No. 663 Squadron RAF

No. 663 Squadron RAF
Badge of 663rd Polish Air Observation Post Squadron during World War II
Active	14 Aug 1944 – 29 Oct 1946 1 Jul 1949 – 10 Mar 1957
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Polish government in exile (1944–1946)
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Air Observation Post squadron
Motto(s)	We fly for the guns
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	An Eagle displayed holding a snaffle bit (1949–1957)
Squadron Codes	ROC (Jul 1949 – Apr 1951)
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance	Auster Single-engined Army liaison monoplane

No. 663 Squadron RAF (Polish: 663 Polski Szwadron Powietrznych Punktów Obserwacyjnych) was an Air Observation Post (AOP) unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF), which was officially formed in Italy on 14 August 1944. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.

Volunteer Polish Army officers had been sent by ship to South Africa in June 1944 for initial training as pilots and then for operational training in the very low-level AOP role. The squadron was officially formed at San Basilio in Italy on 14 August 1944.| as 663 Polski Szwadron Powietrznych Punktów Obserwacyjnych. The fifteen successful officers reached Italy on 28 October. All squadron personnel were drawn from Polish artillery units. The squadron's primary role was to observe enemy ground targets and to help direct artillery fire on them. After further advanced training, the squadron was declared operational on 30 January 1945. The squadron's HQ was at Villa Carpena, with three flights, two of which were detached elsewhere as needed to support No. 2 Polish Corps artillery units on the progressing 'front line'. Auster AOP IV and V 'spotter' aircraft were flown in the unit's close support operations. After meritorious service with some pilots being killed, the unit left for the UK on 10 October 1946 and was formally disbanded on 29 October 1946.

No. 663 Squadron was reformed on 1 July 1949 as an AOP unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force equipped with Auster AOP.5s and Auster AOP.6s. Tiger Moth and DHC-1 Chipmunk aircraft were used for training and proficiency flights. The squadron headquarters was at RAF Hooton Park, Wirral, Cheshire with dispersed flights at RAF Ringway, RAF Llandow, South Wales, and Wolverhampton (Pendeford) – the latter flight moving on to Castle Bromwich Aerodrome near Birmingham.