880 Naval Air Squadron
| 880 Naval Air Squadron VS 880 MR 880 | |
|---|---|
880 NAS badge | |
| Active | Royal Navy 15 January 1941 – 11 September 1945 Royal Canadian Navy 1 May 1951 - 1990 (ceased operating) |
| Country | United Kingdom Canada |
| Branch | Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role | Carrier-based fighter squadron |
| Size | squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Aircraft | See Aircraft operated section for full list. |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Battle honours |
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880 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm aircraft carrier-based squadron formed in January 1941. The squadron served throughout the Second World War being embarked in the carriers HMS Furious, Indomitable, Argus and Implacable serving off East Africa, in the Mediterranean, off Norway and in the Far East. It was disbanded on 11 September 1945 at Schofields, Sydney, Australia.
The squadron was reformed on 1 May 1951 as a carrier-based anti-submarine squadron in the Royal Canadian Navy. It was redesignated VS 880, in 1952. After the decommissioning of HMCS Bonaventure, Canada's last aircraft carrier in 1970, the squadron transferred to shore based inshore anti-submarine operations, and in 1973 changed role again to protection of Canada's Exclusive Economic Zone, this changing the squadron's designation to MR 880. It ceased operations in April 1990 when its aircraft were retired.