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Norwegian Spitfire Pilot - the story of Finn Thorsager
Finn Thorsager is the Norwegian history of aviation packed in just one person. To sitting on Roald Amundsens N-25 float, to his last landing at Fornebu in 1976 as a captain in the SAS. Finn had absolutely experienced, and taken part of, Norways development in the air. But, it was without doubt the happenings of world war two that would define him, and burn into his memories as the sometimes dark highlight of his time in the air.
It is often happenings in a persons childhood that shapes the individuals life. For Finn it was all about flying machines – still exotic and unknown in the 1920's when he grew up in Bestum in Oslo.
During a hot summer day in 1925 he would experience the sight of seeing Roald Amundsens N-25 flying boat landing on the Oslofjord. The flying boat had been way up to the northpole. Maybe faith would have put Finn in the world of aviation anyway, but the fact stands; Finns dad, Conrad, put his son on one of the flying boats floats, just for a moment, and the event would be remembered by Finn for as long as he lived.
Finn with the housecat on his lap, 1931. Photo: via Finn Thorsager.
In his childhood and teenage years, Finn continued his fascination for airplanes. On one very lucky occation, he got himself a little trip in a Simmonds Spartan double decker over Oslo. The plane was, seen with the eyes of today, pretty spartan. The name isn't all that wrong. Finn also managed to hitchike rides with pilots from Widerøe airline company to several airshows around the south and eastern parts of Norway. He took the job as selling tickets for the shows as a «payback» for the trips he got.
As Finn grew older, his wish of joining the army flying school at Kjeller became stronger and stronger. He was sadly enough not a brilliant student, and he had problems of reaching «artium», as was needed to join the school. Luckily for Finn, the army put in an add in a newspaper where they asked for more pilots. Finn sent in an application and included his semester grades. Luckily, he was accepted as the last reserve. The acceptance would definetely seal Finns destiny in life. His future lied in the air.
Wilhelm Mohr, Mohr's passenger Hørlock and Finn Thorsager besides their planes after the emergency landing. Photo: via Finn Thorsager.
You will find Finns name under several of Norways biggest happenings in the air. One of the more serious incidents before the war was the disasterous trip to Sola airport. Sola had just opened up, and the students from Kjeller would participate in the opening of the airport close to Stavanger in the west of Norway. The students were to fly in formation from Kjeller to Sola in their Standard- and Tiger Moth's. Underway, the formation hit very rough weather and the Moths didn't have enough instruments and technology to deal with it. The result was a serious one. Per Egge, a student, jumped out of his airplane – wasn't able to open his chute in time, and fell into the lake of Ekeren and died instantly. Several other pilots also jumped out of their airplanes, but managed to survive. Finn, togheter with another student, later Generalmajor Wilhelm Mohr were more lucky. Under the thick clouds they found each other and did an emergency landing on a small field. They got down safely, but not without a scare, as they had to fly under a line of electrical cables stretching out at the end of the field.
After graduating from Kjeller, Finn had a burning wish to join DNL, a Norwegian airline company. Unfortenately he lacked telepraphy experience and started to study it. Without real experience in the subject he was sadly just as far in his wish to be an airline captain. To get experience, he took hire as a telegraphist on the boat «Arne Kjøde» which set off to the Antarctic to pick up oil bound for Germany.
On his way to Antarctica with «Arne Kjøde». Photo: via Finn Thorsager.
Finn would never get his wish of joining DNL fullfilled. Not in 1939 at least. He was called in for military service again in the fall of 1939. This time at Fornebu outside Oslo were the Norwegian Air Force had Gloster Gladiators. The world was not so peaceful anymore, and Finn stayed at Fornebu going into 1940 protecting Norways neutrality from the air.
On the 9th of April 1940, Finn was awakened two times in the morning. The first time he was told to go back to bed, the second it was serious. He was ordered to take off in a Gloster Gladiator togheter with another pilot, Braathen, as his wingman. After some problems before take off, they lost contact of each other, and Finn was found flying alone on a southern course.
