Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Flight Histories - 1900 Series

Third series

At the beginning of WW2 it became necessary to form a number of units for specific operational and non-operational duties which did not require a unit of squadron size and so began the formation of what would eventually become a large number of independent numbered flights.  Initially these flights were numbered from 400 as it had been decided to allocate the 300 series to squadrons to be composed of European personnel.  However, on 1 March 1941 these numbered flights had 1000 added to their designation to avoid confusion with the Article XV Commonwealth squadron that were beginning to form in the UK.

Flights in this series were allocated to Air Observation Post units from 1946 and many of them operated as part of AOP squadrons, but some flights also operated as independent units.  These flights were classified as either Type A (Observation) or Type B (Observation and Photography).  They were flown by Army officers and on 1 September 1957 were absorbed into the newly formed Army Air Corps with 1900 being deducted from there numbers.

No 1900 AOP Flight

This was formed from 'A' and 'B' Flights of No 657 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Andover, remaining part of No 657 Squadron equipped with five Austers and a Tiger Moth.  It moved to Middle Wallop on 1 December 1948 and was affiliated to the 3rd Infantry Division on 5 December 1950.  It was sent to the Mediterranean as a n independent flight the following year arriving in Malta on 8 November 1951.  It moved to Castel Benito in Libya on 9 December, followed by Misurata on 14 January 1952 and El Adem on 15 January before returning to Middle Wallop on 1 July, where it rejoined No 657 Squadron in No 81 Group.

It was declared independent again on 17 March 1953 and later that month was shipped to Hong Kong with the personnel arriving at Sha Tin on 21 April and the aircraft three days later, where it was affiliated to the 40th Infantry Division.  It was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 20 Independent Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1901 AOP Flight

This was formed from 'C' Flight of No 657 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Beaulieu, remaining part of No 657 Squadron equipped with five Austers, to which a Hoverfly helicopter was added in April.  It moved to Andover in May and to Middle Wallop on 1 February 1948 being affiliated to the 6th Division Division in Germany on 5 December 1950, eventually moving to Detmold on 21 February 1952.  Here it was transferred to No 652 Squadron and was equipped wit five Auster AOP 6s until 1 September 1957 when it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 1 Reconnaissance Flight.

No 1902 AOP Flight

This was formed from 'A' Flight of No 652 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Celle, moving to Luneburg on 1 December 1947 but disbanded on 15 February.

It was reformed at Taiping on 15 July 1948 with five Austers and moved to Changi in September 1949 but was back at Taiping by the start of 1950.  Further moves took place to Benta on 13 March 1952, Sembawang in December, Benta on 15 March 1955 and finally Ipoh on 10 February 1956, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 2 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1903 AOP Flight

This was formed from 'B' Flight of No 652 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Celle, remaining part of No 657 Squadron.  It moved to Luneburg on 1 December 1947, where it was redesignated No 1905 Flight on 15 February 1948.

It was reformed at Seremban, Singapore on 15 July 1948, moving to Sha Tin in Hong Kong on 11 April 1949.  It became an independent flight on 10 July 1951and set sail the same day for Korea.  It arrived at Iwakuni, Japan on 17 July 1951 before entering the operational theatre on 29 July at AE111 (Seoul).  It moved to Fort George on 7 November, where it stayed until sometime in 1953 when it moved to Sembawang.  On 1 November 1954 it was at A16 Airstrip and then returned to Iwakuni, sailing on HMS Asturias on 17 January 1955.

It arrived in the UK and moved to Detling on 14 February 1955, where it joined No 657 Squadron. On 30 January 1956 it moved to Feltwell and joined No 651 Squadron but on 19 November it was sent to Nicosia as an independent flight for service in Suez.  It arrived back in the UK at Lyneham on 12 December 1956 and returned to Feltwell the following day, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 3 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1904 AOP Flight

This was formed from 'C' Flight of No 652 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Celle, moving to Luneburg on 1 December 1947 and Detmold on 1 May 1949, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 4 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1905 AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type B flight within No 652 Squadron on 15 February 1948 at Luneburg but moved to Detmold on 1 May 1949.  It detached annually from May 1950 to Berlin for a number of years but was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 5 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1906  Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight as No 1906 (AOP) Flight from elements of 'A' and 'C' Flights of No 654 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Ronchi, moving to Udine on 3 March 1947 and Petah Tiqva on 26 June 1947, when it was transferred to No 651 Squadron.  On 24 July 1947 it was redesignated No 1910 Flight, becoming a Type 'B' at the same time.

It was reformed as No 1906 (Helicopter) Flight within No 657 Squadron at Middle Wallop on 1 May 1950.  On 1 November 1955 No 657 was renumbered No 651, and the flight was then possibly detached to Germany but returned to Middle Wallop on 1 December 1955.  Two Skeeters were received in January 1957 for trials and on 20 March it moved to Buckeburg as a independent flight before returning to Middle Wallop.  It was based at Detmold from 28 August to 30 October, by when it had been transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 6 Independent Depot/Liaison Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1907 Flight

This was formed as No 1907 AOP Flight from elements of 'A' and 'C' Flights of No 654 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Ronchi, moving to Udine on 3 March 1947 and Petah Tiqva on 26 June 1947, when it was transferred to No 651 Squadron.  It moved to Qastina in August 1947 and disbanded on 9 September.

