Gerald L Brinton | 26 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Harold P Sears | 27 Aug 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John H Charsley | 29 Mar 1930 | Lt, RN |
| Plt Off | John H L Dillon-Trenchard | 25 Oct 1928 |
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 |
| xx xxx 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 29 Sep 1930 | HMS Courageous |
| 17 Nov 1930 - 19 Jan 1931 | RAF Base Gosport (Detachment) |
| 1 Apr 1931 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 1 Apr 1931 | RAF Donibristle |
| 15 May 1931 | HMS Courageous |
| 30 May 1931 | RAF Northolt |
| 5 Jun 1931 | RAF Lee-on-Solent (attached to 2nd Cruiser Sqn) |
| 4 Jul 1931 | No 3 ATC, Sutton Bridge |
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Arthur M Wray | 8 Dec 1930 | Officer Commanding, MC, DFC, AFC; later A/Cdre |
| Fg Off | John F M Robertson | 22 Mar 1931 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Harold P Sears | 27 Aug 1928 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John P G Bryant | 19 May 1931 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Hector D McGregor | 20 Jan 1931 | later AM |
| Fg Off | James A L Drummond | 8 May 1931 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1931
| Date | Location |
| 27 Jul 1931 | RAF Netheravon |
| 28 Sep 1931 | HMS Courageous |
| 13 Nov 1931 | RAF Netheravon |
| 20 Jan 1932 | HMS Furious |
| 25 Feb 1932 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 3 Mar 1932 | HMS Furious |
| 5 Mar 1932 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 13 Mar 1932 | HMS Furious |
| Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
| Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Donibristle | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Arthur M Wray | 8 Dec 1930 | Officer Commanding, MC, DFC, AFC; later A/Cdre |
| Fg Off | Guy Willoughby | 1 Sep 1931 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Thomas G Carey | 10 Sep 1931 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | James A L Drummond | 18 Mar1932 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Alan F Black | 8 Jan 1932 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Rodney T P Clarkson | 22 Oct 1931 |
Source - Air Force List July 1932
| Date | Location |
| 21 Jul 1932 | UK |
| 29 Aug 1932 | HMS Furious |
| 10 Sep 1932 | No 3 ATC, Sutton Bridge |
| 21 Sep 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
| 3 Oct 1932 | RAF Base Gosport |
| 17 Oct 1932 | RAF Lee-on-Solent |
| 4 Jan 1933 | Attached to 2nd Cruiser Sqn |
The Flycatchers were replaced by Osprey IIIs in November 1932 and on 2 January 1933 it was redesignated No 407 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight

| Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
| Hawker Osprey III | 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Alec A Murray | 29 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
| Flt Lt | Guy Willoughby | 1 Sep 1931 | Lt Cdr, RN |
| Flt Lt | Casper John | 29 Nov 1932 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Alfred C R Duvall | 17 Apr 1933 | Lt Cdr, RN |
| Fg Off | Alan F Black | 8 Jan 1932 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1933
| Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
| Hawker Osprey III | 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Alec A Murray | 29 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, |
| Flt Lt | Alan Brock | 6 Jan 1934 | Lt Cdr, RN |
| Flt Lt | Henry A Traill | 10 Oct 1933 | Lt, RN |
Source - January 1934 Air Force List
| Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
| Hawker Osprey III | 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Alec A Murray | 29 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, |
| Flt Lt | Alan Brock | 6 Jan 1934 | Lt Cdr, RN |
| Flt Lt | Henry A Traill | 10 Oct 1933 | Lt, RN |
| Flt Lt | Robert A Kilroy | 22 Feb 1934 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Henry Wright | 1 May 1934 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1934
| Date | Location |
| 4 Jun 1935 | RAF Mount Batten |
| 5 - 18 Jul 1935 | HMS Furious (Detachment) |
| Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
| Hawker Osprey III | 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet | Coastal Area |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Henry A Traill | 10 Oct 1933 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN - OC from 1 Dec 1934 |
| Flt Lt | Trevenen P Coode | 3 Sep 1934 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John A D Wroughton | 5 Dec 1934 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | John de F Jago | 30 Aug 1934 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1935
Some Osprey IVs were received in October 1935 and Walrus' began to arrive in April 1936
| Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
| Hawker Osprey III | 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet | Coastal Command |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | Henry A Traill | 10 Oct 1933 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
| Flt Lt | Gerald D Anderson | 19 Jul 1935 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Donald H Elles | 2 Aug 1935 | Lt, RN |
| Fg Off | Neil McI Kemp | 1 Sep 1935 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1936
It was redesignated No 712 Catapult Squadron on 15 July 1936.
[Jul 1928 | Sep 1928 | Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932 | Jul 1933 | Jan 1934 | Jul 1934 | Jul 1935 | Jul 1936]
This page was last updated on 17/10/23