The seaplane LeO H-24 is the culmination of a brilliant series of studies undertaken at Lioré et Olivier first at Levallois and then Argenteuil by Marcel Riffard, Edmond Benoit, Paul Asancheeff, Jean Poitou, Stephi Konovaitchoukoff and Sébastienne Guyot. These studies lead to an ultramodern monoplane with an enclosed cabin accommodating ten passengers, and was to replace the small H-19 on Mediterranean routes of Air Union. Between 1929 and 1936 the project H-24 was revised several time and gives rise to a series of eight variants of remarkable seaplane. It was built in a total of twenty-one samples, all built in Argenteuil.
Aerodynamic studies conducted by the Riffard-team, especially by Sébastienne Guyot, one of the best aerodynamicists, led to a low monoplane flying-boat with semi-elliptic shaped wing, two 500hp Renault Type 12 Jb Popular V12 engines mounted in tandem.

The prototype LeO H-240 flew for the first time in November 1929 in Antibes, flown by the company’s pilot Lucien Bourdin. Despite a fuselage built entirely of wood, the H 240 had a wing of twenty-eight foot wingspan and a meter thick at the root containing several reservoirs with a total capacity of 1500 litres of gasoline. Inherited from the type H-180, the new wing was cantilevered (all structures are hidden in the thickness), which manufacturer began to have some experience with. The flying-boat was presented to the French press in December 1929 and the US press on 1 February 1930.

While CAMS 53 carried only four to six passengers, the LeO H-240 offered ten seats with considerable comfort (ancestor to the business class) or twelve seats with barest possible comfort (economy class). It could carry them over 800 km and made it possible to make the crossing of the Mediterranean non stop.

From front to the stern of the aircraft, we find the cockpit, followed by an enclosed cabin for eight to twelve passengers in the centre of gravity, followed by a baggage hold in the back of the aircraft. The prototype aircraft undergoes 01 made extensive testing at St. Raphael in 1930 before sold to the company Aéropostale. Two other prototypes were built delivered 1930 to Air-Union and Compagnie Générale Aéropostale, where they serve as laboratory.

Registrations prototypes LeO H-24

After receiving their certificate of airworthiness and been tested by these companies (completing 250 hours of uneventful flight), the three prototype H-240s were modified and stored until 1934. The new H-241 and four-engine H-242 were preferred, due to new international regulations on commercial flights across the seas and oceans condemning the four above the twin engines, which was considered safer.

At the end of 1932, the prototype H-240 No. 03 registration F-AKDX, made “memorial” voyages from Marignane in the Mediterranean to Ostia, with on board Mermoz, and Gimie Dabry, heroes South Atlantic.

Powered by four engines 350 hp Hispano-Suiza 9 QDR 350 hp (nine cylinders little lower on power, but supposed to be have a great robustness), in accordance with regulations, the Lioré et Olivier H-241 looked like a larger and heavier version of the H-240. Built in 1932, the new machine was capable to carry ten to fifteen passengers during a 1000 km flight in a comfortable cabin (comfortable chairs, luxurious drapes, heating and lighting) and well lighted. For the first time on a seaplane of Lioré et Olivier, the H-241′s hull is made of metal, duraluminium and anodized to better withstand the sea water and sea air. This type of fuselage could be found on all later seaplanes of Lioré et Olivier. Available after the H-242, type H-241 was not ordered.
Keeping the general characteristics of the prototype of the LeO H-240 and the dimensions of the H-241, type H-242 (designed in 1931) was powered by four Gnome & Rhone seven cylinder radial Kd Titan Major and developing each a maximum power maximum of 370 hp at 4,600 meters altitude.

Each engine weighed only 280 kg, 55 kg less than the 9QDR, developed at cruising speed 350 hp. And unlike Hispano-Suiza radial engines, these engines were certified to 275 hours of full thrust. The propellers were also manufactured by Gnome & Rhone. Under these conditions, the maximum speed of the aircraft was 220 km/h and the cruising speed was 195 km/h, and considered as very high at the time. The fuselage was entirely made of metal, developed from the LeO H-241.

In April 1932, a scale model of 1:1 was built at Argenteuil built by the company’s carpenters and under supervision of the direction of engineering André Viollea. They made an interior according to specifications from the French company Air Union, which wanted luxurious facilities.

In June 1932 Air Union ordered fourteen flying-boats of the Type H-242. Construction of the series began at the Argenteuil factory in the late 1931. Registered as F-AMOU, the first of the series made its first flight in the month of March 1933 at the hands of test pilot Bourdin of the firm Lioré et Olivier, while further deliveries were taken for the first time in the air by his colleague Hervioux. Bourdin was then in charge of testing civilians (H-24-6) and military (H-46) prototypes. From the third aircraft the load factor increased by 8% by simply adding a Townsend cowling ring. The maximum speed increased from 220 km/h to 250 km/h, the cruising speed was 220 km/h. This improved model is referred to as H-242/1. Several H-242 were then converted into H-242/1, such as serial numbers 1, 3, 4 and 5.

Air Orient, which operates the airline Marseille – Hanoi via Damascus, Bangkok and Vientiane, was interested in the LeO H-242, but she preferred first of all the SPCA and its CAMS 63. Only in March 1935 and under the colours of Air France two LeO H-242 were put into service on this line and made one flight seven days per week.

In 1933, Air Union introduced the H-242 on the line Marseilles – Algiers, Marseilles – Tunis via Ajaccio Marseille – Naples, Athens and Tripoli. Its fourteen H-242s were transferred to Air France in  August 1934, after the company had merged with Air Orient.

Opened in 1934, the Marseille – Algiers from April 1935 provided a fast service between Paris
and Algiers, in just nine hours. The line Marseille – Tunis in the same way connected the capital Tunis in less than twelve hours (1935). The landing in Corsican was deleted. Passengers only regret that Air France had suspended the fast link Paris – Algiers (flown in one and the same day) during the winter season.

