806 Naval Air Squadron: The FAA’s Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron of the Second World War

Author(s): Brian Cull and Frederick Galea 

ISBN: 9781781557501
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An account of 806 NAS – the FAA’s premier fighter squadron of the Second World War.
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  • The FAA’s top-scoring fighter squadron of the Second World War 

  • An excellent reference book for military modellers, historians and aviation wargamers (War Thunder/Il-2) interested in the iconic Fulmer with authentic camouflage suggestions

  • Gripping stories of the top FAA aces, including Evans, Orr, Sewell and Gus Hogg

  • Profusely illustrated with many unpublished photographs

806 Squadron was formed in early 1940 and was equipped with Skuas and Rocs, both outdated as fighters and dive-bombers, the latter hampered by a gunner’s turret and most unsuited for modern warfare; however, 806 was fortunate to have at its head the volatile but skilful and aggressive Lt-Cdr Charles Evans, a 30-year-old born-leader with ten years’ experience flying with both the RAF and Royal Navy.

With the aid of his equally experienced senior observer, Lt Desmond Vincent-Jones, the young fledgling pilots, mainly straight from training school, were soon receiving expert instruction. Having survived early ops over Norway and Dunkirk, 806 was selected to fly the new fleet-fighter, the underrated Fulmar, with which it went to war in the Mediterranean aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and won its spurs.

The young pilots, led by the CO, wreaked havoc amongst the Italian navy’s spotter seaplanes and bombers. This is their story.

BOOK ISBN 9781781557501
FORMAT 234 x 156 mm
BINDING hardback
PAGES 224 pages
PUBLICATION DATE 3 September 2019
TERRITORY World
ILLUSTRATIONS 78 black-and-white photographs






 

Brian Cull has been writing Second World War aviation history for the past twenty-five years and has more than twenty-five titles to his credit, many of which have been highly acclaimed. For Fonthill Media, he is the author of First of the Few: 5 June-9 July 1940, The Diary of Sonny Ormrod DFC: Malta Fighter Ace (with Frederick Galea), 249 at Malta: RAF’s Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron (with Frederick Galea), Fighters Over the Aegean: Hurricanes Over Crete, Spitfires Over Kos, Beaufighters Over the Aegean, 1943-44 and Battle for the Channel: The First Month of the Battle of Britain 10 July-10 August 1940.

Frederick Galea has been Malta’s National War Museum Association’s honorary secretary and newsletter editor for the last twenty years. He is also an accomplished aviation author in his own right and has written several books dealing with the air war at Malta. Additionally, he has co-authored a number of books with Brian.


  • Authors’ Note and Introduction 5
  • Acknowledgements 7

  • I. In the Beginning 11
  • II. Caribbean Cruise 33
  • III. 806 Wins its Spurs 41
  • IV. Illustrious Blitz 63
  • V. Operations from Eagle and Formidable 91
  • VI. Royal Navy Fighter Squadron 107
  • VII. Ceylon 125
  • VIII. Madagascar: Securing the Indian Ocean 137
  • IX. Operation Pedestal 141
  • X. Postwar 1945-1960 151

  • Endnotes 159
  • Appendix I: Roll of Honour 1940–42 169
  • Appendix II: Combat Claims 171
  • Appendix III: Commanding Officers 179
  • Appendix IV: Extracts from Captain Denis Boyd’s report on the bombing of HMS Illustrious 10 January 1941 181
  • Appendix V: Extracts from Captain Arthur Bisset’s report on the bombing of HMS Formidable 26 May 1941 185
  • Appendix VI: Extracts from Vice-Admiral Edward Syfret’s report on 187 the bombing of HMS Indomitable 12 August 1942 187

  • Bibliography 188
  • Index of Personnel 189

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