• Helicopter books
  • Books
  • Helicopter patches
  • Patches
  • Oil & Gas
  • Wind Energy
  • Urban air mobility
  • Marine One
  • V-280 FLRAA
  • Model kits
  • Kits
  • Mobile APP
  • united kingdom 653 Squadron

    Army Air Corps




    Part of 3 Regiment, AAC



    1942 to present    





    Helicopters


    Formed at Old Sarum in Wiltshire on 20 Jun 1942 as an AOP unit during WWII, it was disbanded in Germany on 15 Sep 1945.

    It played a key role in the Middle East when it reformed in Cyprus in May 1958 with Alouette II and Austers. It moved to Aden, then received its first two Scout in Mar 1964 after transit in HMS Bulwark, with 3 more arriving in May 1964. Disbanded Oct 1967.

    It reformed at Netheravon in Oct 1969 with Sioux and Scout and provided roulement tours to Northern Ireland (mainly Aldergrove, but 1972 tour included detachments at Ballykelly and 1978 included Long Kesh), and further afield to Belize, Canada, Ethiopia and Norway. Disbanded Jul 1977 as part of the preparations to introduce 3 REGT into Germany.

    Reformed at Soest as part of 4 REGT by renumbering 654 Squadron on 1 Apr 1978. While stationed in Soest, the unit rotated a small detachment of Scout at Omagh in NI between Oct 1978 and 1980.



    653 Sqd AAC were based at Netheravon Airfield during the 70s and only visited Aldergrove as part of the Northern Ireland support as did all European based Squadrons. These were typically 4 month tours and Aldergrove was the base for the UK based Squadrons when in NI.
    Bill Horsburgh ex ACC chef: It was the first AAC Sqdn to have a ACC chef attached to it. Just prior to it moving from Carter Bks Bulford to Netherhaven Airfield where a Regt was formed. It would be very interesting if there was anyone out there remembers this


    @ (optional)     Send




    Locations


    YearsLocationICAO/FAA
    1999MK PetrovecLWSK
    1999YU Film City
    1993/    AAC WattishamEGUW
    1978/93DE SoestEDLZ
    1978/80Omagh
    1969/77AldergroveEGAA
    1969/77AAC NetheravonEGDN
    1967/69YE Khormaksar / Aden InternationalOYAA


    Models

    Login to Edit

    YearsModels
    2009/    WAH-64 Apache
    1980/??Lynx
    1964/67Scout









    Operations


    DatesOperation
    may-13sep-13AF Operation Herrick
    sep-11jan-12AF Operation Herrick
    jan-10may-10AF Operation Herrick
    aug-99oct-99Y2 KFOR (kosovo force)
    11-jun-8023-oct-80 Operation Banner
    12-jun-7813-oct-78 Operation Banner
    15-dec-7512-apr-76 Operation Banner
    17-apr-7415-aug-74 Operation Banner
    20-aug-7214-dec-72 Operation Banner
    21-oct-7019-feb-71 Operation Banner