Very popular with officials of the Republic, this line allowed them during the summer season to travel from Paris (Le Bourget) at 7.15 hrs, arrive in Algiers at 15.50 hrs, to spend the afternoon at work, and return the next day to Paris (the distance between Algiers and Paris is 1,500 km). In 1935, Air France considered to double the service and use the 20-seater CAMS capable of flying at a cruising speed of 300 km/h. That would bring Algiers just five hours from Paris.
In February 1936, the line is to Indochina renamed “Ligne France – Extrême-Orient” (France – Far East Line). The H-242 aircraft of Air France flying across the Mediterranean were named by their destination “Ville de Tunis” (City of Tunis), “Ville d’Alger” (City of Algiers), “Ville de Tripoli” (City of Tripoli) and “Ville de Beyrouth” (City of Beirut).

Despite plans from Air France to replace the flying-boats by new CAMS-flying boats the Lioré et Olivier LeO H-242 would still provide transportation across the Mediterranean under the colours Air France for six years, until 194. They had a peaceful life; that is to say without history … almost!

 Production Lioré seaplanes and Olivier H-242 series

Air France wanted to offer these lines operated by 20-seater fling-boats capable of cruising at 300 km/h. The manufacturer at Argenteuil studied in 1932 a new version, the H-243, an twin-engine H-24, powered by two 770hp Gnome & Rhone engines or two 940 hp Hispano-Suiza 14 Ha hp (these engines, actually meant for the LeO-45, were the American Wright engines that were never registered in France), capable of flying at  a cruising speed of 300 kph. The French navy got interested in the project of the H-243 as it had wider hull. But the project remained a project. Aimed more widely to all transcontinental flights commercial, the LeO H-244 project, dating from 1933, gave birth to a high speed flying boat. It was to be powered by two 880hp V12 Hispano 12 Y. Later, once available, these would be replaced b the 14 ha of 940 hp. The prototype, according to calculations, should be even faster than previous versions, and exceed 310 kph. The new prototype was a biplane and should also receive rear stabilizers. This project is of interest to Air Union, but is abandoned when the company becomes Air France in August 1933.

Since its inception, Air France is pursued by a black misfortune. Flying material that was in good hands of private (and well paid) pilots of Air Union was catastrophically in the hands of pilots of the national society. In its first year, Air France has received 155 million francs in subsidies from the state, a sum equivalent to the operating budget of a single packet Transatlantic. In 1934, Air France operated with 258 aircraft, 253 crew and operated 40 000 km of airlines through 29 countries on four continents. The state budget was insufficient an also placed competition under pressure. Its management is torn by internal political-financial conflicts in the France of that time. Despite their perfect reliability during their first year of service, the flying boats of Lioré et Olivier were victims of several accidents during their live in the colours of Air France.

In 1935, a seaplane filled with passengers and flown by experienced French pilot Marceau Méresse avoids a crash at sea. He managed to put down the flying-boat on sea after the abstraction of a propeller blade.

On 8 May 1936, the LeO H-242/1, F-ANQG “Ville de Nice” (c/n 10) had to make a forced landing 80 km from its starting point, fortunately without damage for the crew and passengers. This was due to an error of the mechanic, who had closed the fuel supply instead of opening it.

On 9 February 1938, the LeO H-242/1, F-ANPC “Ville de Bone” (c/n5) was lost on landing in Marignane. The pilot hit a pier due to the poor visibility prevailing in southern France, killing its crew and four passengers (seven deaths).

On 13 August 1940, the earlier mentioned Méresse Marceau, while on a scheduled service between Algiers and Marseilles, was attacked by four British fighters. Méresse, an experienced pilot who had been flying flying-boats since 1927, had solid nerves, managed to bring the flying boat down at the port of Algiers unfortunately with four dead and eight wounded, despite two engines unusable and tanks drilled.
Projects for flying-boats capable of carrying 20 passengers at speed of 300 kph failed, and Air France was forced to improve the flyng-boats in use. The H-242 received different types of makeovers: One makeover was the adding of the Townsend ring that dates back to 1934, giving the engines a more aerodynamic teardrop. Then the versions 242/1 front cowlings were of the type NACA (in 1935).

Version H-242/1 was 44 cm lower than the H-242 from 1932. The machine had 580 kg higher empty weight, due to new developments. Improved aerodynamics allowed also the transport of thirteen passengers instead of eight in H-240 and eleven in the H-242. Range of H-242/1 increased from 800 to 1000 km, just as its competitor the CAMS 53.

The flying range was increased for safety reasons – in case of headwind during the crossing – and the new version also had a ceiling of 4,000 meters to get above the turbulence, against only 3,500 metres in the H-242 standard, providing better conditions for passengers.

Features for the LeO H-242/1. Source: Manufacturer (Arnaud Delmas)

 From 1934 to 1939, seaplanes and Olivier Lioré H-242 were in service between Marseilles and North Africa in the colours of Air France. They carried ten to fifteen passengers at 200 kph in comfortable conditions, and making one flight per day for four to six hours, depending on weather conditions. In 1935, Air France took delivery of the Lioré et Olivier H-246, a more modern flying-boat, capable of flying considerably over 300 kph and carrying twenty passengers, under all weather conditions.
The H-246 is a new flying-boat, very different from the H-24. Begun in 1936, the construction of H-246 would last more than two years. Pursued by SNCASE, it would not be ready until September 1939, when the government requisitioned the commercial flying-boats for French Navy. Meanwhile, the eleven LeO H-242s were still remaining in regular service, totalling each an average of 2,000 flying hours, without technical problems related equipment. The flying-boats LeO H-242/1, finally and despite their age at the time, proved for Air France to be profitable and very reliable.
The aircraft Lioré et Olivier H-24 has probably impressed Belgian cartoonist Hergé as he used this a flying-boat in 1946 in the album “Tintin and the Broken Ear”.

