No. 654 Squadron AAC 654 Aviation Squadron 654 Light Aircraft Squadron No. 654 Squadron RAF | |
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Active | 15 July 1942 – 24 June 1947 (RAF) 1 September 1958 – July 2014 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Army Air Corps |
Role | Regimental Headquarters [1] |
Part of | 4 Regiment Army Air Corps |
No. 654 Squadron AAC (654 Sqn) is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) that is currently the Headquarters Squadron for 4 Regt AAC. It was formerly No. 654 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons 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. [2] [3]
No. 654 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, on 15 July 1942 and went into action in August 1943 in North Africa. From December 1943, it served in Italy, where it remained until disbanding at Campoformido on 24 June 1947.
No. 1906 Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 654 Squadron previously elements of 'A' & 'B' Flights along with No. 1907 Air Observation Post Flight which was formed within 654 Squadron previously elements of 'A' & 'C' Flights. [4]
The squadron had the motto Progressive, [5] it used a identification symbol of A propeller and gun barrel in saltire [5] It used identification symbols: QA (1944 – May 1945, HQ Flight) [6] QB (1944 – May 1945, 'A' Flight) [6] QC (1944 – May 1945, 'B' Flight) [6] QD (1944 – May 1945, 'C' Flight) [6]
From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
July 1942 | September 1942 | de Havilland Tiger Moth | Mk.II |
September 1942 | December 1942 | Auster | Mk.I |
December 1942 | October 1944 | Auster | Mk.III |
June 1944 | June 1947 | Auster | Mk.IV |
December 1944 | June 1947 | Auster | Mk.V |
The squadron was formed on 1 September 1958 in Germany and employed as 2 Division Aviation HQ between 1964 and October 1969. [8]
Between February and March 1991 the squadron was in Iraq as part of Operation Desert Sabre (the ground phase of Operation Granby) using Westland Lynx AH1GT's against armoured vehicles of the Iraqi 12th Armoured Division. They returned to Hobart Barracks on 22 March 1991 without any losses.
654 AAC disbanded in July 2014, as part of Army 2020. [9]
At some point the squadron was reformed and became the Headquarters Squadron for 4 Regiment Army Air Corps.
The squadron operated a variety of helicopters:
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm 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 Combat Team, through Joint Aviation Command.
667 Squadron AAC is a former squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
No. 666 Squadron AAC (V) is a former squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was previously No. 666 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and afterwards became a Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) squadron between 1 May 1949 and 10 March 1957.
No. 239 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War I. During World War II the squadron performed as an army co-operation squadron and later as a night intruder unit. After the war the squadron was disbanded.
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.
663 Squadron AAC is a flying unit of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
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No. 671 Squadron AAC is squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was previously No. 671 Squadron RAF, a glider squadron of the Royal Air Force active during the Second World War as part of No. 229 Group RAF, South East Asia Command.
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No. 665 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 665 Squadron, a Royal Canadian Air Force air observation post squadron that was operational during the Second World War between 22 January and 10 July 1945.
No. 657 Squadron AAC was a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC), part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing based at RAF Odiham. The squadron disbanded in May 2018 after the retirement of the Westland Lynx.
No. 660 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was formerly No. 660 Squadron RAF, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons 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.
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664 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 664 Squadron, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army during the Second World War 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 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.
No. 659 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) based at RNAS Yeovilton flying AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 helicopters as part of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 659 Squadron RAF, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during World War II. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with 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.
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