Hawk 75A-6
Build-up for WWII
Before 1944 the Air Force were divided into the Norwegian
Army Air Service (Hærens Flyvevaaben) and the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service
(Marinens Flyvevaaben). In the late 30s, as war seemed imminent, more modern
aircraft was bought from abroad, including twelve Gloster Gladiator fighters
from the UK, and six Heinkel He 115s from Germany. Considerable orders for
aircraft were placed with U.S. companies during the months prior to the
invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940. Royal Norwegian Army Air Service operated
four Ca.310s.
The most important of the US orders were two orders for
comparatively modern Curtiss P-36 Hawk monoplane fighters. The first was for 24
Hawk 75A-6 (with 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G Twin Wasp engines),
19 of which were delivered before the invasion. Of these 19, though, none were
operational when the attack came. A number were still in their shipping crates
in Oslo harbour, while others stood at the Kjeller aircraft factory, flight
ready, but none combat ready. Some of the Kjeller aircraft had not been fitted
with machine guns, and those that had been fitted still lacked gun sights.
The five 75A-6s that were still in the US were sent to the
Little Norway training base of the exiled Royal Norwegian Air Force near
Toronto. All 19 Norwegian P-36s that were captured by the German invaders were
later sold by the German authorities to the Finnish Air Force, which was to use
them to good effect during the Continuation War.
The other order for P-36s was for 36 Hawk 75A-8 (with 1200
hp Wright R-1820-95 Cyclone 9 engines), none of which were delivered in time
for the invasion. The 30 completed machines were, like the 75A-6s, diverted to
Little Norway. There they were used for training Norwegian pilots until the
USAAF took over the aircraft and used them under the designation P36G
Also ordered prior to the invasion were 24 Northrop N-3PB
float planes built in on Norwegian specifications for a patrol bomber. The
order was made on 12 March 1940 in an effort to replace the Royal Norwegian
Navy Air Service's obsolete MF.11 biplane patrol aircraft. None of the type
were delivered by 9 April and when they became operational with the 330
(Norwegian) Squadron in May 1941 they were stationed at Reykjavík, Iceland
performing anti-submarine and convoy escort duties.
Escape and exile
The unequal situation led to the rapid defeat of the
Norwegian air forces, even though seven Gladiators from Jagevingen (the fighter
wing) defended Fornebu airport against the attacking German forces with some
success - claiming two Me 110 heavy fighters, two He 111 bombers and one
Junkers Ju 52 transport. Jagevingen lost two Gladiators to ground strafing
while they were rearming on Fornebu and one in the air, shot down by Future
Experte Helmut Lent, injuring the sergeant pilot. After the withdrawal of
allied forces, the Norwegian Government gave up fighting in Norway and
evacuated to the United Kingdom on 10 June 1940.
Only aircraft of the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service had
the range to fly all the way from their last remaining bases in Northern Norway
to the UK. Included amongst the Norwegian aircraft that reached the British
Isles were four German made Heinkel He 115 seaplane bombers, six of which were
bought before the war and two more were captured from the Germans during the
Norwegian Campaign. One He 115 also escaped to Finland before the surrender of
mainland Norway, as did three M.F. 11s; landing on Lake Salmijärvi in Petsamo.
A captured Arado Ar 196 originating from the German heavy cruiser Admiral
Hipper was also flown to Britain for testing.
For the Norwegian Army Air Service aircraft the only option
for escape was Finland, where the planes would be interned but at least not
fall into the hands of the Germans. In all two Fokker C.V.s and one de
Havilland Tiger Moth made it across the border and onto Finnish airfields just
before the capitulation of mainland Norway. All navy and army aircraft that
fled to Finland were pressed into service with the Finnish Air Force.
The Army and Navy air services established themselves in
Britain under the command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Norwegian air and
ground crews operated as part of the British Royal Air Force, in both wholly
Norwegian squadrons and also in other squadrons and units such as RAF Ferry
Command and RAF Bomber Command. In particular, Norwegian personnel operated two
squadrons of Supermarine Spitfires: RAF 132 (Norwegian) Wing consisted of No.
331 (Norwegian) Squadron and RAF No. 332 (Norwegian) Squadron. Both planes and
running costs were financed by the exiled Norwegian government.
In the autumn of 1940, a Norwegian training center known as
"Little Norway" was established in RCAF Station Borden outside of
Toronto, Canada.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) was established by a
royal decree on 1 November 1944, thereby merging the Army and Navy air forces.
No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron defended London from 1941 and was the highest
scoring fighter squadron in South England during the war.
Up until 8 May 1945, 335 persons had lost their lives while
taking part in the efforts of the RNoAF.
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