Following the failure of the H-246, the H-242/1 remained in service on the lines of the Mediterranean until November 1942. On 10 November, Marshal Petain received a letter from Berlin ordering him to requisition all French planes and seaplanes. This was followed by the invasion of southern France. Ten LeO H-242/1 were still in service and delivered to German. Neither Lufthansa nor the Luftwaffe were willing to take in service these veterans of the sky, and they ended their days in the hands of Italian pilots. Six of them were delivered to the Italian airline Ala Littoria SA. The H-242 were scrapped by the Italians in 1943.

By: Rob Mulder, www.europeanairlines.no
We would like to receive information from the reader about the mistakes in this list.

Abbreviations:

B/u = Broken up
Canx = cancelled from the register
C/n = Constructor’s Number
Dbr = Destroyed beyond repair
F.u. = Fate unknown
In = Date aircraft was taken in use / or registered
Regn = Registration

Notes:

1) Date mentioned is the date of registration. Delivery might have been earlier or later than the date of registration.
2) MNO = Ministry of National Defence.
3) Ex I-ABEK, powered by Walter Mars engines.

A long wait

In August 1919 the Dutch lieutenant Albert Plesman (founder of Royal Dutch KLM) met with the management of the Norwegian airline company Det Norske Luftfartrederi A/S – DNL and they discussed the possibility to establish an air service between the Netherlands and Norway in cooperation with the other IATA-members. Unfortunately, DNL went brook and until 1933 not much more happened. In the twenties of the last century the Norwegian Captain Wilhelm Meisterlin functioned as personal member of IATA representing Norway. Since 1927 the KLM discussed the possibilities with several Norwegian parties.

Arrival of the first Douglas DC-2 operated by KLM

In the beginning of the thirties the Norwegian Naval Captain Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen was asked by the well-known Norwegian Consul Rudolf Olsen (of Fred Olsen & Co) to help and start up a new national airline company. The company was formed on January 25, 1935 under the name of Det Norske Luftfartselskap, Fred.Olsen & Bergenske A/S with a stock capital of 1.6 million Kroner. But the involvement of the Dutch airline company KLM – Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij voor Nederland en Koloniën had been considerable. KLM proposed the use of its three-engine Fokker F.VIIb-3m and two-engine Fokker F.XVIII on the Norwegian air services. The plans were based on the use of land-based aircraft, but unfortunately the airfields for these types of aircraft were not ready when DNL started up (June 1935). Thus KLMs plan could not be implemented yet. For the Norwegians the air service to Amsterdam was of major importance and was included in the national plan. The reason was that they did not want to be dependent of the Swedes and the Danes. An air service from Oslo to Germany via Gothenburg (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark) had excited since July 1927, but at that time this route took more time than a direct air services.

KLM and DNL had drafted an agreement as early as 1933. KLM offered DNL to buy three Fokker F.VIIb-3m aircraft at a price of  103,000 Guilders. They wanted to open a direct air service Oslo (Kjeller) – Amsterdam (Schiphol) as from June 1, 1934. KLM would pay for the ground organisation in Holland. But the F.VIIb-3m would not be used for this service. In stead KLM would also sell two Fokker F.XVIIIs that had variable pitch propellers and a cruising speed of 215 km/h. Pilots, mechanics and ground managers could be trained in the Netherlands in January – March 1934. But the route could not be opened until later as DNL did not had its concession yet.

DNL starts up and tries again

In 1935 DNL opened its first domestic air service using the solid Junkers Ju-52/3m-See, the floatplane version of the three-engine Junkers Ju-52/3m. The aircraft was chartered from aircraft manufacture Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG – Jfa via the German airline company DLH – Deutsche Lufthansa AG and flown by German-Norwegian crews. In January 1936, DNL opened discussions with Pan American Airways – Panair about a transatlantic air service. They reached an agreement and scheduled to open an air service between Bergen, the Faeroe Islands, Iceland, New Foundland and New York. DNL purchased an amphibian aircraft of the type Sikorsky S-43 (registered LN-DAG and named it Valkyrien). But the Americans cancelled the agreement just before the start of the air service and now the Norwegians had an aircraft they had no use for.

November 1936 DNL informed the Det Kongelige Forsvarsdepartement – FD (Air Ministry of Norway) that it wanted to open the air service Oslo – Amsterdam on April 19, 1937 using its amphibian, the Sikorsky S-43, LN-DAG. It was to be operated until September 30. The aircraft could start as a seaplane from Oslo (Gressholmen), make an intermediate landing in Kristiansand and end its journey as a land plane in Amsterdam (Schiphol). The service was to be operated in cooperation with the Dutch airline company. KLM seriously negotiated the purchase of a Sikorsky S-43 but they could not confirm that they would buy one. Thus it was difficult to participate with 50 % on the line. DNL suggested to the FD operating the service on a trial basis on the expenses of DNL, but with a Norwegian postal subsidy. An alternative from Oslo via Esbjerg to Amsterdam was also investigated. As the company noticed that no support could be found it started thinking on totally new service: Stavanger (Sola) – Newcastle across the North Sea. Eventually, at the start of the 1937-season DNL inaugurated with its Sikorsky S-43 the air service Oslo – Stockholm. Again, the air service to Amsterdam could not be opened, not even as a non-subsidized trial route. DNL was eager opening the air service to Amsterdam, but again had to wait.

A tough flight to the starting line

During 1938 it was obvious that the long awaited inauguration of an air service between Norway and the Netherlands was within reach. The new land based aerodrome of Oslo (Fornebo) and Kristiansand (Kjevik) were scheduled to be ready at the spring of 1939. But Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen, the co-founder of DNL, discovered soon that something was wrong. The problem was that the big four on the Scandinavian routes Dutch KLM, Swedish AB Aerotransport, Danish DDL and German Deutsche Lufthansa AG just previously had entered an agreement to co-ordinate all traffic from Copenhagen and westbound, thus avoiding any competition. Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen travelled at the end of December 1938 to Deutsche Lufthansa for talks with its director Von Gablenz. He suggested that DNL would fly alone to Amsterdam and sign an agreement with British Airways Ltd and Air France SA for connection to respectively London and Paris. If this could not be achieved the only solution was to call in a meeting where the four involved airline companies could be asked considering a dispensation of the clause. On his way to London he made a short stop at KLMs head office in Den Haag. Albert Plesman could confirm that they would operate the air service with DNL and with the Douglas DC-2. But Plesman also confirmed that the agreement between the four companies existed and that the four members all had to agree to drop the clause.

