Sea Venoms, Suez, and postwar carrier deployments

The postwar squadron first reformed with Sea Hornets, spent time ashore with the RAF when twin-engine carrier operations proved difficult, and then converted to Sea Venom all-weather fighters. Fractured deck hooks prevented its intended 1955 embarkation in Ark Royal, so the unit trained from Malta before disbanding and reforming again within weeks. During the Suez operation, 809 flew 138 sorties against Egyptian airfields, tanks, and other military vehicles from HMS Albion. Later Mediterranean and Far Eastern cruises included a SEATO exercise and cross-deck operations with USS Yorktown, showing how carrier qualification, alliance training, and combat strike work belonged to the same squadron cycle.