BRITISH ARMY AVIATION WW1 BALLOONS WW2 LYSANDER GLIDERS AOP AUSTER SCOUT APACHE

HEAVILY ILLUSTRATED SOFTBOUND BOOK in ENGLISH

FROM WW1 GAS BALLOONS TO AH-4 APACHE ATTACK HELICOPTERS

WW1 BALLOONATICS

HARRY TATE’S EYE IN THE SKY – ROYAL AIRCRAFT FACTORY R.E.8

ARMY COOPERATION WESTLAND LYSANDER

OPERATION CRUSADER WW2 NORTH AFRICA – TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT FOR THE ARMY DEVELOPMENT

BEYOND THE HORIZON – THE AIR OBSERVATION POST

THE EYES OF THE ARMY – AOP AUSTER

AUSTERS OVER KOREA

HISTORIC ARMY AIRCRAFT FLIGHT

DELIVERING TROOPS FROM THE AIR – THE GLIDER PILOT REGIMENT IN WW2

ROTARY WINGS – DEVELOPING THE BRITISH ARMY’S HELICOPTER FORCE

AUSTER TO APACHE – AAC COUNTER INSURGENCY OPERATIONS

HELICOPTER WARS – COMBAT IN THE GULF, THE BALKANS AND SIERRA LEONE

DANCING HELICOPTERS – THE ARMY’S BLUE EAGLES DISPLAY TEAM

CLOCKWORK MICE – OPERATION BANNER SIOUX HELICOPTERS

APACHES OVER LIBYA – OPERATION ELLAMY

PROJECT EAGLE – THE ARMY FLYING MUSEUM IN THE 21^ST CENTURY

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Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia

The Army Air Corps (AAC) is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments (seven Regular Army and one Reserve) of the AAC as well as four Independent Flights and two Independent Squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Brunei, Canada, and Germany. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade through Joint Helicopter Command.

The British Army first took to the sky during the 19th century with the use of observation balloons. In 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was the first heavier-than-air British military aviation unit. The following year, the battalion was expanded into the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps which saw action throughout most of the First World War until 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force. Between the wars, the army used RAF co-operation squadrons. At the beginning of the Second World War, Royal Artillery officers, with the assistance of RAF technicians, flew Auster observation aircraft under RAF-owned Air Observation Post (AOP) Squadrons. Twelve squadrons were raised, three of which belonged to the RCAF and each performed vital duties in many theatres.

In 1942, Winston Churchill announced the establishment of a new branch of army aviation, the Army Air Corps. The corps initially comprised the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Parachute Battalions (subsequently the Parachute Regiment), Air Landing Regiments, and the Air Observation Post Squadrons. In March 1944, the SAS Regiment was added to the corps.

One of their most successful exploits during the war was the capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges by coup de main, which occurred on 6 June 1944, prior to the Normandy landings. Once the three gliders landed, some roughly which incurred casualties, the pilots joined the glider-borne troops (Ox & Bucks Light Infantry) to act as infantry. The bridge was taken within ten minutes of the battle commencing and the men withstood numerous attempts by the Germans to re-capture the location. They were soon reinforced and relieved by soldiers from the 1 Special Service Brigade (Lord Lovat). The AAC was disbanded in 1949, with the SAS regaining independent status, while the Parachute Regiment and Glider Pilot Regiment came under the umbrella of the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps.

In 1957 the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps was split, with the Parachute Regiment becoming an independent formation, while the Glider Pilot Regiment was merged with the Air Observation Squadrons of the Royal Artillery into a new unit, the Army Air Corps.

In 1958 the Saunders-Roe Skeeter 7 was introduced as the AAC's first helicopter, it was replaced by the Aérospatiale Alouette II and Westland Scout AH.1 during the early 1960s. The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver AL.1 was introduced during the 1960s along with the Agusta/Westland Sioux AH.1 in 1964.

From 1970, nearly every army brigade had at least one Aviation Squadron that usually numbered twelve aircraft. The main rotor aircraft during the 1970s were the Westland Scout and Bell Sioux general purpose helicopters. The Sioux was replaced from 1973 by the Westland Gazelle used for Airborne reconnaissance;[13] initially unarmed, they were converted to carry 68mm SNEB rocket pods in 1982, during the Falklands War. The Scout was replaced from 1978 by the Westland Lynx, which was capable of carrying additional firepower in the form of door gunners.

Basic rotary flying training was carried out on the Sioux in the 1970s, on the Gazelle in the 1980s and 1990s, and is currently conducted on the Eurocopter H145 through the Defence Helicopter Flying School.

Fixed-wing types in AAC service have included the Auster AOP.6 and AOP.9 and DHC-2 Beaver AL.1 in observation and liaison roles. In 1989, the AAC commenced operating a number of Britten-Norman Islander aircraft for surveillance and light transport duties.[16] The corps operated the DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 in a training role until its replacement by the Slingsby T67 Firefly in the 1990s. The Firefly was replaced by the Grob Tutor in 2010.

