Netherlands Naval Aviation Service
Although the MLD was formed in 1914, with the building of a seaplane base at De Mok, Texel, it developed slowly in the inter-war years due to limited budget.At this time, the emphasis was on seaplane operations in the Dutch East Indies where Dornier Wal aircraft enabled patrols of the large archipelago in 1926.The MLD had secondary bases as well as seaplane tenders that enabled it to spread out and cover the entire Netherlands East Indies.It was organized into 18 squadrons (GVT, Groep Vliegtuigen) of about three aircraft each to provide reconnaissance, anti-submarine patrols, convoy escort in support of Dutch forces.[3] On March 3, 1942, nine MLD Dornier and Catalina flying boats were destroyed in the Japanese air attack on Broome, in Australia.The British escort carrier HMS Nairana was obtained on a two-year loan from the Royal Navy and renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman.In March 1948 a light fleet carrier, HMS Venerable, was purchased from the Royal Navy to replace the loaned one, and also renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman.
NetherlandsNaval aviationRoyal Netherlands NavyFirst World WarSecond World WarDutch East IndiesDornier Walinvasion of the NetherlandsNo. 320 Squadron RAFCoastal Command321 SquadronMAC shipsFleet Air Arm861 Naval Air SquadronsFairey SwordfishDornier Do 24Morokrembangan Naval Air BaseSoerabajaseaplane tendersShinonomeCatalinaflying boatsattack on BroomeCeylonUnited StatesJackson FieldJackson, MississippiValkenburgDe KooyFairey Fireflyescort carrierHMS NairanaHMS VenerableHNLMS Karel DoormanLockheed PV-2 HarpoonLockheed P2V NeptuneGrumman TBF AvengerGrumman S-2 TrackerNAS Valkenburg860 Squadronanti-submarineWestland WasphelicoptersWestland LynxsBreguet AtlanticLockheed P-3 OrionNAS de KooyHawker Sea FuryUnited KingdomHawker Sea HawkHNLMS Karel Doorman (R81)North American B-25 MitchellLockheed P-2 NeptuneBréguet Atlantic SP-13AFranceCatalina PBY-5ASupermarine Sea Otter Mk 2Martin PBM-5A MarinerDouglas Dakota C-47Sikorsky S-51Sikorsky S-55Sikorsky S-58Agusta Bell UH-IWestland Wasp AH-12AVan SpeijkWestland LynxTrompsKortenaerAIM-9 SidewinderWayback Machine