Air Defence in Northern Europe

WORLD WAR II

Norway

When Germany attacked Norway on 9th April 1940, the Norwegians began their resistance and the first air combat took place. The main part of the Junkers Ju 52 transport formation carrying the paratroopers with the mission of occupying the Fornebu air base near Oslo had to turn back due to the fog on the route, but the covering formation of eight Messerschmitt 110 long-range fighters was on the spot and was attacked by nine Norwegian Gloster Gladiators. Two of the Messerschmitts were shot down, but the remaining six continued to strafe the defences of the base and finally landed there due to a shortage of fuel. Two of the Gladiators, which had landed earlier, had been set on fire and the rest were given orders not to land at Fornebu. They landed on frozen lakes north and west of Oslo. The Messerschmitt 110 crews were then able to secure the base for the Junkers Ju 52 transports, which eventually began to arrive.²⁰

During the day the Stavanger-Sola air base also was occupied by the Germans and under the pressure of numerous bombardments most of the Norwegian strongpoints had yielded to the German airborne troops by the evening of April 9th.²⁰ The organized air defence eventually lost its infrastructure, and during the next few weeks, when the allied expeditionary force had failed in its attempt at invasion, the occupation spread to cover the entire country.

All the aircraft that had a sufficient range were flown to Britain, and the task of establishing a new Norwegian defence organization was started there while fighting was still going on in Norway. One of the results was the opening of the"Little Norway" camp in Canada in December 1940. This was a joint Army-Navy flight training establishment.^l3

330 Squadron was established in Iceland in May and June of 1941, with Northrop seaplanes which had been ordered before the war. Then followed 331 Squadron, operating Hurricanes from Catterick and later Spitfires from Skeabre on Orkney. Next was 332 Squadron at Catterick, also with Spitfires, and 333 Squadron, first with three Catalina flying-boats at Woodhaven and later with a flight of six Mosquito fighter-bombers at Leuchars. The Mosquito flight later became 334 Squadron.^l3

At the turn of 1942, No. 132 Norwegian Fighter Wing was established at North Weald outside London. This consisted of 331 and 332 Squadrons, with Spitfires.

By Royal Decree of 28th March 1941 it was determined that the two air forces should be placed under a joint Norwegian command but otherwise retain their independence. The new command was set up in London and called the Joint Air Force Command. This new organization was ordered by the Ministry of Defence in 1943 to consider a full amalgamation of the Navy and Army Air Forces, a measure that was completed in summer 1944, and on 10th November of that same year the Royal Norwegian Air Force was established as an independent service by Royal Decree. AU materials and staff from the two former Flying Corps were taken over, and the work of creating a new service began.^l3. 132 Fighter Wing was transferred to France in 1944, and it also flew missions from bases in Holland and Belgium. It later returned to Scotland, and in May 1945 was repatriated to Norway to start the rebuilding process.^l2

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