Royal Navy

Naval aviation began at Lee-on-Solent on 30 July 1917 when the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) opened the Naval Seaplane Training School as an extension to the seaplane training station at nearby Calshot. The school’s first commander was Squadron Commander Douglas Evill. Initially, aircraft had to be transported from their temporary hangars to the top of the nearby cliff, then lowered by crane onto a trolley which ran on rails into the sea. Permanent hangars, workshops, accommodation, and a new double slipway were soon constructed.

Royal Air Force

On 1 April 1918, the RNAS combined with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Lee-on-Solent Naval Seaplane Training School became an RAF station. Naval aviation training continued throughout the 1920s under the RAF with both Calshot and Lee-on-Solent providing training in operating seaplanes – initially using the wartime Short Type 184s and, from late 1921, the new Fairey IIID.[2] On 1 April 1924, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was formed, encompassing those RAF units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships (including those at shore bases such as Lee-on-Solent). In 1931 the first grass airstrip at Lee was constructed to the west of the town, Lee-on-Solent became HQ RAF Coastal Area, and a major rebuilding programme ensued. On 14 July 1936, an expanded RAF Coastal Area became RAF Coastal Command, with the HQ remaining at Lee-on-Solent.

Return to Royal Navy

With the expansion of the RAF during the 1930s, Parliament decided that the Fleet Air Arm should transfer to the Admiralty. As a consequence, on 24 May 1939, HQ RAF Coastal Command moved to Northwood and Lee-on-Solent was commissioned as HMS Daedalus, becoming Headquarters of Flag Officer Air. The onset of the Second World War During the Second World War a number of Naval Air Squadrons were posted or formed at Daedalus. In addition, the airfield saw over ninety units posted to Daedalus at various stages of the war. Daedalus is also marked for special commendation as being the busiest airfield on D-Day!

Post war

HMS Daedalus continued to play a significant role after the war, and was renamed HMS Ariel on 31 October 1959 to reflect her electrical, radar, and ground training emphasis. In 1962, the Joint Service Hovercraft Unit was formed with the aim of testing hovercraft in an operational military environment and, soon after, the Air Station reverted to the name HMS Daedalus on 5th October 1965. She was then home to the Naval Air Trial Installation Unit (NATIU), formed to install and test new systems in a variety of flying test bed aircraft, including a Hawker Hunter and a De Havilland Devon.