Brief History of the Army Air Corps

            The Army Air Corps in its present form has only existed since 1957; however, an earlier AAC existed during World War II and Army flying has of course been going on since the formation of the Air Battalion RE and later the RFC until its absorption into the RAF.

            The Corps was formed in 1957 from RAF Air Observation Post (Air OP) Squadrons, these were formed shortly after the start of WWII. The first Air OP Squadron – 651 Air OP Sqn RAF – was sent to North Africa immediately after its formation, and later 652 to 662 Squadrons were formed and served in all the theatres of World War II. These Squadrons all had RA officers as OC and pilots, RAF Adjutants and Equipment Officers, and RA drivers and signallers with RAF technical ground crews. The original task of the Squadrons was observation of artillery fire, but later such tasks as photographic reconnaissance, liaison (ie passenger) flying, message and supply dropping, casualty evacuation and every sort of battlefield reconnaissance were added. After the war there were formed Auxiliary Air OP Squadrons (ie TAVR units) with the numbers 663 to 666 which were allocated through the UK on a regional basis, but these were disbanded in 1957 with the rest of the R Aux AF. Air OP Squadrons remained RAF units until 1957, when they were taken over by the Army.

The Glider Pilot Regiment, which with the Parachute Regiment and SAS formed the Army Air Corps (for record purposes), was formed in 1941 and, although it was based upon RAF stations and the gliders were pulled by RAF aircraft, was entirely Army. The Regiment was reduced to one Squadron after the war and upon that Squadron’s disbandment the pilots were either posted back to their parent army unit or given retraining on Austers and posted to special flights called Light Liaison Flights, formed within the Air OP Squadrons (although some of these flights including 1903 which served in Korea were independent of any squadron). Until the final disbandment of the Regiment in 1957 the liaison flights were the means by which Arms other than RA came into Army flying.

            With the formation of the AAC again in 1957, the Air OP (RA) officers, and the officer and soldier pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment were all posted into Light Aircraft Squadrons AAC, and about 40 officers and 20 soldiers were transferred from their original arms into the AAC. Later more transferred until the permanent cadre as it was known comprised about 70 officers and 30 Warrant and Non-Commissioned officers, all pilots. Pilots of all Arms having attended flying courses served in AAC squadrons and flights. The technical ground crew RAF were replaced by REME aircraft tradesmen, but to assist in this transition, some naval artificers and technicians were attached to the AAC. Some units contained personnel of all three Services.

            Training pilot Air Op was carried out by 227 OCU which (later 43 OTU) at Andover. This unit later moved to RAF Middle Wallop and became known as the Air OP School and then the Light Aircraft School. Glider pilots were trained at Glider Training Schools at Thame, Netheravon and other places until the 1950s when they were also sent to the Light Aircraft School for their powered flying course. The Light Aircraft School expanded and took over the entire Station as the Army Air Corps Centre in 1958 and since then has carried out all Army flying training with the exception of flying instructors who are still trained at the Central Flying School. Since 1970 soldiers have been trained as Air Gunners and Air Observers. Since 1974 such personnel have been known as Aircrewmen.

The helicopter first came into Army use with the formation of the Joint Experimental Helicopter Unit to test the Whirlwind and Sycamore helicopters for the RAF and Army. This unit was based at Middle Wallop and served in the Suez campaign. When it was disbanded the Army started the helicopter’s use with the Skeeter, later replaced by the Sioux and Scout, both used in AAC flights; these slowly replaced the Auster, a fixed-wing liaison flying capability being maintained by the flights of Beaver aircraft in each theatre. Today Squadrons are, in the main, equipped with Lynx and Gazelle helicopters.