Leslie Ranciman of British Airways Ltd (the next stop on Hjalmar Riiser-Larsens tour) was enthusiastic of the idea of opening an air service. However, the Air Ministry was to take the final decision. Such an air service would certainly have a political interest. But he thought that a service beyond Oslo towards Sweden, Finland and Soviet-Russia would be of greater interest. Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen returned to Oslo and tried to solve the problem. No record of the final decision has so far been recovered, but it is likely that the four members gave their approval, since the air service was opened in June 1939.

Now finally, DNL and KLM could start the final preparations for the air service. At that time air services had as we have now a number, that were tide up to the airline company responsible for the air service. During the preparations KLM baptised the new service “Air Service 909”, as it was the company flying it. DNL used numbers in 1700-series and was of the opinion that the air service should have the DNL-number 1713. The Norwegians had been committed to the cause and it was for them a matter of prestige that the Norwegian public regarded the service Norwegian. KLM agreed and the route number was changed into 1713. But some minor problems occurred when the time schedule was presented. The Norwegian reacted on the short stop in Kristiansand (only 10 minutes). The problem was that although DNL was to use the fast Caproni Ca 310 (LN-DAK Brevduen) for its airmail-run PF1721 route, arriving from Gothenburg in Oslo at 07.10 am, it feared that the Junkers Ju-52/3m on the stretch Oslo – Bergen and Bergen – Haugesund – Stavanger – Kristiansand could not reach Kristiansand in time to correspond with the machine to Amsterdam. It was important for DNL that the west coast cities of Bergen, Haugesund and Stavanger had the possibility to send their continental mail to Amsterdam. A delay on the DNL-service would make the mail arrive too late in Kristiansand. Although KLM first opposed to a change it subsequently agreed to extend the stop to maximum 20 minutes. KLM was afraid that the transfer in Amsterdam would be in danger. Passengers, mail, goods and luggage fed the connecting air service to London and Paris from Germany, Hungary, Italy and Switzerland. These passengers and goods could not wait too long for an (delayed) aircraft from Norway. But they gave in. The stop in Amsterdam between the different flights was extended to 45 minutes.

The negotiations were on behalf of DNL led by Odd Steen and on behalf of KLM by D J de Vries. DNL had employed Finn Schanche in charge of marketing and Gert Meidell in charge of advertising. They both travelled to Den Haag in the Netherlands and joined the staff of KLM for training. Here they worked together with Mr Visser, who was to become KLMs man in Oslo. Finn Schancke also travelled to London, Berlin (DLH) and Copenhagen (to KLMs representatives Berndt Rom and E E de Jongh). Mr Visser, however, fell ill and could not travel to Norway. He was replaced by Mr Ten Hooven, who settled in at the Gabelshus Pension in the heart of Oslo (this hotel still exists!).

Solving the last problems

A final problem was the official number of kilometres of the route. In order to avoid disagreements and long discussions, the airline companies in Europe used the Bureau International in Bern (Switzerland) to determine the number of kilometres between two cities. This official number of kilometres formed the basis for pool agreements and subsidies and it was therefore very important to be exact. DNL wanted for Oslo – Kristiansand 284 km, but the Bureau Internationale said it was 285 including a 5 % margin. For the stretch Kristiansand – Amsterdam 680 km + 5 % margin = 735 km was agreed upon. These figures could be found in the official contract. In May Mr Moes (Head Inspector for KLMs India route) travelled to Oslo (via Copenhagen) and Kristiansand to check up the facilities. To be honest, the airports were not yet ready. In Kristiansand there was a runway, but no handling facilities. On Fornebo Airport the facilities were not by a long way ready. Here aircraft could land while the future restaurant would be used as passengers and freight terminal and by the booking staff of DNL. The official opening ceremony would not take place until 1940. Actually, DNL found it wise to open the air service without too much ceremony.

The contracts between KLM and DNL were signed on May 19 by KLM and May 22 by DNL. The seventeen paragraphs the two parties agreed upon mentioned all details. Traffic would start on June 1 and last until September 30, 1939, later extended to October 31. The parties agreed upon to divide the costs equally between each other. In principal KLM would fly the air service with Douglas DC-2 aircraft and was offered a reimbursement of 675 Dutch Guilders per single flight. The pool agreement stipulated that the subsidy would be based on the following kilometres:

Amsterdam – Kristiansand: 735 km.

Kristiansand – Oslo: 284 km.

For the handling and transportation of freight, luggage and passengers it was agreed that KLM would pay 1,600 Norwegian Kroner in Kristiansand, but in Oslo it would be free of charge. Between Oslo and Kristiansand the aircraft could carry a maximum of 14 passengers, but between Kristiansand and Amsterdam only 12, due to the length of the flight. KLM could also use the Douglas DC-3, but only if needed. The maximum number of passengers carried by DC-3 would be respectively 14 and 12. Earlier both companies signed an agreement, where they recognized each other as general agent. The scheduled for the air service was as follows:

For a moment Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen discussed the possibility for DNL to charter one Douglas DC-2 from KLM. No contract has been found, but in its year report KLM mentioned that one Douglas DC-2, including crew, was chartered to DNL. It might well be that the costs of operation for one aircraft were covered by DNL.