It was reformed in No 656 Squadron at Sembawang on 15 July 1948 with four Austers.  It than made a number of moves, Noble Field, Kuala Lumper on 27 August 1948, Seremban (1 May 1950), Jqahore Baru (24 May 1950) and on 2 May 1951 to Sembawang to provide support to No 26 Gurkha Infantry Brigade.  Sometime in 1952/53 it was redesignated No 1907 Light Liaison Flight, moving to Benta on 12 December 1952 and then Taiping on6 September 1953, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 7 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1908 AOP Flight

This was formed under the control of AHQ Italy as a Type 'A' flight from 'A' Flight of No 651 Squadron on 31 December 1946 at Petah Tiqva.  It moved to Ein Shemer on 1 June 1947, Qastina in August, back to Petah Tiqva on 11 February 1948, Sarafand on 28 April, Bureij on 11 May, Fayid on 15 May and then to Castel Benito (later renamed Idris) on 21 August 1948, where it remained until September 1951.  In that month it moved to Habbaniya during the Persian oil dispute before moving to Ismailia on 5 November 1951, where it was affiliated to the 1st Infantry Division. It moved to Kasfareet on 15 June 1952 and the El Hamra in September.  On 1 May 1955 it embarked on a LST at Port Said and travelled to Tripoli, taking five days and arriving at Idris on 6 May, where it disbanded on 7 October 1955.

It was reformed from a detachment of No 1910 Flight on 16 October 1955 at Ismailia, moving to Malta and Lakatamia during 1955 before settling at Idris in 1956, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 8 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1909 AOP Flight

This was formed under the control of AHQ Italy as a Type 'B' flight from 'B' Flight of No 651 Squadron on 31 December 1946 at Ramat David.  It had moved to Petah Tiqva by 30 June 1947 but was back a Ramat David by August, before moving to Haifa on 25 March 1948 and then Amman on 16 June and was attached to the UNO.  It was replaced by the Palestine Truce Observation Flight and disbanded on 20 July 1948.

This was reformed within No 652 Squadron on 1 March 1951 at Detmold, being affiliated to the 11th Armoured Division, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 9 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1910 AOP Flight

This was formed  from No 1906 AOP Flight at Ronchi, as a Type 'B' flight in No 651 Squadron at Qastina on 24 July 1947  moving to Petah Tiqva on 1 February 1948, Sarafand on 28 April, Bureij on 11 May, Fayid on 15 May and Castel Benito (later renamed Idris) on 21 August 1948.  On 20 July 1950 it became an independent flight of four sections, sailing from Tripoli to Port Said, where it arrived on 24 July.  It relocated to Massawa on 31 July and Asmara on 3 August 1950, from where its sections were detached to airstrips at Barentu, Agordat, Bosciaca and Mansura for varying period until it returned to Ismailia on 16 September 1952, where it rejoined No 651 Squadron.  It was now affiliated to No 2 AGRA but on 15 November 1955 it moved to Nicosia. Further moves took place to Lakatamia on 18 April 1956 and finally Kermia on 18 September 1956, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 10 Reconnaissance Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1911 Light Liaison Flight

This was formed as No 1911 Flight within No 656 Squadron at Changi in June 1950, moving to Seremban on 1 July 1950 with a mixture of Auster 5s and 6s.  It moved to Temerloh on 14 March 1951, exchanging places with No 1914 Flight and in May settled on five Auster 6s.  On 11 June 1951 it moved to Benta and then to Seremban on 17 March 1952, where it was affiliated to the 18th Independent Infantry Brigade.  Its designation was changed on 1 May too No 1911 Light Liaison Flight, with it affiliation changed to the 48th Ghurkha Infantry Brigade by October 1952.  It moved to Benta in June 1954, where it affiliation changed to the 18th Ghurkha Infantry Brigade with its final move coming in March 1955 to Sembawang, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 11 Reconnaissance/Liason Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1912 Flight

This was formed as No 1912 (Glider Training) Flight as the Continuation Training Flight of No 657 Squadron on 15 August 1951 at Middle Wallop with five Auster 6s.  It task was to provide continuation training to pilots who had graduated from the flying school before being posted to overseas squadrons.  On 21 May 1952 its designation was changed to No 1912 Light Liaison Flight destined for service with 2nf TAF in Germany.  It arrived at Buckburg on 14/15 July 1952, moving to Wildenrath on 6 December 1954 with detachments at Detmold (from April 1956) and Gutersloh (Sep 1956).  It returned to Middle Wallop in October1956 to participate in the Suez operations but did not make to Egypt and returned to Wildenrath in December.  It was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 12 Independent Liaison Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1913 Light Liaison Flight

This was formed as No 1913 (AOP) Flight for service in Korea within No 657 Squadron on 12 June 1951 at Middle Wallop.  Sailing on board the SS Empire Orwell, it arrived ay Kure on 2 October, proceeding to Iwakuni where it joined No 656 Squadron later moving to Fort George.  Its designation was changed to No 1913 (Light) Liaison Flight on 1 May 1952 and on 8 April 1953 moved to Imjin but left for Iwakuni on 16 January 1955.  The following day its HQ and one section reboarded the SS Empire Orwell for its return to the UK but the other section was left in Korea.  On arriving at Middle Wallop on 15 February 1955 it rejoined No 657 Squadron, which became No 651 Squadron on 1 November. 

