It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximately 2, employees officers, enlisted staff and civilians. After mobilization , the RNoAF would consist of approximately 5, personnel. Military flights started on 1 June In the late s, as war seemed imminent, more modern aircraft were bought from abroad, including twelve Gloster Gladiator fighters from the UK, and six Heinkel He s from Germany.
Considerable orders for aircraft were placed with United States companies during the months prior to the invasion of Norway on 9 April The most important of the US orders were two orders for comparatively modern Curtiss P Hawk monoplane fighters. Of these 19, though, none were operational when the attack came. A number were still in their shipping crates in Oslo harbour, while others stood at the Kjeller aircraft factory, flight ready, but none combat ready.
Some of the Kjeller aircraft had not been fitted with machine guns, and those that had been fitted still lacked gun sights. All 19 Norwegian Ps that were captured by the German invaders were later sold by the German authorities to the Finnish Air Force , which was to use them to good effect during the Continuation War.
The other order for Ps was for 36 Hawk 75A-8 with hp Wright R Cyclone 9 engines , none of which were delivered in time for the invasion, but were delivered to " Little Norway " near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also ordered prior to the invasion were 24 Northrop N-3PB float planes built in on Norwegian specifications for a patrol bomber.
The unequal situation led to the rapid defeat of the Norwegian air forces, even though seven Gladiators from the fighter wing Jagevingen defended Fornebu airport against the attacking German forces with some successβclaiming two Bf heavy fighters, two He bombers and one Junkers Ju 52 transport. Jagevingen lost two Gladiators to ground strafing while they were rearming on Fornebu and one in the air, shot down by Future Experte Helmut Lent , injuring the sergeant pilot.