In April and May a KLM-representative travelled to Iceland to negotiate the conditions for an extension of the Amsterdam – Kristiansand – Oslo air service to the island and further to the United States of America. KLM had ordered the Douglas DC-4s and wanted to start up the air service to the USA. But finally, on May 31, the preparations were finalized and the air service could be opened. As was tradition in the Netherlands, a name was given to the air services. In order to determine the name KLM asked the air minded Dutch public to suggest a suitable name. And suggestions came in. Some of them were: Vikings Air Express, Fjord Air Lines, North-Star Air Lines, Midnight Sun Air Express and Pole-Star Air Express. From the readers of Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland came a number of suggestions: Nora (symbolizing the words Norway and Amsterdam) and the Peer Gynt Rapide. Inspired by Hamlet The Nôorland Express. Or from the polar expeditions: The Winged Fram Line, The Frithjof Air Express and the Nansen Air Express. Other suggestions? What bout the Edda Aircraft or Baldur Express. Here are finally some more funny names, such as De Noorsche Vlieg (the Norwegian Fly) or Adam Solo (Amsterdam – Oslo) and Ademloos (combining the names of the city of Amsterdam and Oslo, but also meaning in Dutch breathless). Finally De Noorderzon (the Northern Sun). But both companies decided on May 31 to name the service Norway Air Express.

The start of the service

One aircraft flew the day ahead of the opening to Oslo/Fornebo to start up the air service from Norway. It is known that the Douglas DC-2-115D, PH-AKI Kieviet and PH-AKH Haan stood for the opening of the air service. But on Thursday, June 1, 1939 the first Douglas DC-2 (PH-AKH Haan) with as captain the well-known pilot Iwan Smirnoff departed Oslo Fornebo Airport and flew to Kristiansand, where a modest welcome party waited. Upon arrival some small cakes and non-alcoholic wine was served, before the aircraft continued to Amsterdam. KLM was not the only airline company to start up an air service. The Danish airline company DDL – Det Danske Luftfartsselskab started up the air service Aalborg – Kristiansand in connection with an air service to Copenhagen. Its first aircraft landed at 12.20 noon and returned at 12.40 noon. DNL started up a new service as well: Oslo – Bergen overland and with a land based aircraft and Bergen – Stavanger – Haugesund – Kristiansand. The aircraft connected In Kristiansand with the KLM-aircraft to Amsterdam. The first aircraft to depart from Amsterdam/Schiphol to Kristiansand/Kjevik and Oslo/Fornebo was the Douglas DC-2-115D, PH-AKI Kieviet. As mentioned before, no charter agreement has been found, but the Norwegians really wanted to join in. Already in the autumn of 1938 Bernt Balchen (technical director of DNL) had corresponded with the NV Nederlandsche Vliegtuigfabriek Fokker in Amsterdam about the possible purchase of Douglas DC-3s or DC-5s. Fokker did not recommend latter, as it had not yet made its first flight and could not be delivered until the end of 1939. On the other hand, the Douglas DC-3 could be delivered with the same type of engine as installed in the KLM-aircraft. But neither in 1938 nor 1939 any new aircraft were purchased (except a Caproni Ca 310, which was chartered from the Kjeller Flyfabrikk for the airmail service). In stead DNL hoped to be able to train its crews on the Douglas DC-2. On June 16 DNL sent a telegraph to KLM requesting permission to let Norwegian pilots fly along on the Douglas DC-2. KLM agreed, but restricted it to a status of observer. According to international laws the second pilot of the aircraft should also have a thorough training on the type. None of DNLs pilot had this and thus they could only fly as observer.

When the air service was opened a speech of the Statsråd Torp marked the beginning. He addressed the following words to the small crowd gather at the airport (translation from German version): “The city of Oslo is pleased with today’s opening of a new international air service. Although it is not the first time we start such connections since we have already air services to Germany, Sweden and Denmark. So far we had to make use of provisional airfields. Today we can open an air service from our new airfield Fornebo. Although the airfield is not finished yet and the official opening has to take place somewhere in the future, this day marks a new era. The plan of an air service between the Netherlands and Norway is already 20 years old. We have thus had plenty of time to get used to the importance of the air service. Since this plan now has been become a reality we belief in a justification of this venture and of the new cooperation between our countries. I say new cooperation, than as may well be known we have had a lively material and cultural connection across the sea between the Netherlands and Norway and not at last our city. Your ancestors, gentlemen, took along wood from our country, and as small curiosity may I remind you that a quarter in Amsterdam that carries a name that reminds us from a small village nearby, i.e. Droogbak – Drøbak…”. Furthermore, he compared the ships of the past with the elegant aircraft and expected that many would find their way to Norway. Statsråd Torp ended with the words “…It is known to us that the Dutch airline company, and especially its general manager Mr Albert Plesman, who himself stands for 20 years at the top of his own airline company, have waited long for the realization of this dream”.

The air service went smoothly throughout the summer season with daily flights between the three cities Oslo, Kristiansand and Amsterdam. The well-known KLM-pilot Iwan Smirnoff was also assigned to the air route and sent a complaint to the KLM-management about the delay of the aircraft on air service no. 1701: Bergen – Haugesund – Stavanger – Kristiansand. The matter was taken up by the KLM-management and DNL would try to improve regularity on this service. But on August 23, 1939, the Dutch Government issued a general mobilization order, leading to the interruption of all KLM air services. War was at hand and pilots were needed for the air force. After a few days a number of pilots could return and KLM could resume some of its service. On August 31 KLM could resume its Norway Air Express, but had to alter its schedule in such a way that the aircraft could make a return flight per day. Up to August 23, one aircraft flew to Oslo and returned the following day. The following changes were made during the autumn.

On August 31 the line was operated as follows:

As it was forbidden to fly at night the time schedule had to be altered again. From respectively September 1 and 2 the service changed into three times weekly in each direction. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Amsterdam to Oslo and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from Oslo to Amsterdam. But on September 2 the Norwegian Government prohibited the export of aircraft petrol, thus leading to the discontinuation of the air service as from September 2. On these two day the follow schedule was upheld.

On September 5, the Norwegian Government granted a quota of 3,000 litres of aircraft petrol per week, allowing DNL and KLM to resume the air service with the following schedule, operated three times per week and from September 6 until September 30.