On 22 September 1956 it sailed for Cyprus to take part in the forthcoming Suez operations, arriving at Limassol between 8 and 23 October and actually reached Egyptian territory on 10 November when it arrived at El Gamil but three days later was returning to Cyprus on board HMS Theseus arriving back at Limassol the following day.  It arrived at Adover on 21 December, where it remained until 13 February 1957 when it moved to Aldergrove but was at Feltwell in No 61 Group on 1 April 1957, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 13 Liaison Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1914 AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight from an element of the disbanding No 656 Squadron on 1 January 1947 at Kuala Lumper, moving to Changi on 15 November 1947,  Sembawang on 1 February 1948, where it joined the reformed No 656 Squadron before moving again to Kluang on 13 July. It next moved on 6 January 1950 to Temerloh but operated from a number of airstrips scattered throughout the area.  More moves followed with it exchanging places with No 1911 Flight at Seremban on 14 March 1951 followed by Taiping (3 Mar 1952), Benta (4 Sep 1953), Seremban (14 Jun 1954), Port Dickson (22 Apr 1956) and then back to Kuala Lumper on 1 September 1956, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 14 Reconnaissance/Liaison Flight on 1 September 1957.

No 1915 Flight

This was to have formed in 1954 within No 657 Squadron as a helicopter flight for service in Kenya but was cancelled.

It eventually formed as No 1915 Light Liaison Flight at Middle Wallop on 6 March 1956, being flown out to Cyprus on 3 April, arriving at Nicosia the following day.  It moved to Lakatamia on 4 May 1956 and Kermia on on 18 September 1956, where it was transferred to the newly created Army Air Corps and redesignated No 15 Independent Liaison Flight on 1 September 1957.

As well as the above mentioned Regular Flight there were also Flights formed as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force as shown below: -

No 1951 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 663 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 July 1949 at Ringway under the control of No 63 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1952 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 663 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 July 1949 at Llandow under the control of No 63 Group.  It was moved to Pengam Moors (Cardiff) on 15 October 1950 and back to Llandow on 29 June 1953, where it disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1953 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 663 Squadron RAuxAF on 20 July 1949 at Hooton Park under the control of No 63 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1954 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 663 Squadron RAuxAF on 20 July 1949 at Wolverhampton under the control of No 63 Group.  It moved to Castle Bromwich on 27 March 1953, where it was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1955 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'B' flight within No 663 Squadron RAuxAF on 20 July 1949 at Hooton Park under the control of No 63 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

Aircraft used: -

No 1956 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 662 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 February 1949 at Colerne under the control of No 62 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1957 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 661 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 February 1949 at Kenley under the control of No 61 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1958 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 661 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 July 1949 at Hendon under the control of No 61 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1959 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 661 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Henlow under the control of No 61 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1960 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'B' flight within No 661 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Kenley under the control of No 61 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1961 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'B' flight within No 661 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Henlow under the control of No 61 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1962 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 662 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 September 1949 at Middle Wallop under the control of No 62 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1963 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 662 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 February 1949 at Colerne under the control of No 62 Group, affiliated to No 91 AGRA.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1964 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 664 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 September 1949 at Yeadon under the control of No 64 Group.  It moved to Rufforth on 2 February 1953 before returning to Yeadon on 1 June 1954, where it disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1965 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 664 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 September 1949 at Ouston under the control of No 64 Group to work with the 50th Infantry Division.  It moved to Usworth on 14 February 1954, where it disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1966 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 666 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Perth/Scone under the control of No 66 Group to work with the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1967 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 666 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 December 1951 at Renfrew under the control of No 66 Group.  It moved to Abbotsinch on 5 December 1952, to Perth/Scone on 2 September 1954 and then back to Abbotsinch on 1 September 1955, where it disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1968 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 666 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Turnhouse under the control of No 66 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1969 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'A' flight within No 664 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 May 1949 at Desford under the control of No 64 Group to work with No 86 AGRA.  It moved to Hucknall on 15 June 1953 and then to Wymeswold on 15 July 1954, where it disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

No 1970 Reserve AOP Flight

This was formed as a Type 'B' flight within No 664 Squadron RAuxAF on 1 September 1949 at Hucknall under the control of No 64 Group.  It was disbanded along with the other RAuxAF flying units on 10 March 1957.

This page was last updated on 11/09/20^©

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