RNAS Yeovilton

"Mixing it with the Lynx"

On the 29th of May 2009 Nene Valley Aviation Tours were very lucky enough to go and take a look around at RNAS Yeovilton or HMS Heron the home of the of the the royal navy Lynx squadrons and Sea King commando squadrons.

Copyright Nene Valley Aviation Photography 2009©

RNAS Yeovilton History

World War 2 years

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles north of Yeovil in Somerset. Work began in 1939 on the construction of the site, with the runways being completed in 1941. The Naval Observer School moved to HMS HERON in mid 1940, with the Naval Air Fighter School soon following. Several units which were preparing for embarkation were also stationed at the site during World War II.

Post World War 2

The runways were further extended in 1952 and 1957 to cope with jet aircraft. In May 1953 it became the headquarters of Flag Officer Flying Training. During the 1960s further development work was undertaken, with the School of Fighter Direction returning to the site. At around this time the Royal Navvy saw the introduction of the Sea Venoms this later being replaced by the de Havilland Sea Vixens and then the McDonnell-Douglas Phantom FG.1 as a carrier-borne fighter. The 1970s saw the Flag Officer, Naval Air Command (FONAC), transferring from RNAS Lee-on-Solent. This saw fixed wing operations being phased out by the Royal Navy, and the Phantoms transferred to the RAF. All was not lost as the base remained as the home of the Commando Helicopter Squadrons, using the Wessex HU.5 and later the Sea King HC.4, it was also not quiet the end of  fixed wing aircraft at Yeovilton when the the Fleet Requirements and Aircraft Direction Unit (FRADU) arrived at Yeovilton. With the arrival of the new Sea Harrier into RN serve it was decided that Yeovilton would become the the main shore base for the Navy's fleet of Sea Harrier FRS.1 later FA.2 In peroration for the new Invincible-class light aircraft carrier’s a ski-jump was installed to enable practice of ski-jump assisted take-offs.

Modern Times

In 2004 all three Sea Harrier squadrons (800NAS,801NAS and 899NAS) disbanded at Yeovilton after it was decided to withdraw the Sea Harrier from service and transfer the RN squadrons from the Sea Harrier to the Harrier GR fleet at RAF Cottesmore. 899NAS merged with 20(R)Sqn the Harrier OCU at RAF Wittering. And both 800NAS and 801NAS reformed at RAF Cottesmore as the Naval Strike Wing (NSW) in October 2006. This all but saw the end of Jet operations at RNAS Yeovilton all be it with the 2 Hawk T.1s of the Naval Flying Standards Flight and the Royal Navy Historic Flight Sea Hawk being the only jet aircraft left operating from the station. Although all but these aircraft had left, the base is not left quiet with no more than 7 of the RN helicopter squadrons now based at Yeovilton and at least another one (700W) to join those by the end of the year.

Serving Units and Squadrons RNAS Yeovilton 2009

crown copyright	crown copyright	crown copyright
702NAS LOCU are responsible for Lynx type conversion and fly both HAS.3 and HMA.8	Royal Naval Flying Training Flight operates the Tutor T.1 in the basic training role.	815NAS/815HQFlt operates the Lynx HAS.3 and HMA.8
crown copyright	crown copyright	crown copyright
845NAS Operates the Seaking HC.4 in the RN commando roll.	846NAS Operates the Seaking HC.4 in the RN commando roll.	845NAS Operates the Lynx AH.7/AH.9 in the RN commando roll.
crown copyright	crown copyright	crown copyright
848NAS Operates the Seaking HC.4 in the RN commando roll.	The RNHFlt operates those types that have been used by the RN of its 100 year history.	Naval Flying Standards Flight (Fixed Wing) is the sole Jet operator on site and is responsible for training standards.

