Formed at Bankstown (YSBK) in Apr 1945 as a Royal Navy communications unit, it ran fixed wing services between Sydney and Melbourne and Sydney and Nowra & Jervis Bay. After a move to Schofields in Mar 1946, it was disbanded on 31 May 1946.
When it reformed at RANAS Nowra on 1 Jun 1955 as a RAN Squadron, it became an operational training unit with a mix of propellor and jet fixed wing aircraft. 724 Squadron, H Flight was formed on 30 Oct 1956 by including 723 Squadron's six Sycamores into the complement, to support a Royal Tour. In Feb 1957, the Sycamores returned to a re-formed 723 Squadron and when its Gannets left, it became an entirely jet fixed wing unit until 725 Squadron disbanded on 31 May 1961, when it inherited its mix of aircraft before it took on additional roles, including all weather anti-submarine training. It remained a training unit, adding various fixed wing types as front line uints were absorbed. In 1969 it was restyled VC-724. By 1972 it had become a weapons training and target towing unit, still at Nowra. On 30 Jun 1982 it handed over its Macchis to the RAAF and retired its last Skyhawk on 30 Jun 1984, when it disbanded.
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Construction Numbers (Not all in this unit) |
C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13063 | Sycamore 3 | XA219: Built as Sycamore HR.50 XA219: embarked HMAS Vengeance in English Channel with two others, for Australia.+ | |||||
13064 | Sycamore 3 | 1952 | XA220: Built as Sycamore HR.50 XA220: embarked HMAS Vengeance in English Channel with two others, for Australia.+ XA220: acquired by the Naval Aviation Museum. XA220: preserved at Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra in silver overall, as XA220/907, + | ||||
13065 | Sycamore 3 | XA221: Built as Sycamore HR.50 XA221: embarked HMAS Vengeance in English Channel with two others, for Australia.+ | |||||
13071 | Sycamore 4 | 1953 | XD653: to Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra, in Navy colours as XD653/850. Still 1979, + XD653: After RAN service, preserved in Nowra, New South Wales. | XD653: Built as HC.51 Allocated G-AMWJ (not used). Delivered to RN March 1954. To RAN October 1954. | |||
13146 w/o 1961 | Sycamore 4 | 1953 | XD654: Ditched alongside RN HMS Hermes while operating from HMAS Sydney near the + | XD654: Built as HR.51 at Filton. Delivered to RN 1954. To RAN October 1954. | |||
13147 | Sycamore 4 | 1953 | XD655: RAN Oct 1954 | XD655: Built as HR.51 at Filton. Delivered to RN Mar 1954. To RAN Oct 1954. | |||
13148 w/o 1957 | Sycamore 4 | 1954 | XD656: To RAN Oct 1954. Ditched off HMAS Melbourne and w/o, 4 Dec 1957. | XD656: Built as HR.51 at Filton. Delivered to RN Mar 1954. To RAN Oct 1954. | |||
13504 w/o 1962 | Sycamore 4 | 1959 | XN449: Built as Type 171 Mk4 Sycamore HR.51 at Weston-super-Mare. Del RAN Jun 195+ XN449: w/o 3 Sep 1962 near Nowra air base (HMAS Albatross). | ||||
13505 | Sycamore 4 | 1958 | XN450: built at Weston-super-Mare, UK as HR.51 ex G-18-178. Last Sycamore built. + | - XN450: to Business Aviation Bankstown Sep 1965 - XN450: 1979 Camden Museum of Aviation, in RAN marks /848 - XN450: Preserved at Beck Collection (rotorless), Mareeba QLD in Royal Australian Navy colours as XN450/848,... | |||
13070 | Sycamore 4 | 1952 | XR592: converted to HR.51, sold to RAN May 1961 and XR592 alloc Jun 1961, UK; XR5+ | - G-AMWI: Built Filton. Prototype Sycamore Mk.4 ff May 1953. (marked as XN635 - a Jet Provost serial). To Oldm... - G-AMWI: Attended a well publicised Helicopter Party in Jun 1958. - VH-BAW: VH-BAW stored, wfu 14/08/1972 - XR592: 1979 Camden Museum of Aviation, restored to RAN markings - XR592: Still with the Thomas Collection (at Narellan), by . |