Finally, in order to assure a connection to Brussels and Shoreham (the main air field for London since the start of the war) the departure from Oslo had to be set at 08.45 am. In principal the service was to be flown for just two weeks, but DNL and KLM managed to obtain permission to continue throughout the month of October. A further extension of the season could not be obtained. The last period in 1939 was thus October 1 – 31. Three times a week an aircraft made one flight:

* From October 8 (end of summer time) one hour earlier.

On September 9, DNL request the FD to a change of the air service Oslo – Kristiansand – Amsterdam into Oslo – Aalborg – Amsterdam, with connection in Aalborg to Copenhagen and Malmö. In addition three weekly connections would be opened between Aalborg and Kristiansand. The FD did not approve this change with reference to the concession, which always had stipulated that the connection between Oslo and Amsterdam would go via Kristiansand. By Royal Degree of September 7, 1939 the Norwegian Government issued a prohibition of all civil flying across Norwegian territory, with the exception of three air routes: London – Newcastle – Stavanger (Oslo) – Stockholm – Helsinki, Amsterdam – Kristiansand – Oslo and Aalborg – Kristiansand. It was probably this that made DNL and KLM request for the change in the air route.

But on October 31, the air service was discontinued for the rest of the year and not opened until April 1940.

The results of the first year

The direct connection had as major advantage that it was not only the shortest distance through the air between Norway and the Netherlands, but also between Norway and Western Europe. Its transfer point Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was the gateway for many connections to European cities. The service however, found stiff competition from the air service number 27, which ran from Oslo via Copenhagen to Hamburg and London. Deutsche Lufthansa AG and DDL operated the route by fast four-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

The results of the Norway Air Express for the first year should be divided into two periods: June 1 – September 1 (when the Second World War broke out) and September 1 – October 31. Although the air service had been operated with a loss during the whole season, the financial result was better than expected taking into consideration the competition with air service 27 (see below). Up to August 23, KLM could operate the service without any problems, but on that day a general mobilization order was issued, leading to the loss of all pilots. The development of the air route up to August 23 was as could be expected. The second period saw a dramatic increase in the revenue due to the transportation of refugees and military personnel. The line was even operated with a profit.

The competition (Deutsche Lufthansa AG and DDL) flew between June 1 and September 2 the air service Oslo – Gothenburg – Copenhagen – Hamburg – London with modern aircraft of the type Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor. They flew according to the below mentioned schedule:

From Copenhagen there also existed a perfect direct connection to Paris (Air service no. 215):

It is worth noticing that the travel time between Oslo and London by KLM/DNL-aircraft lasted 6 hours and 25 minutes and by DLH/DDL-aircraft 6 hours and 15 minutes. For Paris it was even worse: KLM/DNL used 7 hours and 15 minutes and by DLH/DDL 6 hours and 35 minutes. It must however be noticed that the cruising speed of the Focke Wulf-aircraft was 325 km/h and for the Douglas DC-2 around 275 km/h. This explains some of the difference in travel time.

In the period June 1 to October 31, 1939 the KLM-aircraft transported the following number of passengers from Oslo:

To Oslo:

During the month June, July and August Kristiansand was transit point for a service from Bergen, via Haugesund and Stavanger to Kristiansand and from Esbjerg and Aalborg (both in Denmark) to Kristiansand. It must be said that the number of passengers flying from the mentioned destination to Oslo and Amsterdam was rather modest. The highest number of passengers could be found on the service between Oslo and Kristiansand and vice versa. More worrying was the statistic on the air service 27 operated by the competitors.

In the opposite direction the figures were as follows:

If you compare these figure it can be noted that the best results were obtained on the leg Amsterdam – Oslo, where the Dutch passengers changed from flying via Copenhagen to the direct flight. The freight on the KLM/DNL-service was not bad either:

All figures in kilograms. Krs stands for Kristiansand

Since the air service had become the official airmail service the amount of mail was very satisfactory according to the KLM. Especially in the direction from Norway to the Netherlands these figures were very good. But please note the national result as well!

All figures in kilograms.

It must be said that the results for Kristiansand were very disappointing. The KLM was therefore interested to see if in the future a direct flight between Amsterdam and Oslo would be possible. In the period June – August 1939 (when a connection to and from Bergen existed) 90 passengers between Amsterdam and Kristiansand or vice versa were carried. The costs for the landing at Kristiansand were above those of other European cities: A difference of maximum 1200 Norwegian Kroner per month. These two reasons meant that Kristiansand was considered dropped in favour of a direct connection. But unfortunately for KLM a direct flight would mean that more fuel would have to carry along, leading to a lower payload per flight. The aircraft could than only carry seven passengers and 200 kg of cargo. That was far too few. It was therefore for the moment better to keep Kristiansand, especially because of the connection to and from Bergen. If this route could be run more efficient KLM believed the results might improve in the coming years.

With regard to the regularity on the air service KLM was content. Only the stop in Kristiansand was a problem. In the direction Amsterdam to Oslo the scheduled twenty minutes stop in Kristiansand was most of the time extended to 25 (July and August), 18 (September) and 29 minutes (October). Latter figure was due to the early arrival of the aircraft in Kristiansand. On the service from Oslo to Amsterdam the aircraft arrived in average 19 minutes too late in Amsterdam and was the stop in Kristiansand between 32 and 34 minutes instead of 20. But as a whole KLM was content with the 20 minutes.

KLMs biggest disappointment was the lack of traffic from the west coast of Norway and Kristiansand to Amsterdam. Traffic to London was not as high as expected either. This was especially due to the competition of air service 32 of DLH and DDL. Also the traffic between Oslo and Kristiansand was not as high as could be expected. The reason for this lack of traffic was that it was mainly operated during the summer months. An earlier opening of the service would give more business traffic. More or less the same tendency could be registered in the south-north direction. Between June 1 and September 1 an average number of 4.4 passengers per aircraft between Oslo and Kristiansand could be registered. Between Kristiansand and Amsterdam this figure was just 3. In the next period (September 6 – October 31) it did not change much in southern direction (2.9 to 2.8) and for Kristiansand – Amsterdam from 3 to 6). The fact that so many flew in southern direction could be explained by the fact that tourist returned home at the outbreak of the Second World War. After the outbreak the changing of the schedule has certainly influenced the traffic as well. Mr Ten Hooven made the remark that the potential for the route was present but that more advertisement was needed. Also an expansion of the flying season would make it possible to increase the results. Costs could be limited as well, when Oslo Fornebo and Kristiansand Kjevik received the status of custom airport, thus reducing the custom fees.