Images from our tour

RNAS Yeovilton Log 29/05/2009

Gate Guards
XZ728	AW326	Lynx HMA.8
ZD578	000, 122	Sea Harrier FA.2
702 NAS
XZ233	634	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ234	630	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ239	633	Lynx HAS.3GMS
XZ250	631	Lynx HAS.3S	Black Cat' display colours
XZ255	644	Lynx HMA.8
XZ697	641	Lynx HMA.8DAS
XZ720	MC360	Lynx HAS.3GMS
XZ727	635	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ730	632	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ732		Lynx HMA.8DAS
XZ736	642	Lynx HMA.8DAS
ZD265	643	Lynx HMA.8DAS
ZF562	645	Lynx HMA.8
815HQflt/815NAS
XZ248	308	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ254	AY365	Lynx HAS.3S
XZ726	302	Lynx HMA.8
XZ229		Lynx HAS.3GMS
XZ235	EE435	Lynx HAS.3S(ICE)
XZ237		Lynx HAS.3S
XZ238	EE434	Lynx HAS.3S(ICE)
XZ246		Lynx HAS.3S(ICE)
XZ690	301	Lynx HMA.8
XZ694	365	Lynx HAS.3GMS
XZ719	315	Lynx HMA.8DAS
XZ721	GC410	Lynx HAS.3GMS
XZ725	425	Lynx HMA.8
XZ735	404	Lynx HAS.3GMS
ZD249	636	Lynx HAS.3S
ZD255	311	Lynx HAS.3GMS
ZD257	303	Lynx HMA.8
ZD262	327	Lynx HMA.8
ZD263	306	Lynx HAS.3S
ZD565	314	Lynx HMA.8DAS
ZF563	375	Lynx HMA.8
847 NAS
XZ648		Lynx AH.7
ZD277		Lynx AH.7
ZD282		Lynx AH.7
LOEU
XZ236		Lynx HMA.8	GI
XZ698	415	Lynx HMA.8
845 NAS
XV676	ZE	Sea King HC.6
ZA299	D	Sea King HC.4+
ZA310	B	Sea King HC.4
846 NAS
XZ922	ZA	Sea King HC.6	Single letter code on nose offset to the right
ZA298	Y	Sea King HC.4+	To/ex G-BJNM
ZD625	P	Sea King HC.4+
ZE427	K	Sea King HC.4
ZE428	H	Sea King HC.4
ZF120	Z	Sea King HC.4
848 NAS
XT625	J	Wessex HU.5	Persevered
ZA291	N	Sea King HC.4	allocated 'WN'
ZA292	WU	Sea King HC.4
ZA314	WT	Sea King HC.4
ZD479	WQ	Sea King HC.4
ZE425	WR	Sea King HC.4
ZF115	R	Sea King HC.4
ZF116	WP	Sea King HC.4
ZF119	WY	Sea King HC.4
ZF122		Sea King HC.4+
ZG822	WS	Sea King HC.4
Sea King AMG
XZ593	I	Sea King HAR.3
XZ597	M	Sea King HAR.3
ZD476	WZ	Sea King HC.4
ZD477		Sea King HC.4
ZD480	J	Sea King HC.4
ZE369	S	Sea King HAR.3
RNHF
WK608	906	Chipmunk T10
VR930	Q	Sea Fury FB11
W5856	A2A	Swordfish II
WV908	A-188	Sea Hawk FGA6
LS326	L2	Swordfish II
VZ345		Sea Fury T.20S	stored
WB657	908	Chipmunk T10	stored
FRADU YEO Det
XX159		Hawk T.1A
XX301		Hawk T.1A
PRIVATE ON FLIGHT LINE
XF690		Provost T1	G-BGKA, Private
XW289	73	Jet Provost T5A	G-JPVA, Private
727NAS
G-BYXK	XK	Turor T.1
G-BYXS	XS	Turor T.1
G-BYVK	VK	Turor T.1
G-BYWM	WM	Turor T.1
G-BYVF	VF	Turor T.1
PRIVATE
1377		Chipmunk Mk.20	ex PAF Private
B1807		Sopwith Pup	G-EAVX Private
VF552		Auster AOP6	G-ASZE, Private
XP166		Scout AH1	G-APVL, Private
XR240		Auster AOP9	Private
XT793		Wasp HAS1	Private
XW784	VL	Kittiwake Mk.1	G-BBRN, VL Private
DUMP
WV911	C-115	Sea Hawk FGA4	Stored
XS513	PO-419	Wessex HU5	Dumped
XV755	M	Harrier GR3	Dumped
XW630		Harrier GR3	Dumped
XZ206		Lynx AH7	Dumped
XZ257		Lynx HAS3S	Dumped
Cobham Hall
WV106	C-427	Skyraider AEW1	Museum - Stored
ZB601	(F)	Harrier T4N	Stored
Visitor
ZJ192		Apache AH.1

Log credit Stuart Lamb and Andy Carney

Thank you to RNAS Yeovilton.

Nene Valley Aviation Tours would like to thank WO1 Julie Halford RNAS Yeovilton visits Officer. The personnel of the Royal Navy Historic flight and the personnel of RNAS Yeovilton for making our trip possible. We would also like to thank all the serving members at RNAS Yeovilton for there hospitality on the day.