Originally formed on 12 Jan 1916, 33 Squadron served with distinction in both World Wars.
It reformed in Jun 1971 and the Puma HC.1 officially entered service at RAF Odiham on 29 Sep. It detached 3 Puma to Belize on Oct 1975 via Belfast heavy lift of 53 Squadron, to assist in detering further Guatemalan threats.
It maintained a small detachment in Northern Ireland. It provided CASEVAC support to UK 7th Armoured Brigade during the 1991 Gulf War (through British Forces Middle East) and has seen RAF and UN service in Europe, the Middle East and Africa since then. In Jun 1997, it moved with its Pumas, to RAF Benson. 33 Squadron is committed to UK Joint Helicopter Command.
33Sq B Flt detached to Kenya in Nov 2009 and was still there in May 2011, supporting pre-theatre training of British ground forces prior to their deployment to Afghanistan.
It reformed in Jun 1971 and the Puma HC.1 officially entered service at RAF Odiham on 29 Sep. It detached 3 Puma to Belize on Oct 1975 via Belfast heavy lift of 53 Squadron, to assist in detering further Guatemalan threats.
It maintained a small detachment in Northern Ireland. It provided CASEVAC support to UK 7th Armoured Brigade during the 1991 Gulf War (through British Forces Middle East) and has seen RAF and UN service in Europe, the Middle East and Africa since then. In Jun 1997, it moved with its Pumas, to RAF Benson. 33 Squadron is committed to UK Joint Helicopter Command.
33Sq B Flt detached to Kenya in Nov 2009 and was still there in May 2011, supporting pre-theatre training of British ground forces prior to their deployment to Afghanistan.
Locations
| 1971-1997 | EGVO ODH | RAF Odiham |
| 1990-1991 |  Ras-al-Ghar Military Port |
|
| 1991 | OERY XXN | Riyadh AB |
| 1997-2025 | EGUB BEX | RAF Benson |
| 2009-?? |  Nanyuki Show Ground |
|
| 2015-2021 | OAKB KBL |  Kabul International Airport |
Models
| 1971-2012 | SA330 Puma |
| 2012-2025 | Puma Mk2 |
Operations
| Aug 19481948 | Mar 19551955 |  Operation Firedog |
| 23 Jul 19741974 | Sep 19741974 |  Partition of Cyprus |
| Feb 19781978 | Mar 19781978 |  Exercise Arctic Express 78 |
| 18 Dec 19791979 | Mar 19801980 |  Operation Agila |
| Nov 19901990 | Mar 19911991 |  Operation Desert Shield/Storm |
| 21 Mar 19921992 | 20 Dec 19951995 |  UNPROFOR |
| 08 Feb 20032003 | 04 May 20032003 | Operation Telic |
| 06 Oct 20142014 | 17 Oct 20142014 | Exercise Joint Warrior 14-2 |
| Mar 20152015 | Jun 20212021 | Operation Toral |
| Sep 20172017 | Oct 20172017 |  Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria Relief Operations |