Gladiator 423, flown by Steim Sem, propably late 1939. It is possibly Finn who photographs Sem going into a roll. Photo: via Finn Thorsager. Photo edit by: Sergei Oumansky.
Just over the low cloudbase (the area was quite foggy that morning) Finn spots an unknown airplane with twin rudders. The airplane was not supposed to be there and was obviously breaking Norways neutrality. The orders before take off had been a bit unclear, but Finn decides to attack the unknown airplane – a correct decision in a difficoult situation. Finn makes several attacks before the stranger disappears into the fog, not to return up again. Finn turns back to Fornebu, and after landing, several bulletholes could be found in his wing. The airplane had been returning fire. Norway was getting very, very close to a war.
The first shots are fired. Finn Thorsager is the first ever Norwegian in air to air combat. Illustration: Tore Erling Larsen.
A Dornier F17 low over the Norwegian fog, 9. april 1940. Illustration: Tor Idar Larsen.
A bit later the same morning every operative Gladiator at the base takes off, led by Rolf Torbjørn Tradin. Well south of the airfield, an armada of German planes appear. The swastikas were well visible by the Gladiator-pilots. There was no doubt now, what was going on. Norway was under attack by Germany. The Gladiators went in to attack the formations of Heinkel III and Messerschmitt 110's. Finn attacks one of them, but after some short bursts, his machine guns stops working. He pulls out of the battle, and heads back to Fornebu to fix the problem. At Fornebu, everything is quite chaotic and Finn observes burning planes on the ground. He turns around and sets course for Kjeller to the east. At Kjeller everything is just as chaotic as Fornebu as the airfield is also under attack. Finn ducks away from the attack and flies a random course southeast. He lands his airplane on the ice of lake Mjærvann and leaves it there, trying to get back to Fornebu. His father on the other hand was told that Finn most likely was killed. Finn got home to Bestum with pleuritis, a serious lung infection. He had felt pretty bad for several days, and the illness was now seriously blossoming. Finn went to bed and stayed there for the entire summer, getting slowly better from the serious sickness.
When Finn finally was healthy enough to get out of bed, the plans of escape started to come togheter. In the fall of 1940, Finn sets his plans into action and walks into Sweden with a colleague from Fornebu, Dag Krohn. They manage to get themselves to Stockholm were they go by plane to Moscow. From Moscow they take the railway to Vladivostok. Through Japan and the United States, they arrive in Canada and Little Norway, Norways new training base for pilots, in January 1941. At Little Norway, Finn becomes an instructor for new pilots because of his experience.
In the summer of 1941, Finn leaves Canada for Great Britain. Amongst others in his group is Wilhelm Mohr and another friend from the Kjeller-days, Henning Leifseth. In the late summer of 1941, Finn flies Hawker Hurricanes at OTU Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire togheter with his friend Mohr. It is a time that has been described by Finn as one of the best times he had during the war.
In the fall of 41, Finn is finished with his OTU training and is sent to 331 Norwegian Squadron at Castletown in Scotland. From Castletown, 331 is sent up to Skeabrea in protection of Scapa Flow. Finn goes even further up north, as Christmas eve and the following week is spent at Sumburgh in the Shetland Isles with a flight of Spitfires. Kaj Birksted, a dane, is leading the flight.
In the begnning of 1942, Norways second fighter squadron 332, is formed at Catterick in Yorkshire. Because of Finns growing experience, he is ordered to 332 squadron as a flight commander. Wilhelm Mohr takes up position as squadron leader. From Catterick and West Hartlepool 332 will soon find themselves attacking the Luftwaffe for the first time. Two pilots, Liby and Piltingsrud, attacks a german bomber in the spring of 42. Liby gets close enough for an attack, but is hit by return fire from the German and Liby gets several injuries to his face. But, common operations for 332 involved much practise flying. The king of Norway, Haakon, stops by one sprin day, and is given an airshow executed by the Norwegian pilots. On landing, an accident accur, as two Spitfires crash into each other. The King later told Wilhelm Mohr that he wasn't very pleased with being presented with airshows, he thought it was a bit too much attention.
