Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckeye30
Post 3444 Photo no.3. There was a very interesting article on this action in the May 1962 "Flying Review" by Finn Arnesen; this is April 9 1940 after the German invasion of Norway. There were 9 Gladiators (2-blade wood props) at Fornebu near Oslo, 2 were unserviceable and the other 7 were in action. 429 was flown by the Deputy Leader Lt. Rolf Tradin; only 1 survived the day (no. 421 Lt. Krohn)) and it was wrecked on the 21st. 429 went through the ice landing on Lake Mjosa and was recovered by the Germans. The red-white-blue rudder is on the right.
Tradin was killed in 1943 in a Norwegian Spitfire squadron.
Nick
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The article gives no aircraft serial numbers Nick....
In fact on April 9th, 11 Gladiators (out of 12) were still in service. The following flew missions during the day.
No 413 1/Lt Arve Braathen > captured later intact
No 419 Sgt Oskar Lütken > shot down by Bf 110 C
No 423 1/Lt Dag Krohn > flown to Vangsmjösa April 19th
No 425 1/Lt Arve Braathen and Sgt Per Waaler > shot down by Bf 110 C
No 427 Sgt Kristian Schye damaged by Bf 110 C and force landed near Kolsås
No 429 Sgt Per Waaler and Lt Rolf Tradin > force landed during the afternoon outside the steamship dock at Hamar
No 433 2/Lt Finn Thorsager > left behind at Lake Mjaervann in Enebakk
No 415 was parked all day, no missions
No 417 had been w/o 15 March 1940 where Lt Rolf Tradin managed to bail out
No 421 was parked all day, no missions
No 431 seriously damaged 3 Jan 1940 and on April 9th was waiting to be repaired
No 435 seriously damaged 1 March 1940 and on April 9th was waiting to be repaired.
Source: Fornebu 9. April by Cato Guhnfeldt
B Rgds
Stig