Description
Object description
Norwegian officer served with Norwegian Army Air Force in Norway, 1935-1940; trained with Royal Norwegian Air Force in Canada and GB, 1941-1942; served as pilot with 331 Sqdn, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1935-1940: reasons for joining air force; membership of Oslo gliding club; early training and initial reaction to motion of aircraft; soloing after eight hours; numbers in flying class; types of aircraft flown and confused account of civilian post war flying; Norwegian acquisition of Curtiss Mohawks; decision to go to GB, 4/1940; boarding HMS Devonshire at Tromso. Aspects of training with Royal Norwegian Air Force in Canada and GB, 1940-1942: voyage to Canada.
REEL 2 Continues: start of training in Canada; trouble of language; loss of trainee pilot; types of aircraft flown; convoy to GB. Recollections of operations as pilot with 331 Sqdn, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945: role of unit in Orkneys; contrast in Allied and German method of patrolling; move to RAF North Weald; techniques for escorting American bombers; conditions in dogfights; attack from rear by Focke Wulf 190; impossibility of attack aircraft with height advantage; opinion of Supermarine Spitfire; operations over northern France; plan to strafe approaches to Walcheren to explode mines; damage to station commander 'Zulu' Morris' aircraft.
REEL 3 Continues: attacks on Abbeville and the Scheldt; attacks on German transport; opinion of Focke Wulf 190; memories of 'Sailor' Malan; mess life at RAF North Weald; reasons for not flying same aircraft; operations over North West Europe prior to invasion; attack on German tug with barges; move to Normandy; problems of operating from narrow airfield in Normandy; living conditions; relations with French; leave in French Alps; readjusting to operations; in Canada for VE Day; return to Norway, 15/6/1945. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway from 1948: rejoining air force, 1948; operating from Bardufoss; Russian over flights.
REEL 4 Continues: dealing with Russian over flights; opinion of De Havilland Vampire; posting to Air and Special Division (Atomic) at NATO staff in Paris including friction with French staff and working hours and routine.