Finn's Spitfire MkVa, RF335 at Catterick, spring 1942. Photo: via Finn Thorsager.
The jealousy laid thick on the boys off 332 when 331 stopped by Catterick in May 1942. 331 were on their way to North Weald to take up residence at the historic base. Fortenately for Finn and 332, they would soon follow 331 to North Weald. The two Norwegian squadrons were finally togheter in early 1942.
Finn remembered well his first mission over enemy territory. David Scott-Malden, Wing Commander at North Weald, led both Norwegian squadrons on a mission over France. With massive flak fire from the ground, one Norwegian pilot went on the radio; «Look at the red fires in the explotions!». Scott-Malden, always the calm gentleman responded; «I know, but don't touch it!».
Finn Thorsager, Catterick 1942. Photo: via Finn Thorsager. Photo edit by Serg.
Luckily for the Norwegians, Scott-Malden, a young chap of the age of 22 and a veteran from the Battle of Britain, was quite the capable leader. Scott-Malden have a shining star in the Norwegian Air Force to this day, thought of as somewhat of a Godfather of the Norwegian air force.
It was the Dieppe-raid that really became the baptism of fire for Finn and the rest of the Norwegians, although they had been in several serious confrontations with the Luftwaffe beforehand, and had already lost several pilots. While Finn had been on holiday in Cornwall in July, 332 had lost four pilots on one mission, with Mohr crash landing his Spitfire at North Weald with an injury to his leg. For Finn though, the Dieppe-raid stood out in his memory. After Mohr got injured in the leg (again) after the first raid that day (some pilots said jokingly he must have had magnet of some kind in his leg), Finn took over 332 and flew the last three missions that day as squadron leader. The Norwegians were to do very well over Dieppe. After the day was over, Scott-Malden reported that no one fought better and braver of Dieppe than the Norwegians.
Finn and his AH-J, IXc. Photo: via FT
Throughout the fall of 1942, Finn continued to fly with 332 squadron. The Americans started to be a major force, and 332 escorted many of them towards the continent. I february of 1943, Mohr left his position as squadron leader and on his rest period. Finn takes over the squadron and flew the rest of his time in 332 as squadron leader.
One episode which Finn remembered was the sad story of a young pilot called Watne. In March, after a mission over Holland, Watne reports of engine problems. The squadron was on their way back to base, and the weather was cold and the sea was rough. The engine of Watne's Spitfire did not start up again, and Watne had to jump out. Finn had more fuel left in his tanks than the rest, so he stayed with Watne, circling over head. Watne, now fighting to survive in the water, was not able to release himself from his parachute. Finn then saw how Watne was dragged under water by the chute for a long distance. When he came up again, he seemed ok for a moment, but then suddenly did not make any more movements. When the rescue-boat showed up, they hauled the boy onboard, but sadly he died before they got back to England.
It was also quite hard for Finn to loose his old friend from Kjeller, Henning Leifseth, during an attack on Dunkquerke. During a low-level sweep around the city, Leifseth's Spitfire was hit by anti aircraft funs and went burning down. Leifseth crashed at the beach of Dunkquerke, already dead in his Spitfire by the engulfing fire. It was hard for Finn, as Leifseth had asked him to keep an extra eye out for him over Dunkquerke, as the mission was quite dangerous. Sadly for Finn, in a chaos of over 40 Spitfires in the area at the same time, he lost Leifseth out of sight. Finn was on this occation leading yellow section in 332 and Leifseth yellow section in 331. It was however doubtful that Finn could have done anything for Leifseth anyway.
