Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 447 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight
[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 26 April 1929 at Chickerell by re-numbering No 421 Flight equipped with six Fairey IIIFs for service in HMS Furious.
Date | Location |
26 Apr 1929 | Chickerell |
3 May 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
13 May 1929 | HMS Furious |
14 Jun 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
28 Jun 1929 | RAF Base Leuchars |
3 Jul 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey IIF | HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Lewin B Duggan | 9 Jul 1928 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Flt Lt | Harry M Mellor | 26 Jan 1927 | Armament duties |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | John W M Healing | 9 Jun 1929 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Frederick G Wynne | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Humphrey P Madden | 26 Sep 1928 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Patrick W Humphreys | 13 May 1929 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1929
Date | Location |
13 May 1929 | HMS Furious |
7 Nov 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
xx Nov 1929 | HMS Furious |
29 Nov 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
10 Jan 1930 | HMS Furious |
29 Mar 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
25 Apr 1930 | HMS Glorious |
28 May 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
24 Jun 1930 | HMS Glorious |
28 - 20 Aug Jun 1930 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
In April 1930 it was transferred to HMS Glorious.
From 28 June to 20 August 1930 it began providing aircraft for HMS London, HMS Shropshire and HMS Sussex of the 1st Cruiser Squadron.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | HMS Glorious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Lewin B Duggan | 9 Jul 1928 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | Frederick G Wynne | 1 Jan 1929 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Edward J E Burt | 26 Nov 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur O Watson | 8 Jun 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Humphrey P Madden | 26 Sep 1928 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Anthony R Baines | 25 May 1930 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Alaister Le R S Upton | 20 Aug 1929 |
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 |
4 Jul 1930 | RAF Hal Far |
28 Oct 1930 | HMS Glorious |
30 Jan 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Mar 1931 | HMS Glorious |
27 May 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
28 Jun 1931 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
From June 1931 it began providing aircraft for HMS London, HMS Shropshire and HMS Sussex of the 1st Cruiser Squadron as well as for HMS Glorious.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | HMS Glorious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | John B Heath | 19 Feb 1931 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur O Watson | 8 Jun 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Humphrey P Madden | 26 Sep 1928 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Alaister Le R S Upton | 20 Aug 1929 | |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 31 Jan 1931 | Lt , RN |
Plt Off | Richard V McIntyre | 26 Feb 1931 |
Source - Air Force List July 1931
Date | Location |
20 Aug 1931 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
1 Sep - 10 Nov 1931 | 1st Cruiser Squadron (Detachment) |
10 Sep 1931 | HMS Glorious |
26 Oct 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
1 - 29 Jan 1932 | 1st Cruiser Squadron (Detachment) |
6 Jan 1932 | HMS Glorious |
29 Jan 1932 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
7 Mar - 22 Apr 1932 | 1st Cruiser Squadron (Detachment) |
13 - 15 May 1932 | HMS Sussex (Detachment) |
21 Jun 1932 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
From June 1932 it was allocated solely to the 1st Cruiser Squadron.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | RAF Calafrana/HMS Glorious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | John B Heath | 19 Feb 1931 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur O Watson | 8 Jun 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Humphrey P Madden | 26 Sep 1928 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 31 Jan 1931 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Richard V McIntyre | 26 Feb 1931 |
Source - Air Force List July 1932
Date | Location |
18 Aug 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
31 Aug 1932 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
25 Oct 1932 | RAF Calafrana |
10 Jan 1933 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
1 Feb 1933 | RAF Calafrana |
14 Mar 1933 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
27 Apr 1933 | RAF Calafrana |
24 Jun 1933 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
21 Jun 1932 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Mediterranean Fleet Capital Ships |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edwin B Carnduff | 3 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Simon Borrett | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Ernest H Shattock | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Stacey W D Colls | 22 Apr 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 31 Jan 1931 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1933
Date | Location |
17 Aug 1933 | RAF Calafrana |
30 Aug 1933 | HMS Glorious |
5 Sep 1933 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
10 Oct 1933 | HMS Glorious |
23 Oct 1933 | RAF Hal Far |
8 Jan 1934 | HMS Glorious |
From October 1933 until March 1934 part of the flight served aboard HMS Glorious.
Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Mediterranean Fleet Capital Ships |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edwin B Carnduff | 3 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Simon Borrett | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Ernest H Shattock | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Stacey W D Colls | 22 Apr 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 31 Jan 1931 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Thomas W T Blackwell | 20 Jun 1933 | Lt , RN |
Source - January 1934 Air Force List
Date | Location |
25 Jan 1934 | RAF Hal Far |
2 Mar 1934 | HMS Glorious |
xx xxx 1934 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
8 Jun 1934 | RAF Hal Far |
25 Jun 1934 | 1st Cruiser Squadron |
In February 1934 it added HMS Devonshire (1st Cruiser Squadron) to its responsibilities.
Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edwin B Carnduff | 3 Nov 1932 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Flt Lt | John W Hale | 9 Apr 1934 | Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Simon Borrett | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Ernest H Shattock | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Donald G F W Macintyre | 9 Feb 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Stacey W D Colls | 22 Apr 1932 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Thomas W T Blackwell | 20 Jun 1933 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1934
Date | Location |
15 Aug 1934 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
27 Aug 1934 | 1st Cruiser Squadron/1st Battle Squadron |
15 Oct 1934 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
5 - 18 Jan 1935 | HMS Furious (Detachment) |
7 Jan 1935 | 1st Cruiser Squadron/1st Battle Squadron |
25 Jan 1935 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
26 Feb 1935 | 1st Cruiser Squadron/1st Battle Squadron |
xx Jul 1935 | RAF Hal Far/Calafrana |
In September 1934 it added HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Ramillies (1st Battle Squadron) to its tasking.
Some Ospreys were received in January 1935
Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF Hawker Osprey III |
1st Cruiser Squadron & 1st Battle Squadron | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | John W Hale | 9 Apr 1934 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Simon Borrett | 25 Nov 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Lionel J S Ede | 14 Nov 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 11 Sep 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Geoffrey N Torry | 6 Nov 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Charles L G Evans | 26 Jul 1934 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1935
Date | Location |
29 Aug 1935 | 1st Cruiser Squadron/1st Battle Squadron |
In August 1935 HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Ramillies (1st Battle Squadron) were transferred to No 444 Flight but regained HMS Ramillies in November before it reverted to No 444 Flight in January 1936.
Also in August 1935 it took over responsibility for HMS Barham and HMS Valiant (1st Battle Squadron).
In June 1936 the Seagull V aircraft from HMAS Sydney and HMAS Australia were attached to the flight whilst these two ships served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron.
Aircraft operated | Naval Command | Command/Group |
Fairey IIIF Hawker Osprey III |
1st Cruiser Squadron & 1st Battle Squadron | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Anthony C G Ermen | 30 Aug 1935 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Flt Lt | Geoffrey N Torry | 6 Nov 1934 | Lt , RN |
Flt Lt | P G O Sydney-Turner | 12 May 1936 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | D D O'Brien | 15 Apr 1936 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | E G Clutton | 20 Dec 1935 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Henry Wright | 11 Sep 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Charles L G Evans | 26 Jul 1934 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | E R C Morris | 16 Mar 1936 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1936
It was disbanded into Nos 701 and 711 Catapult Flights on 15 July 1936.
Re-equipment and movement dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray Sturtivant
[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 08/07/19