Formed as fighter unit at Filton in Jun 1916 from 19 Squadron, it saw WWI service in France and Italy before disbanding in Oct 1919. Reformed at Duxford from C Flight of 19 Squadron in Jul 1936, after only 4 months with biplanes it remained an exclusively Spitfire unit throughout WWII until it disbanded again in Apr 1945. 
Reformed again at Duxford (from 165 Squadron) on 1 Sep 1946 with Spitfires, it converted to Meteors and spent time between the UK and Germany, until it disbanded with Hunter F.6s at Acklington in Sep 1960.
Its short rotary-wing career began at RAF Odiham, where it was reformed from the year-old Belvedere Trials Unit in Sep 1961. It moved to the Far East in May 1962 and had a tough time with the Belvedere spares and servicability in the hot and high conditions. Its numbers were boosted on 4 Dec 1965 when 4 more airframes arrived from Aden, aboard HMS Albion. After service in the Far East in support of Malaysian operations, it disbanded after a 6 ship flypast by its last remaining airframes, in Mar 1969.
Its short rotary-wing career began at RAF Odiham, where it was reformed from the year-old Belvedere Trials Unit in Sep 1961. It moved to the Far East in May 1962 and had a tough time with the Belvedere spares and servicability in the hot and high conditions. Its numbers were boosted on 4 Dec 1965 when 4 more airframes arrived from Aden, aboard HMS Albion. After service in the Far East in support of Malaysian operations, it disbanded after a 6 ship flypast by its last remaining airframes, in Mar 1969.
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Models 66 Squadron List of helicopters |
| C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13343 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1959 | XG448 : del RAF as Belvedere HC.1, XG448, 20Nov59; served with 66 Sqn, unk; soc &+ : pictured (pic1) being worked on at Kuching, on a perforated steel planking+ |  XG448 | |||
| 13344 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1959 | XG449 : RAF 72 Sqdn; went to 66 sqdn; broken up 1969 Seletar | XG449 | |||
| 13346 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1959 | XG451 : 66 Sq / C by 1960, 66 Sq / E by 1966 : pictured (pic1) at Kuching in typically damp conditions. | XG451 | |||
| 13348 w/o 1969 | Type 192 Belvedere | 1960 | XG453 : handed over to Belvedere Trials Unit ( BTU ) at Oldmixon on 13 Oct 1960; r+ : pictured (pic1) landing at Kuching on a damp day. D : 66 Sq / D by 1966; 18 Mar 1969 damaged by fire on Start up at Seletar but + | ||||
| 13351 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1960 | XG456 : handed over to Belvedere Trials Unit ( BTU ) at Oldmixon on 13 Oct 1960; r+ | XG456 | |||
| 13357 w/o 1963 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1961 | XG462 : dd Sep 1961 as 66Sq/H. To 72Sq/H by Nov 1961. Mid air rear engine fire nea+ | ||||
| 13360 w/o 1962 | Type 192 Belvedere | 1961 | XG465 J : as 66 Sq / J this aircraft placed the flèche (lattice spire) on top of Co+ | ||||
| 13361 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1962 | XG466 : 66 Sq / L by 1966; soc and reduced to spares May 1968 after reaching nearl+ | ||||
| 13362 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1962 | XG467 : 72 Sq; 26 Sq; 66 Sq | ||||
| 13364 w/o 1963 | Type 192 Belvedere | 1962 | XG473 : w/o 4 May 1963 nr Lawas (Tusan Valley) in Borneo, while with 66 Sq. This w+ | ||||
| 13365 | Type 192 Belvedere | 1962 | XG474 : del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG474, 08Jun62; soc 20Mar69; pres in 66 Sqn mark+ : 66 Sq/O Jun 1962, 66 Sq/B and detached to Brunei by Dec 1962 and returned + : pictured in 66 Squadron / O markings at RAF Museum, Hendon | ||||
| 13367 Scrapped | Type 192 Belvedere | 1962 | XG476 : pictured (pic1) being loaded onto a freighter in Kuching Docks. P : noted at Terendak Camp. | XG476 | |||
| 13438 w/o 1963 | Sycamore 4 | 1957 | XL822 V : w/o while searching along the Tusan Valley for the wreckage of 66 Sq Belv+ | ||||
66 Squadron Operations |
| Dates | Operation | |
|---|---|---|
| 1962-dec |  Konfrontasi | |
| 1962-apr-27 | 1962-may | Operation Rich Man |
