658 Sqn

No. 658 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum on 30 April 1943 with the Auster III and from March 1944 the Auster IV. The squadron role was to support the 21st Army Group and in June 1944 it moved to France. Fighting in the break-out from Normandy it followed the army across the countries and into Germany. In October 1945 the squadron left for India, where it was disbanded on 15 October 1946.

The squadron today is represented by 658 Squadron, Army Air Corps - formed by the renaming of 8 Flight AAC. The flight provided the SAS with their own, light Special Operations Aviation support. It was made up of five Eurocopter AS 365N Dauphin helicopters. The flight previously operated four Agusta 109A's and two Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters, all of which were retired in 2008. Two of the Agustas were captured from the Argentine forces in the Falklands War in 1982 as war prizes and the other two were bought new. 8 Flight was renamed No. 658 Squadron AAC on 1 September 2013.

658 Squadron is currently part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing: a joint-service organisation which provides aviation support to United Kingdom Special Forces, using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The wing is based at RAF Odiham.

The Wing was formed on 2 April 2001, bringing together 657 Squadron AAC and 7 Squadron RAF into a single unit in support of United Kingdom Special Forces with 8 Flight AAC (now No. 658 Squadron AAC) joining in 2008.

The aircraft all based at different MoD establishments including:

• No. 7 Squadron RAF with the Boeing Chinook HC4 at RAF Odiham.
• No. 658 Squadron AAC with Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II'sand Westland Gazelle AH1's at Credenhill Barracks.
• No. 47 Squadron RAF with Lockheed C-130 Hercules's at RAF Brize Norton.
• No. 657 Squadron AAC with Westland Lynx at RAF Odiham.

The Wing is under peacetime command of the Station Commander of RAF Odiham, but the single services retain full command of their respective personnel. It enjoys a charitable affiliation with the Worshipful Company of Curriers in the City of London.

Sources

• "RAF Odiham: about us" by UK MoD/RAF, (accessed: 22 Dec 2014)
• "No. 658 Squadron RAF" by Wikipedia {Start*} (21 Sep 2014 ; accessed: 22 Dec 2014)
• "Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing" by Wikipedia {Start*} (21 Sep 2014 ; accessed: 22 Dec 2014)
• "8 Flight AAC" by Wikipedia {Start*} (3 Dec 2014 ; accessed: 22 Dec 2014)

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