An air observation post (AOP) is an aeroplane or helicopter used in the role of artillery spotter by the British Army and Commonwealth forces. In this role, either the pilot of the aircraft or another crew member acts as an observer watching for targets on the ground, and/or as a forward observation officer directing the fire, by radio, of artillery on the ground (or calling in tactical ground-attack aircraft). [1] [2]
In the interwar period, the role of artillery spotting was mixed with reconnaissance and ground attack to be served by Army co-operation (AC) squadrons. At the beginning of World War II their standard aircraft was the Westland Lysander. This aircraft had a high level of losses with the British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of France: 118 shot down out of a total of 175 deployed. This demonstrated the unsuitability of the Lysander for Army co-operation and called into question the whole concept. These RAF squadrons converted to fighter-bomber aircraft by 1941, dropping the liaison and artillery spotting roles. [3]
The first of the dedicated air observation post units was established by Major Charles Bazeley of the Royal Artillery. Working as D flight of an RAF unit and equipped with the Taylorcraft Auster, they went to France in February 1940 to develop the role on the French artillery ranges, in liaison with the French Army. This training and development work had to be abandoned when the German blitzkrieg got underway and the unit was back at its UK base in Old Sarum, Wiltshire, by 20 May 1940. The flight had been ordered to disband, but the Army resisted this, and the intervention of General Alan Brook, Commander in Chief Home Forces, secured the future of the flight and the concept of the AOP. [4] : 11–12
By 1942, AOP squadrons 651, 652, and 653 were in existence. Ultimately, the AOP units consisted of squadrons 651 to 662, 663 (manned by Poles) and 664, 665 and 666 (RCAF units with both Canadian and British personnel).
The key difference from the Army co-operation squadrons was that AOP pilots came from the Royal Artillery. The RAF provided the technicians to service the aircraft, and the equipment officers and adjutants. The rest of each unit was provided by the army, including signallers and drivers. A further unusual feature of air observation post squadrons was that all pilots were officers, and they were nearly all captains. Since most operations were carried out separately by individual flights, this lack of rank structure in squadrons tended not to produce problems. [4]
During World War II, British AOP units used light, fixed-wing aircraft, almost exclusively several marks of Auster aircraft. The low speed, high manoeuvrability, small size (so aiding concealment at front-line landing grounds) and light weight of the Auster made this a much more suitable aircraft than the Lysander. The standard tactic of dealing with enemy fighter aircraft was to fly very low, [4] normally around 30 feet above ground, [5] around a hill or a wood. [4] Although this also protected them from enemy ground fire, it resulted in many crashes into trees, poles, hills, cables and buildings. [5] Casualty rates for AOP pilots turned out to be relatively low, compared to RAF pilots or infantrymen. One source of losses in combat was the aircraft being hit whilst flying through the path of outgoing shells. This was a particular hazard in intense bombardments: four aircraft were lost in this way during the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. [4] : 155
An AOP flight operated during the Malayan Emergency, but was redeployed to Korea during the Korean War at the request of the 1st Commonwealth Division. Another flight was sent by sea from the United Kingdom with its Auster AOP.6 aircraft packed in crates. A single Cessna L-19 was loaned by the US Army and found to be superior by the British pilots. Although all of the aircrew were Royal Artillery officers, these two flights were the only RAF units to operate from mainland Korea during the conflict. [6]
In 1957, the newly formed Army Air Corps was created from existing army units. Fixed-wing aircraft were steadily replaced by helicopters. [2] The final AOP aircraft in British service was the Auster AOP.9, the last serving example of which was retired in March 1967. [7]
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC as well as two Independent Flights and two Independent Squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade through Joint Helicopter Command.
The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War.
An artillery observer,artillery spotter, or forward observer (FO) is a soldier responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire support onto a target. An artillery observer usually accompanies a tank or infantry unit. Spotters ensure that indirect fire hits targets which those at a fire support base cannot see.
RAF Andover is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station in England, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Andover, Hampshire. As well as RFC and RAF units, units of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, Royal Canadian Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, and the Air Transport Auxiliary were also stationed at the airfield.
No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) unit that saw action in World War II supporting Australian Army operations. It was formed in October 1944 and disbanded in June 1947. The flight was reestablished in September 1958, and was disbanded again in December 1960, when its responsibilities were transferred to a joint Army-RAAF unit.
Old Sarum Airfield is a grass strip airfield 2 nautical miles north-north-east of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.
No. 666 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post (AOP) squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadron of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957
The Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited company during the Second World War.
No. 17 Air Observation Post Flight was a Royal Australian Air Force artillery-spotting and liaison unit which saw action as part of the Bougainville campaign and New Britain campaign in World War II. The flight was established in October 1944 and disbanded in December the next year.
The Auster AOP.9 was a British military air observation aircraft produced by Auster Aircraft Limited to replace the Auster AOP.6.
No. 652 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and afterwards in Germany. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664, 665 and 666, were AOP units of the Royal Canadian Air Force manned by Canadian and British personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 663 Squadron was an Air Observation Post (AOP) unit, manned with Polish Army personnel, which was officially formed in Italy on 14 August 1944. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 666 Squadron RCAF was originally an RCAF Air Observation Post (AOP) squadron formed during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel.
No. 661 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 662 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957. It is now an Apache Helicopter Squadron.
No. 665 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons – Nos. 664, 665 and 666 – were RCAF AOP squadrons manned by Canadian and British personnel.
No. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, is an aircraft squadron of the British Army, originally formed as No. 651 Squadron Royal Air Force in Italy and North Africa during the Second World War, and afterwards in Egypt. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units which had both Army and RAF personnel. The pilots, drivers and signallers were in the Royal Artillery whilst the adjutants, technical staff and equipment officers came from the RAF. Air observation posts were used primarily for artillery spotting, but occasionally for liaison and other duties. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
The Army Aviation Corps (AAC) is the youngest arm of the Indian Army, being formally designated on 1 November 1986. The Army Aviation Corps units are designated as Squadrons. Each squadron generally consists of two Flights. Reconnaissance (Recce) and Observation flights might be part of squadrons or operate independently. The latter do not have a parent squadron and are designated by an (I) in their name.
No. 664 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 656 Squadron RAF was an Air Observation Post unit of the Royal Air Force in India and Burma during the Second World War and afterwards in British Malaya. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadron of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957 With this it became 656 Light Aircraft Squadron Army Air Corps.