RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 331 Skv Squadron F 16 a

RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 331 Skvadron Squadron F 16 Flying Suit Patch 1982 F 16 Bodo Main Air Base German made Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 104mm four and one sixteenth inches diameter.

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Norwegian RNoAF 331 Skvadron F 16 Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force Squadron 1982 Bodo Main Air Station

Squadron Badge Two Swords in saltire Sable enfiled by an Annulet Or The two swords represent England and Norway with the annulet symbolising the friendship between the two countries

Squadron Motto For Norge

Squadron name Lion

Squadron History

WWII RAF

Hurricane Mk 1 Hurricane Mk IIb

The RAF activated 331 Norwegian Squadron at RAF Catterick Yorkshire on 21 July 1941 equipped with Hurricane Mk 1 fighter aircraft previously used by a Polish Squadron. The Squadron was manned with Norwegian volunteer pilots with ground crew and the commanding officer from the RAF. RAF Squadrons formed from foreign volunteers were numbered by the RAF from 300 onwards.

331 Norwegian Squadron received a contingent of pilots from Little Norway 1st Fighter Wing in Canada who had arrived at the end of June 1941. Other pilots had been with RAF squadrons since the end of March 1941 receiving training in squadron leadership. 331 Norwegian Squadron was given the RAF aircraft code prefix FN which personnel said stood for First Norwegian or For Norge which was the Squadron motto. The Squadron adopted a badge a Norwegian Viking sword and a British sword in saltire bound together with a ring which symbolized the friendship between Norway and Great Britain. The Squadron experience accidents and problems with the Hurricane Mk 1 aircraft and they were quickly upgraded to Hurricane Mk IIb aircraft.

331 Norwegian Squadron was assigned to 13 Group of Fighter Command and relocated to RAF Castletown Scotland on 21 August 1941. The Squadron was tasked with fighter air defence of Northern Scotland the British naval base at Scapa Flow and fighter cover for Atlantic convoys traffic approaching Scotland. The Squadron moved to RAF Skeabrea in the Orkney Islands in September 1941 as a better location for its operations and deployed Detachments to Sumburgh Head on the Shetland Islands Peterhead and Dyce .

Spitfire Mk IIa Spitfire Mk Vb Spitfire Mk IXb Spitfire Mk IXe Spitfire Mk IX LF

The Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk IIa fighter aircraft in August 1941 and upgraded to Spitfire Mk Vb fighter aircraft in November 1941. 331 Squadron was designated operational on 21 March 1942. 331 Norwegian Squadron was reassigned to 11 Group of Fighter Command and relocated to RAF North Weald in May 1942 tasked with fighter air defence of the South East of England.

A second Norwegian volunteer pilot Squadron 332 Norwegian Squadron achieved operational status on 21 March 1942 and relocated to RAF North Weald in June 1942 joining 331 Norwegian Squadron under 11 Group of Fighter Command. The two Norwegian Squadrons became known as North Weald Norwegian Wing. 331 Norwegian Squadron received Spitfire Mk IXb fighter aircraft in March 1942 retiring its last Sptitfire Mk Vb in August 1942.

North Weald Norwegian Wings 331 and 332 Norwegian Squadrons provided fighter cover for Operation Jubilee the Commando raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942 and was tasked with fighter and escort operations over France and the Low Countries. 331 Norwegian Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk IXe fighter aircraft in October 1942.

331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron were moved from Fighter Command to the newly formed 2nd Tactical Air Force 2nd TAF on 1 November 1943 to prepare for the Invasion of Europe. Due to the planned use of temporary field airstrips for fighter Squadrons following the Invasion an air wing 132 Norwegian Airfield was activated at North Weald on 1 November 1943 under 2nd TAF with both 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron assigned. 132 Norwegian Airfield was assigned the British manned 66 Squadron in March 1944 in addition to the two Norwegian Squadrons.

331 Norwegian Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk IX LF fighter aircraft in March 1944. 132 Norwegian Airfield with its Squadrons relocated to RAF Bognor on the Channel coast in April 1944 for attacks against German targets on the French Channel coast in preparation for the invasion. 132 Norwegian Airfield was redesignated 132 Norwegian Wing on 12 May 1944 and moved to RAF Tangmere at the beginning of June for Invasion operations.

132 Norwegian Wings Squadrons provided fighter cover and ground attack for the landings on D Day and the consolidation following. 331 Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk IXb fighter aircraft in July 1944. 132 Norwegian Wing was assigned 127 Squadron on 23 July 1944 which operated with a number of Norwegian pilots.. The Wing relocated to RAF Funtingdon on 6 August 1944 and moved to RAF Ford on 13 August 1944.

