Formed at Old Sarum on 1 May 1942 as an Air Observation Post (AOP) unit and joined army units for the D-Day landings, spotting for artillery, until the end of World War II. It served 1 (British) Corps in Germany after the war and by Apr 1949 was stationed at the ex-Luftwaffe base at Detmold (ETUD). By Apr 1951, still at Detmold, it oversaw the Austers of 1904, 1905 and 1909 Flights and by 1953, also included 1901 Flight at Detmold (transferring in from 657 Sq in 1952) and 1912 Flight at Buckeburg.
In Dec 1969 it reformed from 27 Flight and the Air Troops of 27 (Medium) Regt, Royal Artillery and 2 Division Engineers. Between Aug and Dec 1977, the unit contributed 3 of its airframes for what turned out to be the last Sioux AH.1 detachment to Northern Ireland. By 1979, it was based at Bünde as part of 2 Regiment, flying the Lynx and the Scout. By 1986 it was flying Lynx and Gazelle from Hildesheim for 1 Regiment. By Mar 2006, it was stationed at Princess Barracks with the Lynx AH.7, still with 1 Regiment.
In Dec 1969 it reformed from 27 Flight and the Air Troops of 27 (Medium) Regt, Royal Artillery and 2 Division Engineers. Between Aug and Dec 1977, the unit contributed 3 of its airframes for what turned out to be the last Sioux AH.1 detachment to Northern Ireland. By 1979, it was based at Bünde as part of 2 Regiment, flying the Lynx and the Scout. By 1986 it was flying Lynx and Gazelle from Hildesheim for 1 Regiment. By Mar 2006, it was stationed at Princess Barracks with the Lynx AH.7, still with 1 Regiment.
652 Sqn AAC became 652 (Wildcat Fielding) Sqn AAC on 1 Oct 2013. Now based at RNAS Yeovilton, 652(WF) Sqn AAC has the responsibility to Field, Evaluate and develop the AW159 Wildcat AH Mk 1 (BRH - Battlefield Recce Helicopter). Once Fielding and Evaluation is complete (mid to end of 2014), 652 Sqn will become 652 (Operational Conversion) Sqn AAC responsible for training all AAC and Royal Marine Wildcat aircrew and groundcrew.
When 652 were in Bunde they were actually operating Scout and Sioux Helicopters then the Sioux was replaced by the Gazelle,I was stationed at Birdwood Barracks with 652 from 1974 to 1977 then transferred to the REME
In the winter of 1974 half of the Sqn were deployed to Long Kesh in Northern Ireland for a 4 month tour, together with 659 Sqn, who operated Sioux. During this time the O. C., Major Gill, was killed whilst flying a Sioux on a mission, caused by hitting wires when flying low level. The Sqn again deployed to Long Kesh in December 1975 for a further 4 month tour, once again taking 6 Scouts. I believe we were with 662 Sqn, with their Sioux. During this tour S.SGT Brian Jackson and Air Gunner Kevin Ford were both killed when their Scout crashed in the Mourn Mountains while using Night Sun on a support mission. I was part of both tours with 652 as an Aircraft Technician.
Locations | |
| Years | Location | ICAO/FAA |
| 2013/ | RNAS Yeovilton | EGDY |
| 1993/13 |  Gütersloh | ETUO |
| 1983/93 | Hildesheim | EDVM |
| 1977 | Aldergrove | EGAA |
| 1975/76 | Long Kesh | |
| 1974/75 | Long Kesh | |
| 1969/83 | Bunde |
Models | Login to Edit | |
| Years | Models | |
| 2013/ | AW159 Wildcat AH1  | |
| 1969/81 | Scout Scout AH.1 | |
652 Squadron List of helicopters | Help Us | |
| C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
 | S2/5074 | Skeeter | 1958 | XL762 : AOP.12. Appeared at 1958 SBAC Farnborough Air Show, dd AAC Sep 1958. Spent+ | - XL762 : Acquired by Museum of Flight, 1975. Still present 2013. | ||
| S2/5086 | Skeeter | 1958 | XL770 : 654 Sq; 652 Sq; 15/19 Hussars; soc May 1968 | ||||
