No. 651 Squadron RAF


No. 651 Squadron RAF was a unit of the 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. A further three of these squadrons – Nos. 664, 665 and 666 – were RCAF AOP squadrons 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.

History

No 651 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, on 1 August 1941. It went into action in November of that year, during Operation Torch in North Africa. It later served in Italy, North Africa, and finally Egypt from 1945 where it remained until 1 November 1955. On that same day, No. 657 Squadron RAF was re-numbered to 651 Squadron at RAF Middle Wallop, it now flew Sycamore helicopters as well as Austers.
No. 1908 Independent Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 651 Squadron previously 'A' Flight along with No. 1909 Air Observation Post Flight which was formed within 651 Squadron previously 'B' Flight.
On 1 September 1957, the squadron was transferred to the Army Air Corps and became No. 651 Squadron AAC. On 2 April 2019, the Army transferred 651 Squadron's aircraft the Britten-Norman Defender and BN-2 Islander to the RAF as part of No. 1 Group. Army 651 Squadron personnel will continue to operate the aircraft who will gradually be replaced by RAF personnel through attrition.

Aircraft operated

FromToAircraftVariant
August 1941July 1942TaylorcraftPlus C
September 1941October 1941TaylorcraftPlus D
October 1941December 1941Stinson VigilantMk.I
February 1942September 1942TaylorcraftPlus C.2
July 1942October 1943AusterMk.I
August 1943December 1944AusterMk.III
May 1944October 1945AusterMk.IV
December 1944June 1947AusterMk.V
November 1949February 1952AusterMk.V
March 1947October 1955AusterAOP.6
November 1949March 1952AusterAOP.5
November 1955September 1957Bristol SycamoreHC.11
November 1955September 1957AusterAOP.6