The Wing moved to its first forward operating airfield Villons les Buissons B 16 in Cean Normandy France on 20 August 1944. 132 Norwegian Wing moved up through France behind ground troops providing ground attack fighter bomber cover locating to Camp Neuseville B 33 on 6 September 1944 and Lille Wambrechies B 57 on 11 September providing fighter cover for Operation Market Garden 17 September 1944 and the push into the Netherlands. The Wing moved into Belgium operating from Grimbergen B 60 from 6 October 1944.

132 Norwegian Wing 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron moved into the Netherlands relocating to Hoogerheide B 79 on 22 December 1944. 132 Norwegian Wing was assigned 322 Netherlands Squadron manned by Dutch volunteers on 3 January 1945.The Wing moved to Schijndel B 85 on 18 February 1945 and provided fighter air cover for Operation Plunder the crossing of the Rhine at Wesel which commenced on 23 March 1945.

The Wing moved to its final forward operating airfield at Lonneker West B 106 Twente Enschede on 18 April 1945 where 349 Belgian Squadron manned by Belgian volunteers and 485 Squadron RNZAF manned by New Zealand volunteers were assigned.

132 Norwegian Wing with 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron were relieved on 30 April 1945 relocating to RAF North Weald to prepare for the invasion of Norway. 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron aircraft and equipment was left at Lonneker West B 106 and Squadron crews were transported back to the UK. 66 Squadron and 127 Squadron were disbanded on 30 April 1945. 322 Netherlands Squadron and 349 Belgian Squadron were reassigned to 131 Polish Wing on 30 April 1945. 485 Squadron RNZAF was reassigned to 145 French Wing.

132 Wing with 331 and 332 Norwegian Squadrons relocated to RAF Dyce Scotland on 22 April 1945 to be closer to Norway. 331 Norwegian Squadron upgraded to Spitfire Mk IXe fighter aircraft. The Squadron moved to Gardermoen Airfield on 22 May 1945 following the German surrender and established a detachment at Stavanger.

132 Norwegian Wing with 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron were handed to the newly formed Royal Norwegian Air Force on 21 November 1945 as the RAF withdrew from Norway.  331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron were disbanded the same day 21 November 1945 with their aircraft put into storage. The wing was disbanded at Kjevik Airfield on 25 November 1945. To honour its achievements during the War the Royal Norwegian Air Force was permitted to retain its RAF Squadron and Wing numbers.

RNoAF Spitfire Mk IXe

The Norwegian RNoAF  reactivated 331 Skvadron at Gardermoen Airfield in March 1947 equipped with Spitfire Mk IXe fighter aircraft from storage for air defence. The Squadron was assigned to Luftkommando Østlandet.

Spitfire Mk IXe Vampire F Mk III

The Squadron began adding Vampire F Mk III jet fighter aircraft to its fleet in May 1948 forming Vampire Flight for the Vampire fighters and Spitfire Flight for the Spitfire Mk IXe fighters. The Vampire aircraft were transferred to 336 Skvadron when it was activated at Gardermoen Airfield in July 1949. 331 Skv relocated with its remaining Spitfire Mk IXe aircraft to Vaernes Airfield in October 1949 reassigned to Luftkommando Trøndelag. With the retirement of the Spitfire from the RNoAF fleet 331 Skvadron was inactivated in 1951.

Harvard F 84G Thunderjet

Norwegian RNoAF 331 Skvadron was reactivated at Sola Air Station in July 1952 assigned to Luftkommando Vestlandet initially equipped with twelve Harvard training aircraft from 334 Skvadron awaiting delivery of F 84G Thunderjet fighter bomber aircraft which began to be received in August 1952.  Tasked with fighter air defence the Squadron achieved operational status with the F 84G Thunderjet fighter bomber aircraft in April 1953. The Squadron relocated to Bodo Air Station in August 1955 reassigned to Luftkommando Nord Norge.

F 86F Sabre

331 Squadron reequipped with F 86F Sabre fighter aircraft in 1957 achieving operational status in 1958 for fighter interception air defence.

F 104G Starfighter 

The Squadron transitioned to F 104G Starfighter fighter aircraft in August 1963 for fighter interception air defence. RNoAF experienced a high accident rate with its F 104 Starfighter aircraft with seven out of nineteen aircraft destroyed with the loss of four pilots over its twenty year use.

