1700 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm

Fleet Air Arm

The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 was formed in November 1944 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent as an amphibian bomber reconnaissance squadron. It was equipped with the Supermarine Sea Otter

Supermarine Sea Otter

|-Survivors:No museum holds a complete aircraft. Australia's Museum of Flight has the nose section of JN200, a Sea Otter which served with the Royal Australian Navy.-See also:-References:...

, and the squadron joined HMS Khedive

HMS Khedive (D62)

The USS Cordova was an escort aircraft carrier launched 27 December 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. A. E. Mitchell. Reclassified CVE-39 on 15 July 1943, Cordova was transferred to the Royal Navy on 25 August 1943, as HMS Khedive ...

 in January 1945 bound for Sulur

Sulur

Sulur is a town and one of a taluk in Coimbatore district. It is a suburb of Coimbatore, India. This is also a Legislative Constituency and is under the Coimbatore Parliament Constituency.-Demographics:...

 in India. On arrival the Sea Otters were augmented with Supermarine Walrus

Supermarine Walrus

The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...

 amphibian aircraft.

The squadron's aircraft were distributed among the escort carriers of the Far East Fleet for air sea rescue and minesweeping duties. By April 1945 aircraft of the squadron were serving in HM Ships Stalker

HMS Stalker (D91)

The USS Hamlin was one of a large group of escort aircraft carriers built on Maritime Commission C-3 hulls and transferred to the United Kingdom under lend-lease during World War II. Launched by Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Francisco, California, 5 March 1942, as AVG-15, aircraft escort...

, Hunter

HMS Hunter (D80)

USS Block Island was an Attacker-class escort aircraft carrier that served during World War II....

, Khedive, Emperor

HMS Emperor (D98)

The USS Pybus was laid down 23 June 1942 as MC Hull No. 245 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Washington; originally classified AVG-34, she was reclassified as ACV-34 on 20 August 1942; launched 7 October 1942; commissioned 31 May 1943 at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Wash.; reclassified as CVE-34 15...

, Ameer

HMS Ameer (D01)

The escort carrier USS Baffins was launched 18 October 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. Laurence Bennett, wife of Commander Bennett; and commissioned 28 June 1943, Captain W. L. Rees in command...

, Attacker

HMS Attacker (D02)

HMS Attacker was an American-built Attacker-class escort aircraft carrier that served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War....

 and Shah

HMS Shah (D21)

The USS Jamaica , was an escort aircraft carrier of World War II that served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Shah . Returned to the USA at War's end, she was converted into a merchant vessel and she was sold into civilian service in 1946 as Salta...

. July saw operations at Car Nicobar

Car Nicobar

Car Nicobar is the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands. It is also one of two local administrative divisions of the Indian district of Nicobar, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands....

, and off Phuket Island.

Aircraft flown

1700 Naval Air Squadron flew 2 different aircraft types:

• Supermarine Sea Otter
  Supermarine Sea Otter
  |-Survivors:No museum holds a complete aircraft. Australia's Museum of Flight has the nose section of JN200, a Sea Otter which served with the Royal Australian Navy.-See also:-References:...
  
  
• Supermarine Walrus
  Supermarine Walrus
  The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...