Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service

Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service (RNNAS)
The RNoNAS' main aircraft in 1940 - the Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.11
Active	1912 to 10 November 1944
Allegiance	Norway
Branch	Royal Norwegian Navy
Engagements	Second World War: Norwegian Campaign Battle of the Atlantic

The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service (Norwegian: Marinens flyvevesen) was alongside the Norwegian Army Air Service the forerunner to the modern-day Royal Norwegian Air Force.

The RNNAS was established on 1 June 1912, with the maiden flight of the HNoMS Start, piloted by Hans Dons. The founding of the Air Service was based largely on pride. On 19 April 1912 newspapers had reported that a Swedish pilot was planning to fly over Moss and Horten. Horten was the site of the main base of the Royal Norwegian Navy. Three officers of the Norwegian submarine Kobben decided that it would be a shame if they were not able to beat him to it.

Later that year, the Maurice Farman biplanes Njaal and Gange Rolf were purchased.

In 1915 the Navy established its own aircraft factory and a flying school.

The main flight base was established in Horten. Other naval air stations were established in Kristiansand in 1918, Bergen in 1919 and in Tromsø shortly before the invasion in 1940.

In 1940 most of the planes in Norwegian service were outdated, and the 1 100 transport and fighter planes of the Luftwaffe soon gained air superiority. The armed resistance in Norway was abandoned 9 June 1940, although some Norwegians would continue the fight abroad. The aircraft of the Norwegian Naval Airforce were the only ones which had the range to fly all the way from the remaining bases in Northern Norway to Britain. Amongst the Norwegian aircraft which reached Britain were four German made Heinkel He 115 sea planes, a fifth escaping to Finland. Three Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.11 maritime reconnaissance aircraft also made it to Finland, landing on Lake Salmijärvi in Petsamo on 8 June. Six He 115s were bought before the war, and another two were captured from the Germans during the Norwegian Campaign. A captured Arado Ar 196 from the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper was also flown from Norway to Britain for testing.