The start and the end of the 1940-season

In 1940 the air route could not be opened until at least April 1940. This despite the wish of the airline companies to make the service an all-year around service. But the service was operated with special aircraft as well. After the incident with a DC-3 near the island of Helgoland, where a German fighter attacked the Dutch aircraft, KLM painted its aircraft orange and applied in big letters the word “HOLLAND” on the fuselage. In addition there were other modifications. To prevent unwanted sightings (e.g. espionage) the cabin windows of the aircraft were painted black, on other flights an additional first pilot was added and aircraft were equipped with signal lamps and rear mirrors. In addition the aircraft flew a more northern route on their way to Norway and flew at a higher altitude (up to 3,000 metres). Every 15 minutes a radio signal was sent. These measures were sufficient to prevent any further incidents.

From November 1, 1939 until March 31, the air service was discontinued, but could on April 1, 1940 be re-opened by the Douglas DC-3s of the KLM. Only one of the aircraft used on the air route has been confirmed: the Douglas DC-3-194E, PH-ASK Kemphaan (c/n 2036).  This aircraft was delivered to KLM in April 1938 and mainly used on KLMs European network. On April 8, the aircraft had arrived at Fornebo at the end of the afternoon and was to stay overnight. The KLM-captain Evert van Dijk witnessed the German attack in the early hours of April 9 and soon realised that he would not be able to return to the Netherlands. The German occupation forces could not seize the aircraft since the Netherlands was a neutral country. Van Dijk was therefore allowed to return to Amsterdam without passengers and freight on April 14. KLM had to discontinue its complete Scandinavian network. The route to Copenhagen and Stockholm was of course also discontinued as Denmark had been occupied as well. Thus the 1940-season lasted only 8 days. Any results for this line have so far not been found.

It was not until April 1, 1946 that KLM could re-open its air service between Amsterdam and Oslo and in 2004 the air service can celebrate the fact that the air service was opened for 65 years ago. The link between the two countries is regarded as very important. KLM now operates 4-5 daily flights from Oslo to Amsterdam, in addition to flights from Sandefjord Torp, Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim to Amsterdam. In 2004 KLM will open its service to Kristiansand again.

A Haan (cock) with a long life

In September 1981 I visited by coach the Finnish town of Hämeenlinna in connection with work and before I knew it I had past a unique site in Dutch aviation: the coffee shop of Hämeenlinna in the shape of a Douglas DC-2! It turned out to be former PH-AKH “Haan” (Cock, c/n 1354). But now it had a more Finnish appearance. This DC-2-115E had made its first flight on January 5, 1935 in sunny California (at Santa Monica). It was the third aircraft to be delivered to the Royal Dutch Airlines KLM and it made on May 1, 1935 with Captain G M H Frijns as first pilot the maiden flight for this company on the new air service Amsterdam – Frankfurt – Milano. It also served on the prestigious Amsterdam – Batavia (now Djakarta, Indonesia) route, but had after the introduction of the Douglas DC-3 been transferred back to the European network. It inaugurated on June 1, 1939 the Oslo – Kristiansand – Amsterdam route from Oslo.

In January 1940 KLM sold the aircraft to its Swedish partner AB Aerotransport, where its was registered as SE-AKE. The Swedish pilot Count Carl Gustav von Rosen transferred the aircraft on January 12 from Amsterdam to Malmö en Stockholm. The aircraft passed directly on to Count Von Rosen and he donated it to the Finnish Air Force (registration DC-1 and later DO-1), which was in great need of aircraft. He flew it for the Finnish Air Force as a bomber including a machine gun turret. Later it was used for the transportation of children from Finland to Sweden and for the transportation of Finnish pilots to Germany. These pilots were to pick up aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. In Germany it has been bombed and attacked by fighters but it could always be repaired. After the Second World War it was used for aerial photography and made on May 29, 1955 its last flight. In August 1958 it was sold as a coffee shop in Hämeenlinna. In November 1981 it was transferred to the National Aviation Museum in Helsinki where it is on display.

Behind this curious title lies the history of the American aviator Carl Truman Batts, who on behalf of the American Curtiss Company arrived in April 1919 in Bergen, Norway to fly one of the products of the Curtiss Company, the Curtiss MF Seagull, the post-war version of the successful Curtiss MF flying boat. Here is the story of his stay in Norway.

During his stay in Norway he made numerous flights and visited cities like Tønsberg, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Kristiania and Hamar. The Norwegians, who referred to him as ”Mr Batts”, just loved him and closed him in their arms.

Arrival in Bergen and assembly

In the last days of the month of April in the year 1919 the “SS Bergensfjord” sailed into the harbour of the Hanseatic city of Bergen and docked at the outskirts of the city. On board were large wooden boxes that were hoisted on a waiting train. From here the boxes were transported through Norway on the famous Bergen Railway to Kristiania (until 1925 the name of Oslo) and Tønsberg, Norway’s eldest city. It was lifted on lorries and taken to the factory of the Christian Hellesen, A/S Norsk Aeroplanfabrik. Here the boxes were opened and skilled personnel started to assemble the aircraft. This took only a few days and on 10 May the flying boat was ready for its first flight.

