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North Weald visit 2006

North Weald Airfield outside London is simply one amazing historic airfield. The airfield played an important part during the Battle of Britain, but most interestingly (from a Norwegian point of view) is that the Norwegian 331 and 332 squadrons were operating from the airfield for as long as two whole years during World War Two. A trip to this historic airfield in Essex is mandatory for aviation enthusiasts like Warbirdsmagazine.com and others! 

Stay as long as youd like
Norwegians uh? Aviation enthusiasts you say? Wait two seconds and Ill drive you across the airfield.

The British man is polite and helpful as he takes time from his own break to drive us around the airfield. The guards in the fairly new control tower at North Weald have seen people like us many times before. Aviation enthusiasts who most likely would have sold their right arm for a trip around the airfield in a Spitfire. If they get many visitors all the way from Norway is not known to us. Not likely though.

We've had some problems with aviation enthusiasts in the past you see, they get too close to the airplanes and things get a bit carried away says the Englishman while he drives us in the direction of an old hanger from the Battle of Britain days. Still with visible damage after bombing raids by German bombers during those dramatic months of 1940.

The guard drives us around the entire airfield while he tells stories and points in interesting directions. He tells about a Dakota that is still parked on the field after a movie-shoot sometime in the past. Kennet Aviation is also present at the airfield with its newly restored Supermarine Seafire and Hangar 11's collection of beautiful warbirds are also there, all owned by Peter Teichman

Right chaps, heres The Squadron, have a tea and stay as long as youd like.

He's stopped in front of an old Nissen hut from the days of world war two. It's restored and made into a little Cafe for pilots and others with an interest in aviation and history.
This was the place where Norwegian fighter pilots lived and died during the two years they were stationed here. They flew their missions over the channel and into France, and gave escort to heavy bombers destined for the European continent. It was at North Weald Jan Eirik Lard took off with his Spitfire and never came back last seen hanging lifeless in his parachute straps somewhere over the channel. It was from North Weald he took off, the pilot who first lost his life in world war two. It was also here a Norwegian guard on duty shot 332 squadron's mascot Mads because he didn't answer back when the guard called out to him. He was a goat, and didn`t smell good anyway.
 

The history of North Weald

North Weald Airfield came to life as far back as 1916, only 13 years after the Wright brothers first flight. The airfield was used as a defence against the gigantic Zeppelin bomber attacks against London during the first world war. History tells us about a pilot who was having dinner with his wife in the village of Epping close by North Weald. The air-raid siren was heard and the pilot jumped on his motorbike and headed to North Weald and his aircraft that was parked there. He took off, shot down a Zeppelin bomber, landed his aircraft and went back to his dinner!

Between the two wars, it was less activity at North Weald, but with the declearation of war in 1939, the place were once again seeding with activity. This time as a base for RAF Hurricance squadrons.
North Weald was attacked several times during the Battle of Britain. It was defineately a front-line fighter airfield at the time. Some says the scream of a WAAF can still be heard around the airfield at nights, she was decapitated by a German bomb.

After the Battle of Britain was over, the American Eagle squadron operated from North Weald, equipped with Spitfires. The Eagle squadron consisted of American voluenteers since the USA had not yet joined the war. A couple of years later, North Weald got aquinted with Norwegians for the first time when 331 squadron landed their Spitfires on the airfield. 332 squadron followed shortly thereafter. Through two years they would have North Weald as their home base. They would from then on be smack in the middle of the fighting. They flew during the Dieppe raid and D-Day and they would later be transferred over the channel to fighter bases in France and Belgium after D-Day.

The Norwegian pilots made a good and lasting impression on the locals around North Weald. They fitted well into the surroundings and defineately made the pubs in Epping and North Weald Basset make a good profit! Many of them would however not return to Norway ever again.

Svein Heglund and Ottar Malm at North Weald during the war.

Visitors studying a "Norwegian" Spifire.

With these historic happenings in mind, Warbirdsmagazine.com went to England and Essex to take a look around the area where so many Norwegians had been before us. In darker times of history.

Memorial just outside North Weald Airfield.
 

We checked in at the Thatched House in Epping. Thatched House is a well known place for most people with an interest in this specific part of Norwegian history. It was the hotel and the pub many Norwegian pilots were to be found when they had a day off. Many pints with good english ale have been downed by thirsty Norwegian pilots there. Unfortunately, the pub on the first floor had been converted into an Italian restaurant but the hotel rooms themselves probably hadn't change much since 1943.

Thanks to Google Earth we had a good idea just where the airfield was located and we walked in the direction we thought was right. We entered Epping forest which basically seperates Epping village and the airfield itself. 10 minutes later, after ending our little meeting with Epping forest we spotted a few houses on our right side. The sign on the red brick-wall said Norway House. Yes indeed! The old officers mess! 200 meters down the street from the officers mess theres a beatiful memorial for all the pilots who served at North Weald during the war. A momentum in rock have been put there by the Norwegian pilots as a thank you to the english population for their hospitality and friendship.

Preserved Nissen Hut inside the airfield area.

A short stop to catch our breath by the memorial and we strolled over to an old pub close by the airport called Kings Head. The pub is about 400 years old and in such a big perspective, it's not that long ago the Norwegian pilots were sitting there having their pints of beer, laughing, cracking jokes and discussing tactics in the air. It was time to leave Kings Head, but we would be back.

A couple of days later and we're back around the same familiar surroundings of North Weald and this time hopefully with a visit to the airfield itself. We ended up at The Squadron. North Weald has changed since the days of war. Longer runways, and the old hangars are long gone except for one. North Weald have absolutely been an airfield of happenings since the war. The only thing recognizable at first glance are the trees surrounding parts of the airfield. We purchased a traditional english mug of tea at The Squadron and had a nice relaxing time.

North Weald is absolutely still alive but for awhile the airfield was in serious danger of being changed forever due to politicians interested in housing. Fortenately, this plan has now seemed to be put on ice due to an overwhelming response in favour of North Weald from the public.

This one of the places where they kept the Spitfires.

The Norwegian pilots who survived the war and joined the squadrons for their trip over the channel after D-Day always spoke highly about North Weald. Compared to what they had to deal with in Belgium and France it was close to heaven.
 

North Wealds history is a rich one, for Norwegians as much as Englishmen. It was here Norways modern air force was born. Anyone interested in aviation or history (or both!) should stop by North Weald.

(C) Tor Idar Larsen 2007

Made by © Tor Idar Larsen