From, Mohr and Finn Thorsager, Catterick 42
In the spring of 1943, Finn would end up in a dogfight against a lone Focke Wulf 190. After several hard manouvers to get behind the 190, he suddenlygot on a collision course with the German. It was pure luck he survived the attack, head-on against the 190. Both of them fired at the same time, both probably missed and they passed each other in great speed. Instead of turning around and going in for another attack, Finn dived out of Vlissingen and got himself back to England. Quite possibly a decision that saved his life. A lone Spitfire over those areas were of the dangerous kind.
Finn left his position as squadron leader in the summer of 1943, ready for a period of rest. The squadron was taken over by Finns good friend, Reidar From. The boys had a goodbye party at the club Odd Spot in London before Finn boarded a troop ship, bound for Canada.
After a little holiday, Finn flies B-25 Mitchells in Transport Command from America to Great Britain. On one occation he was to fly a DC-3 to Marocco. During the flight, they flew through weather of the dangerous kind, meaning the plane started to be iced down. With some luck, they got back to Gander and continued the flight the next day with no problems.
After Transport Command, Finn wanted back on active duty. He had a loose agreement with John Cunningham to fly Mosquitos at his squadron, but he was instead ordered to the civilian route between Scotland and Sweden, called «Stockholmsroute», flying civilian Lockheed Lodestars. From Scotland, over occupied Norway and to Bromma outside Stockholm, they flew high prioritiy cargo and passangers. Some of the flights could be quite dangerous and Finn and his crew were several times attacked by German night fighters. However, Finn always managed to sneak his way out of the attack and back home to Scotland. Perhaps Finns greatest memory of his time at the «Stockholmsroute» happened when he by accident came out just over Oslo in full moonlight. He could even see his parents home! An amazing experience as he had not been home in four years.
Finn continued to fly the route to Stockholm until the end of the war. A few days before the 17th of May 1945, he was finally given the oppertunity to fly a mission to Gardermoen north of Oslo. When he put his feet on Norwegian ground for the first time in five years, he bent down, grabbed a few sticks of grass, and took a deep breath. A great personal moment. That same night he went home to his parents to say hello. His father brought up a champagne bottle from the cellar, which he had saved ever since the day Finn left Norway in 1940.
9th of April 1946, on the day six years since the invasion of Norway, Finn and his crew flew the first trip to Croydon in England with air stewardesses onboard. A historical moment. It was here he met his wife, Gurli, a newly educated air stewardess. She appeared in the cockpit asking if he wanted coffee. He did not decline the offer!
Finn joined DNL and then later SAS when they merged as companies, and flew several trans-atlantic routes to Los Angeles, Vancouver, New York and Anchorage. During the 50's, he also worked as SAS chief-pilot for about five years. He had one hair-raising charter trip to Nairobi. There he left a couple of Norwegian missionaries who did not know one single word English. Finn had to explain what «born in» meant, when they tried to fill out the necessary papers for entrance to the country. «God knows what happened to them», Finn later said.
In those days, captains had a little badge that they put up on the door to the cockpit, as to show who was flying the airplane. Finns had been missing his for quite some time. During a conversation with a collegue at Fornebu, the collegue said that he had Finn's badge. Finn was puzzled as to why he had his badge and asked why. «I put your badge up every time I make a bad landing», the collegue said.
But, in 1976 it was all over. Finn flew his last flight with SAS in a DC-9 to Hamburg on the 16th of May. One may wonder what thoughts he had when the wheels touched the ground at Fornebu on that day. Finn never really wanted any big fuzz over anything concerning his last flight or his achievements during the war for that matter. He got on with it, and came home close to midnight feeling very tired.
A long life in the air was over, and without one single serious pilot accident.
Finn Thorsager died in 2000. His wife Gurli is still alive, being very supportive of my book about her husband. As of now, the book is only available in Norwegian language, but a translated version may be published at a later time.
"Second Marius Eriksen and Wilhelm Mohr, Finn was the most liked officer at North Weald! He was also a great human being and major!"
Alf R Bjercke, mechanic B flight, 332 squadron.