By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no In Norwegian history 1978 was marked by two events: First of all I met my wife and secondly the death of the grandson of the famous Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen: Tancred Ibsen. Big deal…was it not for his fantastic career in the world of movies! Movies? - You will ask: “What does this has to do with aviation?” Nothing would my answer be, but in fact he started his career in the world of aviation. He was to form the first active airline company in Norway: A/S Aero. The start of his life Tancred Ibsen...
Handley Page O/400, G-EAKE in Norway
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no Remarks can be sent to: rob@europeanairlines.no In this article we highlight the history of the Handley Page O/400, G-EAKE. It was one of many Handley Page O/400s that spread its wings across Europe in order to establish political influence in the aviation of neutral states. The particular aircraft was involved in the race for the first flight between Kristiania (Oslo) and Stockholm. It was important for the young nation (as Norway was) to show its flag abroad. What an aircraft! The aircraft I talk about here was the Handley Page O/400. What an aircraft! Personally,...
Widerøe’s Flyveselskap A/S (1934-1945)
By: Rob Mulder Written for: www.europeanairlines.no Starting up an airline company In October 1932 five Norwegian met each other in Oslo to discuss plans for a promotion tour through Norway. The group consisted of the brothers Viggo and Arild Widerøe, Halvor Bjørneby, Helge Skappel and Leiv Brun. In connection with lectures, they wanted to give air shows all around Norway. The first air show was on March 13, 1933 at Ringerike, some 50 km north of Oslo. Participating were the Norwegian Aero Club's glider LN-ABO of the type Hol's der Teufel. Furthermore, the De Havilland D.H.60M Moth, LN-ABL, owned by...
A/S Norsk Aeroplanfabrik (1918-1921)
The first private aircraft factory in Norway By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no Aircraft construction in Norway prior to the Second World War was mainly limited to the manufacturing of military aircraft. During the Great War (1914-1918) neutral Norway depended on the goodwill from friendly states for the delivery of military aircraft. A good article about this subject can be found on the website of IPMS – Norway: http://www.ipmsnorge.org/hovedsider/artikler/haerfly_e.html. But one private initiative should be mentioned: The A/S Norsk Aeroplanfabrik, founded in 1918 with some ambitious plans. The foundation We can easily say that it was also the last major aircraft...
By Whale to Oslo
By: Rob Mulder at www.europeanairlines.no Comments can be sent to: rob@europeanairlines.no or to the forum on this website. On July 18, 2002 Lufthansa could celebrate the opening for 75 years ago of its air service to Oslo. From 1927 to 1933 the air service was operated by aircraft of the type Dornier Wal and Superwal. These aircraft were in Norway known as the “Airbus to the Continent”. Many German (military) pilots gathered valuable flying experiences on this air service. Trying to get a connection One of the pioneers of Norwegian aviation was Captain Wilhelm Meisterlin. He was born in Trondheim,...
Secret emergency landing at Nøtterøy
During my visit to the air show at Torp Airport near Sandefjord I was handed over one of the quarterlies of the Norwegian Dakota Association (Dakota Norway). It was number 1 of the year 2001. On page 14 it showed the picture of a DC-3 at Nøtterøy after an emergency landing. The article mentioned that after the landing Russian PoW were used to flatten out the land and to make a provisional runway. In the meantime the engine was fixed. After the work on the runway was finished the aircraft took off and disappeared to n unknown destination. The author...
Oliver Andre Rosto: The first Norwegian to fly (?)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no In 1912 Christian Lie was the first civilian to take off from Norwegian soil and to make a flight with his Grade monoplane. For generations this has been seen as the first flight of a Norwegian civilian from Norwegian soil. But thanks to the historian Hans Olav Løkken in Norway we have to rewrite Norwegian aviation history… or not? It was a great pleasure to read in the leading Norwegian aviation magazine Flynytt of February 2005 an article that could change the course of aviation history in Norway. Hans Olav Løkken wrote an interesting article...