| S2/5094 | Skeeter | 1959 | XL809 : AOP.12 Feb 1959 to AAC; 652 Sq; 654 Sq; 22 Flt; 652 Sq; 26 Regt; SoC 12 De+ | - PH-SRE : ex XL809 unk to PH-HOF - PH-HOF : ex PH-SRE 03may84 to G-BLIX - G-BLIX : - XL809 : G-BLIX, to Sywell Oct 1988 in airworthy condition : to Bedford area by Oct 2015 | |||
| S2/5096 | Skeeter | 1959 | XL811 : to AAC. 651 Sq, 652 Sq, 17 Flt., Air Troop 9/12 Lancers. w/o in accident 1+ | - XL811 : to Northern Aircraft Preservation Society Dec 1968 : to Historic Aircraft Museum, Southend 1972 until c May 1983 when remaining+ : to International Helicopter Museum, W-s-M Sep 1992. Still there Jul 2015. | |||
| S2/5112 | Skeeter | 1959 | XM557 : 1 Wing; 652 Sq; 654 Sq; 4 Flt; 652 Sq; 17 Flt; 26 Regt | - XM557 : held privately at Moordrecht Oct 1969; Holzerlingen, nr Stuttgart; Saxmund+ : stored at IHM Weston-super-Mare, Jan 2011. Still there Sep 2018. | |||
| S2/5119 | Skeeter | 1958 | XM564 : dd Dec 1959 to Army Air Corps; 652 Sq, CFS, 12 Flt, 652 Sq, Air Troop/2 RT+ | - XM564 : 25jun16 at Bovington Tank Museum, Vehicle Conservation Centre. Very dusty | ||
| S2/7150 | Skeeter | XN344 : 652 Sq; 654 Sq | ||||
| S2/7151 | Skeeter | 1960 | XN345 : 1 Wing; 655 Sq; 654 Sq; 17 Flt; 652 Sq; 17 Flt; 26 Regt | - XN345 : held privately at Moordrecht Oct 1969; Holzerlingen, nr Stuttgart; Saxmund+ : stored at IHM Weston-super-Mare, Jan 2011. Still there Sep 2018. | |||
| S2/7157 | Skeeter | 1960 | XN351 : 651 Sq, 652 Sq, 3 RTR Air Troop, Wroughton, Shuttleworth Collection. | - XN351 : on loan to Torbay Aircraft Museum May 1971. Still there 1974, 1976, Jan 19+ : to Wales Aircraft Museum 1980, to G-BKSC reg 13 Dec 1990 ?, de reg 11 Oct + : Preserved in Norwich area by Jan 2014, still in Jan 2018. | |||
| f.9487 | ah.1 | 1963 | XP886 : 651 Sq; 660 Sq; 652 Sq | ||||
| 1564 | ab47g-3b | 1964 | XT102 : AAC 652 Sq by Aug 1977. Sold 1978. | - G-BGHN : M H Wills, Alchester from 15jan79; w/o 05dec83 | |||
wa447  | Sioux | 1967 | XT558 : AAC 652 Sq by Aug 1977. | ||||
| wa522 | Sioux | 1966 | XT815 : AAC 652 Sq by Aug 1977. To OE-AXX. | - OE-AXX : Private | |||
| wa715 | Sioux | 1969 | XW195 : dd 1969, w/o 18 Dec 1975 at Crossmaglen with 652 Sq | ||||
| 1454 | ah.1 | 1976 | XX453 : AAC Gazelle AH1 built by Westland; 1999 652Sqn.; 2007 654Sqn. : 652 Sq, visited RAF Bruggen 14 Jul 1999 | ||||
| 038 | ah1 | 1977 | XZ177 : AH.1 AETW MW by Mar 1978, still May 1979; 652 Sq by 1985 |  XZ177 : 05jan10 seen together with XZ182 make a nightstop at Amsterdam Schiphol, N+ - XZ177 : Gate guardian at Delta Force paint ball, Kegworth Leics by May17 | |||
| 056 | ah1 | 1978 | XZ181 : AAC; 1984 652Sqn; 1992 663Sqn /H | ||||
| 116 | ah1 | 1979 | XZ208 : AAC; 1984 652Sqn | XZ208 : Royal Marines in 2003 847Sqn. | |||
| 152 | ah1 | 1979 | XZ608 : AAC; 1984 652Sqn | ||||
| 214 | ah1 | 1981 | XZ662 : AAC; 1991 652Sqn | ||||
| 234 | ah1 | 1981 | XZ671 : AAC; 652 Sqn w/o 24jan85 | ||||
| 285 | ah1 | 1983 | ZD276 : 652 Sq; 661 Sq; 656 Sq; 671 Sq; 655 Sq | ZD276 : to Everett Aero 2008. At some point, a Gazelle (unknown) tail unit was ma+ ZD276 : to Mayhem Paintball Essex by Jul 2009 : 07Jun18 pictured at Mayhem Paintball, Abridge with Gazelle tail and fenest+ | ||
| 491 | ah.1 | ZZ393 : 26Jul14 pictured (pic2) with 652 Sq during the Commando Assault finale at + | ZZ393 : Oct15 asg 847NAS, aboard HMS Ocean for Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 : 13Jul19, in the static display at RNAS Yeovilton 2019 | |||
Operations | |
| Dates | Operation | |
| oct-09 | jan-10 |  Operation Herrick |
| may-07 | oct-07 |  Operation Telic |
| sep-04 | mar-05 | Operation Telic |