F 16A Fighting Falcon F 16B Fighting Falcon

Norwegian RNoAF 331 Skvadron reequipped with F 16A Fighting Falcon single seat and several F 16B twin seat fighter aircraft at Bodo Main AB in 1981. Squadron pilots were trained by 332 Skv F 16 Operational Training Unit training cadre which deployed from Rygge AS to Bodo Main AS. The Squadron was tasked with the air defence of the northern NATO flank against Soviet attacks and to prevent Soviet aircraft flying through the Norway Iceland gap to attack NATO maritime assets in the Atlantic. The Squadron retired its last F 104G Starfighter aircraft in 1983.

The RNoAF F 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft were finished all over in a Norwegian specified high gloss light grey scheme. They were the first to be equipped with a drag chute to enable operations from snow or ice covered runways where wheel brakes would not work. Also incorporated was an identification spotlight on the port side of the nose to illuminate target aircraft during interceptions in the dark four winter months above the Arctic Circle. The spotlight was known as the Russian Light by Norwegian F 16 Fighting Falcon crews as the intercepts were mainly Soviet aircraft. An average of 200 interceptions of Soviet aircraft were made by the Squadrons QRA per year during the 1980s.

Following the end of the Cold War at the end of 1989 the Squadron retained two armed F 16 aircraft on QRA at all times. Norwegian RNoAF 331 Skvadron main task remained air defence fighter interception.

F 16AM Fighting Falcon F 16BM Fighting Falcon

The RNoAF began the rolling F 16 Mid Life Update programme in 1995 with each aircraft undergoing a five month upgrade at the RNoAF Depot in Kjeller before being returned to the Squadrons redesignated as F 16AM MLU and F 16BM MLU. The F 16 MLU upgrade programme added ground attack capability which was added to 331 Squadrons tasking.

With NATO interventions increasing elements of 331 Skvadron formed part of the RNoAF F 16A deployment for NATO Operation Allied Force at Grazzanise AB Italy in 1999. The Squadron with elements from its sister units at Bodo Main AS 332 Skv and 334 Skv together with 338 Skv from Orland AS undertook RNoAFs first combat missions since WWII with air defence Combat Air Patrol CAP tasking for three months to protect NATO aircraft carrying out air strikes against Serbia. RNoAFs ground attack F 16 AM MLU fighter bomber aircraft were not deployed for Operation Allied Force. The final F 16 aircraft to undergo the Mid Life Update upgrade was completed in December 2001.

Norwegian Forces were made available to the new 2002 NATO military command structure of two Combined Joint Task Force CJTF headquarters and the four new force categories under them of NATO Immediate Reaction Forces NATO Reaction Forces NATO Main Defense Forces and NATO Augmentation Forces.

Due to the increased NATO tasking the RNoAF underwent a major reorganisation including the introduction of a Wing level command structure based on 132 Norwegian Wing formed under the RAF during WWII. 132 Air Wing Luftving Station Group was activated at Bodo Main Air Station on 1 August 2002. RNoAF had also decided to reduce F 16 aircraft numbers to 57 airframes which was not enough to equip 4 squadrons at full strength. 334 Squadron was disbanded at Bodo Main AS on 1 August 2002 and 332 Skv retaining its training task relocated from Rygge AS to Bodo Main AS joining 331 Skv under 132 Luftving Station Group. At the same time 138 Air Wing Luftving was established at Orland Main Air Station to control F 16 Squadron 338 Skv and the base.

With the F 16 Squadrons reduced to three 331 Squadron picked up additional NATO tasking. 132 Air Wing sent elements of 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wing provided 338 Skv for the RNoAF F 16AM deployment to Manas AB Kyrgyzstan in 2002 2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom. The deployment was tasked with airstrikes and CAP against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan in response to the 9 11 Attacks.

Lithuania Estonia and Latvia joined NATO but did not have air defence fighter assets. NATO provided a three month rotational deployment of Belgian Danish Norwegian and Dutch Air Force F 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to provide QRA and fighter interception patrols to counter Russian intruders over the Baltic States. Elements of Norwegian RNoAF 332 Skvadron with 331 Skv from 132 Luftving together with 138 Air Wings 338 Skv formed the first RNoAF F 61AM deployment for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania from 1 January to 29 March 2005.

132 Air Wing sent elements of 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wing provided 338 Skv for the RNoAF F 16AM deployment to to Kabul AB Afghanistan on 1 February 2006 to 12 May 2006 to provide Combat Air Patrol CAP and Ground attack support for NATO ISAF operations.

