No. 663 Squadron

No. 663 Squadron (Polish: 663 Polski Szwadron Powietrznych Punktów Obserwacyjnych) 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.[4][5]

No. 663 Squadron
Badge of 663rd Polish Air Observation Post Squadron during World War II
Active14 Aug 1944 – 29 Oct 1946
1 Jul 1949 – 10 Mar 1957
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
AllegiancePoland Polish government in exile (1944–1946)
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleAir observation post squadron
Motto(s)We fly for the guns[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryAn Eagle displayed holding a snaffle bit
(1949–1957)[1]
Squadron CodesROC (Jul 1949 – Apr 1951)[2][3]
Aircraft flown
ReconnaissanceAuster Single-engined Army liaison monoplane

History

Formation and wartime history
De Havilland 82A Tiger Moth II in Polish Aviation Museum

Volunteer Polish Army officers had been sent by ship to South Africa in June 1944 for initial training as pilots and then for operational training in the very low-level AOP role. The squadron was officially formed at San Basilio in Italy on 14 August 1944[1] as 663 Polski Szwadron Powietrznych Punktów Obserwacyjnych. The fifteen successful officers reached Italy on 28 October. All squadron personnel were drawn from Polish artillery units. The squadron's primary role was to observe enemy ground targets and to help direct artillery fire on them. After further advanced training, the squadron was declared operational on 30 January 1945. The squadron's HQ was at Villa Carpena, with three flights, two of which were detached elsewhere as needed to support No. 2 Polish Corps artillery units on the progressing "front line". Auster AOP IV and V "spotter" aircraft were flown in the unit's close support operations. After meritorious service with some pilots being killed, the unit left for the UK on 10 October 1946 and was formally disbanded on 29 October 1946.

Post-war service
Auster AOP.6 TW539 of no. 663 (AOP) Squadron RAF in 1954
663 (AOP) Squadron Auster AOP.6 VX121 'A' 'low flying for the guns' over Cheshire in 1954

No. 663 Squadron was reformed on 1 July 1949 as an AOP unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force equipped with Auster AOP.5s and Auster AOP.6s. Tiger Moth and DHC-1 Chipmunk aircraft were used for training and proficiency flights.[6] The squadron headquarters was at RAF Hooton Park, Wirral, Cheshire with dispersed flights at RAF Ringway, RAF Llandow, South Wales, and Wolverhampton (Pendeford) – the latter flight moving on to Castle Bromwich Aerodrome near Birmingham.[1]

For the next eight years, No. 663 flew very low-level 'spotting' sorties in co-operation with Territorial Army artillery units, often based for the weekend in a friendly farmers field – for example near Tarporley, Cheshire.

No. 1952 Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 663 Squadron along with No. 1953 Air Observation Post Flight, No. 1954 Air Observation Post Flight and No. 1955 Air Observation Post Flight.[7]

The squadron disbanded on 10 March 1957, at the same time as all other Royal Auxiliary Air Force flying units.[6]

Army Air Corps history and operations

The unit was reformed as an army air unit called 663 Aviation Squadron in October 1969 at Netheravon, Wiltshire. Its allocated mission was to support army formations in the Salisbury Plain area. The unit's initial equipment was the Bell Sioux AH.1 helicopter, with these being later replaced by the Westland Scout AH.1 turbine helicopter. On 1 January 1973 the unit was renamed No. 663 Squadron Army Air Corps. The Squadron again disbanded in July 1977.

663 Squadron AAC Westland Scout AH.1 in 1969

Following a restructuring of Army Air Squadrons, 660 Squadron was redesignated as 663 Squadron, part of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps. From 1993 it has been based at the ex-RAF Wattisham Airfield near Stowmarket, Suffolk. In recent years it has replaced its Westland Gazelles with Westland-assembled Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 663 Squadron RAF, data from[1][8]
FromToAircraftVariant
October 1944February 1946AusterMk.IV
November 1944February 1946AusterMk.V
July 1949October 1951AusterAOP.5
July 1949February 1957AusterAOP.6
19551957ChipmunkT.10

See also

References

Notes
  1. Halley 1988, p. 450.
  2. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  3. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 187.
  4. Halley 1988, pp. 444–451.
  5. Jefford 2001, pp. 102–104.
  6. Scholefield 1998, p. 51
  7. Lake 1999, p. 100.
  8. Jefford 2001, p. 105.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • 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. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Król, Wacław (1981). Zarys działań polskiego lotnictwa w Wielkiej Brytanii 1940–1945. Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i łączności (in Polish). Vol. 11. Warszawa, Poland: Biblioteczka Skrzydlatej Polski. ISBN 83-206-0152-5.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Scholefield, R.A. (1998). Manchester Airport. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-1954-X.
  • Szczurowski, Maciej (2001). Artyleria Polskich Sił Zbrojnych na Zachodzie w II wojnie światowej (in Polish). Toruń, Poland: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek. ISBN 83-7174-918-X.
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