Bardufoss Air Station
Encyclopedia
Bardufoss Air Station is located in the municipality of Målselv
in Troms
county in Northern Norway
. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter
squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Lynx MK 86
for the Norwegian Coast Guard
and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412
SPs. It is also the base for the Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School. In addition, helicopter Squadron no. 334 is currently under establishment as it will be using NH90 helicopters. The delivery of the NH90 helicopters just started. 334 Squadron will only have its command post and maintenance facilities at Bardufoss, as the helicopters will be stationed on the new Fridtjof Nansen class frigate
s when they arrive.
The airbase is also used by the civilian community: Norwegian Aviation College
(NAC) is located at the airport, and there is also a flying club (Bardufoss Flyklubb) and a parachute jumping club. Norwegian Air Shuttle
currently operates three daily flights with Boeing 737
aircraft from Bardufoss Airport
to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
.
on 26 March 1938, making it the country's oldest air station still operational. During World War II
, RAF Gloster Gladiator
s (No. 263 Squadron RAF
) and Hawker Hurricane
s (No. 46 Squadron RAF
) operating from Bardufoss
played a vital part in keeping the Luftwaffe
at bay during the fighting on the Narvik
front in the April-June 1940 Norwegian Campaign
. After the allied withdrawal from Norway, the airbase was taken over by the Germans
and mostly used as a base for fighters, bombers and reconnaissance planes operating against the Murmansk convoys
. Fighters from Bardufoss also had the task of providing aerial support for naval operations in the area, but failed to scramble in time to prevent the battleship Tirpitz
from being sunk by Avro Lancaster
bombers at Håkøya near Tromsø
. Luftwaffe ace Heinrich Ehrler
was originally sentenced to death because of this, but was never executed: He died in combat when he rammed an American B-17 Flying Fortress over Germany.
The 339 Squadron was moved to Bardufoss in 1964 while the 337 Squadron came in 1983.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School was moved to Bardufoss from Trondheim Airport, Værnes
in 2003.
Two squadrons of helicopter
s are stationed on this airfield: 337. with Lynx MK 86
(since 1983) and 339. with Bell 412
SP (since 1964).
The 337 Squadron operates six Lynx MK 86
helicopters, which were delivered in 1983. Their purpose is to operate onboard Coast Guard ships. They will be replaced with eight new NH-90's.
The 339 Squadron operates twelve Bell 412
SP, primarily used as support for the Royal Norwegian Army. The Bells were delivered in between 1987 and 1990. Previous to their delivery, the squadron operated UH-1's bought used from USA: some of those machines were received with minor battle damages and bullet holes, having seen action in the Vietnam war
. The Royal Norwegian Air Force
's six remaining Bells (making a total of 18) are stationed at the 720 Squadron at Rygge Air Station
.
In addition, the Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School is located here. The Flight Training School operates the Saab Safari
.
Royal Navy (UK) commando and Royal Marine units have used Bardufoss as a training base for many years. It is also used as a base for cold weather training for Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy helicopter crews. During the "cold war" training was especially concentrated during the winter, with repair parties during the Norwegian summer. These operations were given the title of "Clockwork".
Målselv
Målselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. Some other villages include Andslimoen, Bardufoss, Alappmoen, Holmen, Fossmoen, and Heggelia...
in Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
county in Northern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Lynx MK 86
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
for the Norwegian Coast Guard
Norwegian Coast Guard
The Norwegian Coast Guard, or Kystvakten in Norwegian, is a military force and part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, but has separate vessels, many of which are purpose-built. All coast guard vessels have the prefix KV. Four of these vessels are capable of embarking one or more helicopters...
and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
SPs. It is also the base for the Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School. In addition, helicopter Squadron no. 334 is currently under establishment as it will be using NH90 helicopters. The delivery of the NH90 helicopters just started. 334 Squadron will only have its command post and maintenance facilities at Bardufoss, as the helicopters will be stationed on the new Fridtjof Nansen class frigate
Fridtjof Nansen class frigate
The Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates are the main surface combatant units of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The ships are named after famous Norwegian explorers, with the lead ship of the class bearing the name of Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian scientist, explorer and humanitarian.Five ships were ordered...
s when they arrive.