            Groundcrew were provided by the RA for all AAC units until 1964, when the RAC took over the provision of about half the total. In 1964 certain RAC, RA, RE, R Signals and Infantry units were allocated air troops of three helicopters each which were designed to operate as part of the parent unit for all purposes. This was  known as the Integration Scheme, whereas AAC Squadrons were reduced to small headquarters to support their divisional HQs, and to command the brigade and divisional flights and the integrated air troops. The Integration Scheme was prevented from expanding to its full size by financial stringencies. In 1969, all aircraft, with the exception of four RAC air squadrons, were grouped into squadrons, one for each brigade and one for the divisional HQ to form a Divisional Aviation Regiment. In 1973 the use of ‘aviation’ in titles ceased, since the organisation was largely AAC manned. Later the four RAC air squadrons were absorbed into the AAC.

            Since 1973 the AAC has recruited its own groundcrew. Their predecessors, RA and RAC soldiers, usually served only one tour and their replacement caused a considerable training load. Today AAC soldiers undergo basic military, driver and groundcrewman courses, which include specialist fields such as arming and refuelling aircraft. On completion of their training they are posted to operational units. The AAC have RN and RAF aircrew serving on exchange within its units, the AAC hold reciprocal posts. This is also the case with foreign defence forces, such as the US Army, Australian Army and Canadian Air Force. These long standing inter-service and country relationships, happily still remain.

Major Units

Squadrons

Flights

The Army at Middle Wallop

            Middle Wallop camp and airfield, the School of Army Aviation, was originally built in 1939 as a Royal Air Force station, and was a major fighter station throughout the 1939-45 war. It became a Naval air station for one year but otherwise remained Royal Air Force until 1957, when the unit that trained Army pilots expanded and took over the whole station. The School of Army Aviation is in direct succession to the first Air OP training unit, which was retitled several times and moved from Andover to Middle Wallop in 1947. Since 1958 the station has been entirely Army (with RN and RAF persons serving in exchange appointments) and as the camp has no barracks name the title Army Air Corps Centre serves for both.

            The station has had several titles; for the period 1965-1973, it was entitled the Army Aviation Centre and from 1974-1994 it was entitled Army Air Corps Centre. More recently it changed to the School of Army Aviation.

Present Organisation

The School of Army Aviation (SAAvn) is an Arms School within the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA), and is commanded by a Colonel, known as the Commandant.

The School Headquarters is also the Station Headquarters, and the Commandant is the Station Commander. The bulk of SAAvn comprises 2 (Training) Regiment Army Air Corps which has its own Commanding Officer. Both HQ SAAvn and RHQ 2 (Trg) Regt AAC are located in the command block opposite the Guardroom.

There are three training elements to 2 (Trg) Regt AAC:

Flying Wing, commanded by the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) a Lieutenant Colonel, and responsible for flying training.

FBH currently holds the contract for basic flying instruction and aircraft maintenance and reports to the CFI.

668 (Trg) Sqn AAC, commanded by a major, and responsible for ground training of AAC recruits (Phase 2 training) and signals, management and leadership training of AAC NCOs (Phase 3 training). Command and Tactics Wing, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, and responsible for tactical training within the AAC.

Middle Wallop is the home of the Army Air Corps, and as such there are various other units on Station which are directly associated with Army Aviation:

Headquarters Director Army Aviation (HQ DAAvn). The Director Army Aviation, is the professional head of the Army Air Corps. As such he is responsible for setting the professional standards and developing the ethos and values of the Corps. To enable him to execute his responsibilities, Headquarters Director Army Aviation (HQ DAAvn) has the traditional Staff Branches (G1-G4) plus Regimental Headquarters Army Air Corps, Staff Quartermaster, Aviation Supply, Training Development Team, Consultant Advisor in Aviation Medicine, Aviation Standards, the Attack Helicopter Fielding and Development Unit (AHFDU) and 667 (Demonstration & Trials) Squadron that carries out a wide range of trials on both aircraft and ground support equipment.

Rotary Wing Support Group Commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel and responsible for providing Equipment Support (ES) advice to Army Aviation units worldwide.

132 Aviation Supply Unit RLC. Middle Wallop Det: Provides aviation spares and associated items for the Station and Army Air Corps units worldwide.

Museum of Army Flying (MAF). As a charity, is controlled by a committee of Trustees and managed by a Museum