("Together in battle") , equipment= Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II , equipment_label= Aircraft, identification_symbol= A demi-Norwegian axe , battle_honours= Number 332 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed at RAF Catterick in the North Riding of Yorkshire on 16 January 1942, as a

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

-equipped fighter squadron manned by Norwegians.

History

In World War II (1942–1945)

The squadron became operational on 21 March 1942, and moved on to RAF North Weald to operate alongside another Norwegian crewed squadron, No. 331 Squadron. With squadron code "AH", No. 332 squadron became part of No. 132 Wing alongside Norwegian No. 331 Squadron. It operated as air cover for the

Dieppe Raid Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942) was an Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the Second World War. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a regiment o ...

, and later flew fighter sweeps and escort operations over occupied France and the Low Countries. In late 1943/early 1944 both squadrons were transferred to the 2nd Tactical Air Force and participated in the Normandy Landings as

fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...

s and tactical air superiority fighters. From September onwards No. 132 Wing participated in the liberation of the Netherlands. In April 1945, the squadron was transferred to Scotland, and the following month transferred to Norway after the German surrender. On 21 September 1945, the squadron was disbanded at Værnes as an RAF unit and passed to the control of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF). During the war between them, No. 331 and No. 332 Squadrons scored many air victories: 180 confirmed destroyed, 35 probables and more than 100 damaged. Combined losses were heavy as well: 131 aircraft lost with 71 pilots killed.

In the Royal Norwegian Air Force (1945–present)

In honour of its achievements during World War II, the Royal Norwegian Air Force has maintained its RAF squadron names. Thus, the RNoAF still has the fighter units 331 Squadron and 332 Squadron. Today, the Norwegian 332 Squadron is based at Ørland Air Station where it operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.

Notable pilots

*Sgt Per Bergsland (Captured August 1942) *Sgt

Carl Sejersted Bødtker Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community * Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of te ...

(April 1943) *Sgt

Jan Staubo Jan Staubo (28 September 1920 – 15 June 2003) was a Norwegian sportsman, politician and sports official. As a sportsman he competed internationally in tennis and nationally in other sports. He was a member of the city council of Norway's capita ...

*Cpt

Finn Thorsager The word Finn (''pl.'' Finns) usually refers to a member of the majority Balto-Finnic ethnic group of Finland, or to a person from Finland. Finn may also refer to: Places * Finn Lake, Minnesota, United States * Finn Township, Logan County, Nor ...

*Lt

Soren Kjell Liby Soren may refer to: * Søren, a given name of Scandinavian origin, also spelled ''Sören'' * Suren (disambiguation), a Persian name also rendered as Soren * 3864 Søren, main belt asteroid * Sōren, also known as ''Chongryon'' and ''Zai-Nihon Chōs ...

*Lt

Marius Eriksen Emil Marius Eriksen (9 December 1886 – 14 September 1950) was a Norwegian gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was born in Barbu, Norway and died in Oslo. He was the father of Marius Eriksen, Jr. and Stein Eriksen St ...

Gunnar Piltingsrud Gunnar is a male first name of Nordic origin (''Gunnarr'' in Old Norse). The name Gunnar means fighter, soldier, and attacker, but mostly is referred to by the Viking saying which means Brave and Bold warrior (''gunnr'' "war" and ''arr'' "warrior ...

*Fnr

Ola Gert Aanjesen Ola may refer to: Places Panama *Olá, a subdistrict in Coclé Province *Olá District Russia *Ola, Russia, an urban settlement in Magadan Oblast *Ola District, an administrative division in Magadan Oblast *Ola (river), a river in Magadan Obla ...

*Maj

Reidar Emil From Reidar is a Scandinavian male given name of Old Norse origins. As of 2013, there are 6,850 people with this name in Norway, 1,519 in Sweden and 108 in Finland. In Estonia there are 5 Reidars and in Italy there's only one. The namesday is July 28 in ...

Otto Grieg Tidemand Otto Grieg Tidemand (18 June 1921, Oslo – 10 June 2006, Oslo) was a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Defence from 1965 to 1970 and Minister of Trade and Shipping from 1970 to 1971. Military service Duri ...

- later Norwegian Minister of Defence 1965-70

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated include: * Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Va (January 1942 – April 1942) *

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Supermarine Spitfire variants powered by early model Rolls-Royce Merlin engines mostly utilised single-speed, single-stage superchargers. The British Supermarine Spitfire was the only Allied fighter aircraft of the Second World War to fight ...

(April 1942 – November 1942; May 1943 – June 1943) * Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb (November 1942 – April 1945) * Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe (April 1945 – 1952) *

Republic F-84G Thunderjet The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thun ...

(1953 – 1957) * North American F-86F Sabre (1957 – 1962) * North American F-86K Sabre (1962 – 1964) *

Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and th ...

(1966 – 1973) * Fokker (GD) F-16A Fighting Falcon (1980 – 2001) * Fokker (GD) F-16AM Fighting Falcon (2001 – July 2016) * Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (November 2017 – present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). .

External links

RAf official website Squadron history

Historical photos from the No. 332 Squadron during WW2

Article about the No.331-332 Squadrons' 60th anniversary visit to North Weald Airfield
{{DEFAULTSORT:332 Squadron Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Royal Norwegian Air Force squadrons Military units and formations of Norway in World War II