No. 654 Squadron RAF

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
(Redirected from No. 654 (AOP) Squadron RAF)
Jump to: navigation, search
No. 654 Squadron RAF
Active 15 July 1942 – 24 June 1947
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Air Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Air Force
Role Air Observation Post Squadron
Motto Progressive[1]
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry A propellor and gun barrel in saltire[1]
Squadron codes QA (1944 - May 1945,
HQ Flight)[2]
QB (1944 - May 1945,
'A' Flight)[2]
QC (1944 - May 1945,
'B' Flight)[2]
QD (1944 - May 1945,
'C' Flight)[2]
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance de Havilland Tiger Moth
Taylorcraft Auster

No. 654 Squadron RAF was 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 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.[3][4]

History

de Havilland DH-82b Tiger Moth.

No. 654 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, on 15 July 1942 and went into action on August 1943 in North Africa. From December 1943, it served in Italy, where it remained until disbanding at Campoformido on 24 June 1947.

Present

The original squadron is represented today by 654 Squadron of 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps. 654 AAC disbanded in July 2014, as part of Army 2020.[5]

Aircraft operated

File:Auster Mk III ExCC.jpg
An Auster Mk.III
Aircraft operated by no. 654 Squadron RAF, data from[1][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

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Halley 1988, p. 446.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 98.
  3. ↑ Halley 1988, p. 444.
  4. ↑ Jefford 2001, pp. 102–105.
  5. ↑ http://forces.tv/60545910
  6. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 103.

Bibliography

  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Reated content


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This RAF article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=No._654_Squadron_RAF&oldid=679916738"