The airbase is also used by the civilian community: Norwegian Aviation College
Norwegian aviation college
Norwegian Aviation College was a flying school with its base at Bardufoss Air Station in Norway. SAS’s most experienced airline pilots/instructors participated in selecting the location, designing the training facilities, selecting the equipment and in the design of the training programmes and the...
(NAC) is located at the airport, and there is also a flying club (Bardufoss Flyklubb) and a parachute jumping club. Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA , trading as Norwegian, is the second-largest airline in Scandinavia. In 2010, it transported 13.0 million people. As of October 2011, Norwegian operates a total fleet of 62 aircraft; 17 Boeing 737-300s and 45 Boeing 737-800s...
currently operates three daily flights with Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft from Bardufoss Airport
Bardufoss Airport
Bardufoss Airport is situated at Bardufoss in the municipality of Målselv in Troms, North Norway. The airport is primarily military, but also serves a few civilian flights...
to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
.
History
The first plane to land at the air station was a de Havilland Tiger MothDe Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
on 26 March 1938, making it the country's oldest air station still operational. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, RAF Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
s (No. 263 Squadron RAF
No. 263 Squadron RAF
No 263 Squadron was an Royal Air Force fighter squadron formed in Italy towards the end of World War I. After being disbanded in 1919 it reformed in 1939 flying mainly strike and heavy fighter aircraft until becoming No 1 Squadron in 1958.-First World War:...
) and Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s (No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re-formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.- World War I :...
) operating from Bardufoss
Bardufoss
Bardufoss is a small village in the municipality of Målselv in Troms county, Norway. The population was 2,580. Bardufoss is located in the Målselvdalen valley near the confluence of the Barduelva and Målselva rivers. It is located about north of the city of Narvik and about south of the city...
played a vital part in keeping the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
at bay during the fighting on the Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
front in the April-June 1940 Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
. After the allied withdrawal from Norway, the airbase was taken over by the Germans
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and mostly used as a base for fighters, bombers and reconnaissance planes operating against the Murmansk convoys
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
. Fighters from Bardufoss also had the task of providing aerial support for naval operations in the area, but failed to scramble in time to prevent the battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
from being sunk by Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bombers at Håkøya near Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
. Luftwaffe ace Heinrich Ehrler
Heinrich Ehrler
Heinrich Ehrler was a German World War II fighter ace whose distinguished Luftwaffe combat career ended in tragic controversy. Along with Theodor Weissenberger, Ehrler shared the honors of "top-ace" in Jagdgeschwader 5, amassing 208 kills - including eight in the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter...
was originally sentenced to death because of this, but was never executed: He died in combat when he rammed an American B-17 Flying Fortress over Germany.
The 339 Squadron was moved to Bardufoss in 1964 while the 337 Squadron came in 1983.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School was moved to Bardufoss from Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes is an international airport located in Stjørdal, east of Trondheim, Norway. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it shares facilities with Værnes Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2010, the airport had 3,521,734 passengers and 55,747 air movements,...
in 2003.
Squadrons
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s are stationed on this airfield: 337. with Lynx MK 86
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
(since 1983) and 339. with Bell 412
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
SP (since 1964).
The 337 Squadron operates six Lynx MK 86
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopters, which were delivered in 1983. Their purpose is to operate onboard Coast Guard ships. They will be replaced with eight new NH-90's.
The 339 Squadron operates twelve Bell 412
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
SP, primarily used as support for the Royal Norwegian Army. The Bells were delivered in between 1987 and 1990. Previous to their delivery, the squadron operated UH-1's bought used from USA: some of those machines were received with minor battle damages and bullet holes, having seen action in the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
's six remaining Bells (making a total of 18) are stationed at the 720 Squadron at Rygge Air Station
Rygge Air Station
Rygge Air Station is located in the municipalities of Rygge and Råde in Østfold, Norway. The Royal Norwegian Air Force operates various squadron and aircraft at the airbase, including Sea King helicopters, F-5 Freedom Fighters, Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft as well as Bell 412 helicopters...
.
In addition, the Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School is located here. The Flight Training School operates the Saab Safari
Saab Safari
-See also:- References :* * * *...
.
Royal Navy (UK) commando and Royal Marine units have used Bardufoss as a training base for many years. It is also used as a base for cold weather training for Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy helicopter crews. During the "cold war" training was especially concentrated during the winter, with repair parties during the Norwegian summer. These operations were given the title of "Clockwork".