Cold War

During the Cold War the majority of Army Air Corps units were based in Germany and part of the British Army of the Rhine. At the beginning of 1989 the Army Air Corps structure was as follows:

Army Air Corps, AAC Middle Wallop

Main article: NORTHAG wartime structure in 1989

1 Wing AAC, Hobart Barracks in Detmold, West Germany, under operational control of Commander Aviation 1st British Corps (Wing disbanded during 1989)

1 Regiment AAC, Tofrek Barracks in Hildesheim, supported 1st Armoured Division

651 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7 (TOW))

652 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7 (TOW))

661 Squadron AAC, (Reconnaissance, 12x Gazelle AH.1)

3 Regiment AAC, Salamanca Barracks in Soest, supported 3rd Armoured Division

653 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7 (TOW))

662 Squadron AAC, (Reconnaissance, 12x Gazelle AH.1)

663 Squadron AAC, (Reconnaissance, 12x Gazelle AH.1)

4 Regiment AAC, Hobart Barracks in Detmold, supported 4th Armoured Division

654 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7 (TOW))

659 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7 (TOW))

669 Squadron AAC, (Reconnaissance, 12x Gazelle AH.1)

2 Wing AAC, AAC Netheravon (Wing disbanded during 1989)

Northern Ireland Regiment AAC, AAC Aldergrove (Later renamed 5 Regiment AAC)

655 Squadron AAC, AAC Ballykelly, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7), supported 2nd Infantry Division

665 Squadron AAC, (16x Gazelle AH.1), supported HQ Northern Ireland

1 Flight AAC, (Reconnaissance, 4x DHC-2 Beaver AOP)

7 Regiment AAC, AAC Netheravon

656 Squadron AAC, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7), supported 1st Infantry Brigade

666 Squadron AAC (V), (Territorial Army, Home Defence, 12x Gazelle AH.1)

2 Flight AAC, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported NATO's AMF(L)

657 Squadron AAC, Colchester Garrison, (Anti-Tank, 4x Gazelle AH.1, 12x Lynx AH.7), supported 9th Infantry Brigade; joined 9 Regiment AAC in July 1990.

9 Regiment AAC, RAF Topcliffe, part of 24th Airmobile Brigade

672 Squadron AAC, (Lynx Light Battlefield Helicopter Squadron, activated 1 January 1990, 12x Lynx AH.9)

3 Flight AAC, (4x Gazelle AH.1)

School of Army Aviation, AAC Middle Wallop

670 Squadron AAC, Middle Wallop, (Operational Training, 12x Gazelle AH.1, activated 1989)

671 Squadron AAC, Middle Wallop, (Conversion to Type, 8x Gazelle AH.1, 8x Lynx AH.7)

Trade Training School (Ground Crew & Maintenance Training)

660 Squadron AAC, RAF Sek Kong, Hong Kong, (12x Scout AH.1), supported British Forces Hong Kong, two Scouts detached to British Forces Brunei

C Flight, 660 Squadron AAC, Anduki Airfield in Seria, Brunei, (2x Scout AH.1)

664 Squadron AAC, St George's Barracks in Minden, West Germany, (Reconnaissance, 12x Gazelle AH.1), supported 1st British Corps

Development & Trials Squadron, AAC Middle Wallop, (12x Gazelle AH.1, under Director Army Air Corps. On 1 April 1990 renamed 667 (D&T) Squadron AAC)

7 Flight AAC, RAF Gatow, Berlin, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported the Berlin Infantry Brigade

8 Flight AAC, Stirling Lines, Hereford, (4x A109A Hirundo), supported the Special Air Service

12 Flight AAC, RAF Wildenrath, Germany, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported British Army of the Rhine

16 Flight AAC, Kingsfield Airfield in Dhekelia, Cyprus, (4x Gazelle AH.1) supported British Forces Cyprus

25 Flight AAC, Price Barracks, Belize, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported British Army Training and Support Unit Belize

29 (BATUS) Flight AAC, CFB Suffield, Canada, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported British Army Training Unit Suffield

UNFICYP Flight AAC, Nicosia Airport, Cyprus, (4x Gazelle AH.1), supported United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

War on Terror

A further boost in the Army Air Corps' capability came in the form of the Westland Apache AH.1 attack helicopter, introduced in 2004. In 2006, British Apaches deployed to Afghanistan as part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force. In 2004, Britten-Norman Defender fixed wing aircraft were purchased for Afghanistan and Iraq.

End of fixed-wing flying, 2019–2021

In April 2019, 651 Squadron personnel and aircraft, the Islander and Defender, were transferred from 5 Regiment to No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing Royal Air Force. 651 Squadron continued to operate the aircraft until they were retired from service on 30 June 2021.

Current structure and deployment

Mascot

The Army Air Corps adopted their first Corps Mascot – Zephyr, a bald eagle – in October 2011.

Training

The training of future Army Air Corps aircrew is delivered by the joint service UK Military Flying Training System. Elementary Flying Training was delivered at RAF Barkston Heath with 674 Squadron AAC, up until the Squadron’s standing down in April 2021.

Training Units, AAC Middle Wallop

7 (Training) Regiment AAC

671 Squadron – 'Lynx/Gazelle/Bell 212'j (Future uncertain, given retirement of Gazelle and Lynx fleets)

673 Squadron – Apache Conversion to type

No. 1 Flying Training School RAF, RAF Shawbury | Juno HT.1

660 Squadron

670 Squadron – Operational Training

Personnel

The strength of the Army Air Corps is about 2,000 Regular personnel, of which 500 are officers. However, the AAC draws an additional 2,600 personnel from the Royal Logistic Corps, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the Adjutant General Corps. Therefore, total related Army Air Corps personnel is around 4,600.

Aircraft

Further information: List of active United Kingdom military aircraft and List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)

Since 2019, the AAC solely operates rotary-wing aircraft in the operational environment. The AAC uses the same designation system for aircraft as the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm. The sole fixed-wing trainer is the Grob Tutor, used for Army Flying Grading.