RNoAF pooled all F 16AM Fighting Falcon fighters into one unit in 2006 the Forsvarets Logistikk Organisasjon FLO or Air Force Logistic Organisation. F 16AM fighters were assigned to Squadrons as required.

NATO tasking continued with the second RNoAF F 16AM deployment of 132 Air Wings 331 and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania 16 December 2007 to 14 March 2008.

The withdrawal of the US Iceland Defense Force and its fighter aircraft on 30 September 2006 led to increased Russian incursions into Icelandic airspace. Without its own air defence assets Iceland requested a NATO deployment of air defence fighters to patrol and deter Russian military flights and to intercept and deter threats in the Arctic. NATO commenced a member rotational air defence deployment from the French Air Force on 5 May 2008. 132 Air Wings 331 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv undertook the first RNoAF F 16AM deployment for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland in 2009.

In March 2011 six RNoAF F 16AM aircraft with elements from 132 Air Wings 331 Squadron and 332 Squadron and 138 Air Wings 338 Squadron were deployed to Souda Air Base Crete for Operation Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector. the RNoAF F 16AM aircraft had undertaken 596 missions and dropped over 550 bombs including the bombing of Muammar Gaddafis headquarters. Almost immediately following their return from Souda AB 132 Air Wing deployed 331 Skv for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland in Autumn 2011.

132 Air Wings 331 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv deployed six F 16AM aircraft for a third RNoAF Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance operation at Keflavik AB Iceland from 27 January to 21 February 2014.

RNoAF deployed four F 16AM aircraft and elements of 132 Air Wings 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania 1 May 2015. 332 SKV was disbanded on 31 July 2015 pending reactivation to operate the F 35A Lightning aircraft while 331 Skv remained responsible for fighter air defence operations with its F 16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft.

With the introduction of the F 35A Lightning II RNoAF decided to close Bodo Main Air Station and move fighter operations to Ørland Main Air Station which was upgraded and modernised. RNoAF began to deploy pilots in November 2015 to USAF 62 Fighter Squadron of 56 Fighter Wing to train on two RNoAF F 35 aircraft at Luke AFB Arizona USA. As with previously purchased aircraft the Royal Norwegian Air Force F 35A aircraft were finished all over in a Norwegian specified high gloss light grey scheme and included drag chutes to assist with landing in icy conditions and to reduce landing distance on short airfields.

132 Air Wing Station Group was redesignated 132 Luftving Air Wing in 2016. 132 Air Wings 331 Skv deployed four F 16AM aircraft and support crews for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland on 30 May 2016. 332 Squadron was reactivated under 138 Luftving at Orland Main Air Station on 1 August 2017 equipped with F 35 Lightning II fighter aircraft as the first RNoAF Squadron operating the F 35.

132 Air Wing Station Group was redesignated 132 Luftving Air Wing in 2016. 332 Squadron was reactivated under 138 Luftving at Orland Main Air Station on 1 August 2017 equipped with F 35 Lightning II fighter aircraft as the first RNoAF Squadron operating the F 35.

In line with the planning for the transition to the F 35A aircraft 132 Luftving took over responsibility of Orland Main Air Station on the inactivation of 138 Luftving and 338 Skv on 1 April 2019. 338 Skvs F 16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft were transferred to 331 Skv which remained at Bodo Main AS which became RNoAF last F 16 Squadron. 132 Luftvings took responsibility for the 330 Skv Squadron Search and Rescue Sea King Mk 43B Detachment at Orland Main AS and remained in control of the 330 Skv Detachment at Station Group Banak Bodo. At the same time 332 Skv was reassigned from 138 Luftving to 132 Luftving. The Wings Air Defence Battalion upgraded to NASAMS III missile system in April 2019.

332 Skv Squadron was given first operational capability IOC with fifteen F 35A Lightning IIs on 6 November 2019. 331 Skv celebrated 40 years in service of the RNoAF F 16 aircraft in 2019. 331 Skv disbanded at Bodo Main AS on 6 January 2022 on the retirement of its last F 16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft. 332 Skv took over fighter air defence with an F 35A QRA Detachment at Harstad Narvik Evenes Airport to replace the 331 Skv F 16 QRA at Bodo Main AS.

F 35A Lightning II

331 Skvadron reactivated at Orland Main Air Station on 1 August 2023 equipped with F 35A Lightning II fighter aircraft. 331 SKV deployed for its first F 35 NATO assignment four F 35A Lightning II aircraft and support crews for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland in January 2024.

 

This Norwegian RNoAF 331 Skvadron F 16 patch dates from 1982.