Formed on 1 Aug 1941 as an Air Observation Post unit at Old Sarum, it saw service in North Africa, Italy, Germany and the Eastern Mediterranean - where it operated from 1947 as a number of 1900 series Flights until it disbanded in Egypt on 31 Oct 1955.
It was reformed at Middle Wallop with Sycamores on 1 Nov 1955, by renaming 657 Squadron and transferred to the AAC at RAF Feltwell on 1 Sep 1957.
651 Sq was administratively responsible for 13 Flight in the late 1950s / early 1960s when 13 Flt was in Northern Ireland with Skeeters.
Having spent 1990 to 1994 in Lynx flight as an Aircrewman(G) I will try to fill in a few gaps. When I was posted to the Sqn as part of 1 Regt AAC the base was in Hildesheim south of Hannover. It was the closest base to the old German inner border between East and West. The other 2 Squadrons in the Regt were 652 and 662 Sqn along with HQ Sqn and each Sqn had its REME techs attached. When I first arrived the Regt was converting to Lynx AH7 from the old AH1 s which were a vast inprovment but still vibrated enough to shake fillings out. After the East/West reunifacation the AAC as a whole became a victim of drawdown as it was termed (or cuts to use civvy terms) the Regt moved from Hildeshiem to the old RAF Guttersloh base after the RAF Harriers had gone in 1993. The camp became Princess Royal Barracks under the Royal Logistics Corps (or really large club as we called it).i was posted out (as a victim of cutbacks) in 1994 so from here on it gets a little hazey. 651 Sqn was posted back to England to Middle Wallop the to RAF Odiham as part of the Joint Special Forces Air Wing still flying Lynx until moving to 5 Regt AAC in Northern Ireland converting to the BN Islander. Once again the last the last few point need conferming for dates etc. To close on a funny note, If I had not been made redundant in 1995 in would my self have converted to the Islander in July 1994 and then onto 5 Regt as a member of 1 Flt and would have still been there when 1 Flt became 651 Sqn.... I hope this adds a little more detail for you, keep up the good work. Regards, Don Edge AWO (RAF-R Retired) Formally CPL D E Edge AAC
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651 Squadron List of helicopters |
C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S2/5064 | Skeeter 7 | 1958 | XL734 : ff May 1958 to AAC Jun 1958, Trials airframe, early in its service life.;t+ | ||||
S2/5069 w/o 1963 | Skeeter 7 | 1958 | XL738 : AOP.12 del AAC Sep 1958; HTF; 651 Sq | ||||
S2/5074 | Skeeter 7 | 1958 | XL762 : dd AAC Sep 1958. Spent various amounts of time with; 651 Sq; 654 Sq; 22 Fl+ | - XL762 | |||
S2/5078 | Skeeter 7 | 1958 | XL765 : 651 Sq 2 Feb 1959;
trials at Middle Wallop between Jul and Oct 1961;
654 S+ | - XL765 | |||
S2/5096 w/o 1967 | Skeeter 7 | 1959 | XL811 : to AAC. 651 Sq, 652 Sq, 17 Flt., Air Troop 9/12 Lancers. w/o in accident 1+ | - XL811 | |||
S2/5116 | Skeeter 7 | 1959 | XM561 : to 651 Sq until c Aug 1961 | ||||
S2/5120 | Skeeter 7 | 1959 | XM565 : AOP.12 del Nov 1959; 651 Sq | ||||
S2/7145 w/o 1968 | Skeeter 7 | 1959 | XN339 : to 651 Sq AAC by mid Dec 1959 | ||||
S2/7147 | Skeeter 7 | 1960 | XN341 : dd Feb 1960 to AAC. 651 Sq, Air Troop 3 RTR, soc c 1970 | XN341 - XN341 | |||
S2/7156 | Skeeter 7 | 1960 | XN350 : to 651 Sq Aug 1961 until c Jul 1962 : to 651 Sq (13 Flt parent) until 1966. | ||||
S2/7157 | Skeeter 7 | 1960 | XN351 : 651 Sq, 652 Sq, 3 RTR Air Troop, Wroughton, Shuttleworth Collection. | - XN351 | |||
f.9487 | ah.1 | 1963 | XP886 : 651 Sq; 660 Sq; 652 Sq | ||||
1291 | ah.1 | 1975 | XX389 : AAC Gazelle AH.1 built by Westland. ; in 1994 651Sqn. | ||||
1313 w/o 1998 | ah.1 | 1975 | XX395 : AAC Gazelle AH.1 built by Westland; 1991 662Sqn /J; 1992 662Sqn /J; 1994 6+ | ||||
1366 | ah.1 | 1975 | XX414 : AAC Gazelle AH.l1 built by Westland. ; in 1992 /M 663Sqn. ; 1994 651Sqn. : noted at Gutersloh | ||||
1405 | ah.1 | 1975 | XX437 : 1998 651Sqn. | ||||
021 | ah1 | 1977 | XZ173 : AH.1 651 Sq by 1985 | ||||
037 | ah1 | 1977 | XZ176 : AAC; 2jun98 651Sqn. visit | XZ176 | |||
075 | ah1 | 1978 | XZ187 : 654 Sq; 651 Sq; 655 Sq; 667 Sq; 655 Sq; 667 Sq; 655 Sq; to Fleetlands | ||||
077 | ah1 | 1978 | XZ188 : 651 Sq; Lynx Conv Flt; 655 Sq; 665 Sq; 655 Sq; 662 Sq; 654 Sq | ||||
127 | ah1 | 1979 | XZ211 : noted at Gutersloh : noted visiting RAF Manston | ||||
146 | ah1 | 1980 | XZ220 : noted at Gutersloh. : 2jun98 with 651Sqn visit Elmpt Station, Germany | - XZ220 | |||
1559 w/o 1980 | ah.1 | XZ306 : w/o18 Dec 1980 nr Lisburn, NI (while with 651 Sq ?) | |||||
239 | ah1 | 1981 | XZ674 : noted at Gutersloh. | ||||
1808 | ah.1 | 1980 | ZA766 : AAC Gazelle AH.1 built by Westland; 1998 651Sqn. | ||||
290 | ah1 | 1983 | ZD277 : noted at Gutersloh. | ||||
302 | ah1 | 1983 | ZD280 : AAC; 2000 type AH.7 651Sqn. | - ZD280 |
651 Squadron Operations |
Dates | Operation | |
---|---|---|
2010-feb | 2010-may | Operation Herrick |
2008-jul | 2008-dec | Operation Telic |
1980-feb-12 | 1980-jun-11 | Operation Banner |
1978-apr-12 | 1978-aug-15 | Operation Banner |
1976-aug-12 | 1976-dec-11 | Operation Banner |
1973-jul-27 | 1974-apr-01 | Operation Banner |
1972-nov-30 | 1973-apr-01 | Operation Banner |
1972-feb-17 | 1972-jun-17 | Operation Banner |