No._662_Squadron_AAC

No. 662 Squadron AAC

No. 662 Squadron AAC

Military unit

No. 662 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) which flies the Boeing AH-64E Apache from Wattisham Flying Station as part of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps.[1] It was formerly No. 662 Squadron, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group 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.[2][3]

Quick Facts No. 662 Squadron AAC, Active ...

History

Royal Air Force

662 Squadron Taylorcraft Auster in Belgium, World War II

No. 662 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum on 30 September 1943 with the Taylorcraft Auster III which gave way to the Auster IV in March 1944. The squadron role was to support the British 21st Army Group in June 1944 when it moved to France. It briefly flew from Nordhorn in Germany from 7 to 10 April 1945.[4] The squadron supported the Army until the end of the war when it was disbanded on 15 December 1945 at Melsbroek in Belgium.[5]

After the war the Air Observation Squadrons were reformed and No. 662 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was reformed as such at RAF Colerne on 1 May 1949, also operating a flight from RAF Middle Wallop, to provide support to the Army in the West Country until it was disbanded at RAF Colerne on 10 March 1957.[5]

It's motto was: Greek Olethrion Omma ("Death dealing eye"), for a identification symbol it was used "In front of two shells in saltire, an eagle's head erased".[6] For identification symbols it used: ET (Sep 1944 – Dec 1945)[7][8] ROB (Feb 1949 – Apr 1951)[9][10]

No. 1956 Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 662 Squadron along with No. 1962 Air Observation Post Flight and No. 1963 Air Observation Post Flight.[11]

A postwar Auster Mk.V, restored in wartime colours.
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Army Air Corps

On 1 November 1971 the squadron reformed in West Germany[12] as part of 3AAC, located at Salamanca Barracks, Soest.

The squadron is currently stationed at Wattisham Flying Station, Suffolk, where it operates Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, in support of 3(UK) Division.

See also

References

Citations

  1. [1]
    "Army Air Corps Apaches prepare for Defender Europe 20". British Army. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  2. [2]
    Halley 1988, pp. 444–451.
  3. [3]
    Jefford 2001, pp. 102–104.
  4. [4]
    "Stations-N".
  5. [5]
    Jefford 2001, p. 104.
  6. [6]
    Halley 1988, p. 449.
  7. [7]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 37.
  8. [8]
    Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 71.
  9. [9]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  10. [10]
    Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 187.
  11. [11]
    Lake 1999, p. 101.
  12. [12]
    Farrar-Hockley 1994, p. 239.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Farrar-Hockley, A (1994). The Army In The Air. UK: Alan Sutton Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7509-0617-0.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
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