The aircraft in question was a Curtiss MF Seagull (registered in Norway as a Curtiss MF), the post-war development of Model F. It could carry two persons, including the pilot and was powered by a 160 hp Curtiss C-6A pusher. The span was 49’9” (15,21 metres), the length 28’10” (8,57 metres) and it cruised at a ceiling of 3,000 feet (915 metres). (The picture shown here is of a Curtiss MF Seagull. Note 1). The colours of the aircraft were: fuselage black and wings white. It was subsequently registered in the Norwegian Air Register as N-4 on the name of Carl Truman Batts. But the registration was not painted on the flying boat. Only the letter “N” was painted on the noose and on top and underneath the wings. It was officially certified by the Marinens Flygevåpen (Navy Air Service) and registered in May 1919. In Norway the price of the flying boat was given as $ 13,000 when delivered in Norway. When delivered in New York, the Curtiss would cost you $ 10,000.

The first flight through Norway

On 11 May 1919 Carl Truman Batts and his passenger John M Larsen were ready for take-off. Latter was of origin a Danish citizen, who had immigrated to the USA in 1892. He had made a fortune on designing, producing and selling cooling machines in the USA. Larsen was employed by the Curtiss Company to sell Curtiss flying boats in Europe, but during his stay in Europe he saw the Junkers J 13 Type F (later known as the Junkers F 13) and was so impressed, that he wanted to sell the aircraft in the USA. In 1920 he formed in cooperation with the Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG and in the USA the Junkers-Larsen Corporation. This company imported a number of Junkers J 13 Type F that was sold as Junkers JL-6 in the USA. But in 1919 John M Larsen was in Europe to sell the Curtiss flying boat. Carl Truman Batts had been instructor at Glenn Curtiss’ “The Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station” (founded in 1915). Other well-known instructors connected to the training school were Major William Mitchell and Eddie Stinson. Carl Batts presented himself as a (world?) looping champion.

Carl Batts had requested for authorisation to fly over Norwegian territory and after the Forsvarsdepartementet (the Norwegian Ministry of Defence) had given him permission for the special flight he commenced this flight along the Norwegian south coast. On 11 May he started with a test flight and could at 7 am depart from Tønsberg. John M Larsen joined him as passenger. They arrived at Kristiansand around 9 am and moored the flying boat at the Navy’s Air Station close to the centre of town. The flying boat was refuelled and departed for Stavanger at 11.30 am. The flight to Stavanger lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes, while the last leg to Bergen lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes. Total flying time 4 hours and 10 minutes. Mr Batts landed the flying boat smoothly on the Puddefjord in Bergen around 5.30 pm. After a short rest he took off at 7 pm again and climbed to a height of 1,000 metres where he made a half-an-hour flight over the centre of Bergen. Originally, the plan had been to come one day earlier to Bergen and make aerial pictures of the SS Stavangerfjord, the ship that brought John M Larsen to Bergen. But due to the delay of the flight they could not meet the ship when it sailed into the Puddefjord.

They stayed overnight and departed already the following day back to Stavanger. On 12 May the departure from Bergen was at 12 noon and they immediately flew in southern direction. Near Stavanger Mr Batts landed near the Stavanger Cementfabrik, where the manager Jacob Pedersen had stored petrol for the flying boat. After refuelling they started their take-off for the next leg to Kristiansand, but the flying boat just could not take-off from the calm water. A boat therefore towed the Curtiss MF Seagull to the marina Sølyst, where Mr Batts immediately started to overhaul the engine. In addition the fuselage had taken in water. During the take-off in Bergen and the landing in Stavanger two holes had developed in the fuselage. These had to be repaired with mahogany.

Arriving in Kristiania

The next day (13 May) the Curtiss MF Seagull, N-4 was ready and at 7.23 pm it managed to take-off from the water and fly in south-eastern direction to Kristiansand. They arrived here at 9.12 pm. Again an overnight was made and on 14 May at 2.30 am they continued for Kristiania (now: Oslo). They were escorted for a short while (possibly in a Sopwith Baby) by the Norwegian Premierløitnant (lieutenant) Leif Ragnar Dietrichson, who was the Navy Air Force’s station manager in Kristiansand (2).

The American steered his Curtiss Seagull along the Kristiania Fjord towards Kristiania, the capital of Norway. At 12.20 noon a message from Drøbak came in telling that Mr Batts had passed this lovely city at the fjords narrowest point. Ten minutes later he arrived above Kristiania and the roaring of the engine could be heard all over town. After an elegant flight above the city the impressive flying boat landed on the water of Bestumkilen. It moored at the marina of A/S Maritime (situated at a small sound just outside the centre of Kristiania. The manager Bryde welcomed them to Kristiania (see contemporary drawing from the newspaper Aftenposten. We can see from left to right: The Scandinavian representative of the Curtiss Company, John M Larsen, the pilot Carl T Batts giving directions to a helper near the wing and in front of the flying boat Mr Bryde, the manager of A/S Maritime). John M Larsen later told the press: “This was a rather uncomfortable journey. The weather was cold and there was a lot of fog… We used two hours and 10 minutes without landing and flew relatively low. 2,200 feet (3) was the highest we flew.”

The plan was to stay in Kristiania for some days and the day following their arrival it was expected that Mr Batts would give a demonstration and show the people of Kristiania his famous loopings. Thursday turned out to be a resting day and the flying boat was overhauled. On Friday 16 May it was announced that Mr Batts would fly over Kristiania. It was informed also that the Curtiss MF Seagull was not suited for loopings, so the citizen could not expect this to see that day.

On 17 May (the National Holiday of Norway with children’s parade) Mr Batts would make joy-ride flights from Bestumkilen. Unfortunately the weather that day did not allow many flights and only one flight could be made.

Upon arrival it was made public that Mr Batts had made an agreement with the Nordisk Filmkompagnie (Nordic Movie Company). They hired Mr Batts for a flight to the Jotunheimen Mountains to make a shot of the mountains for a film about one of the fairytales of Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. But it seems that this flight was not made.

Flying to Hamar at Lake Mjøsa

On Sunday 18 May Mr Batts was active again. In the early hours of this Sunday Mr Batts took Mr Bryde up in the air. He would be flown to Hamar, at the shores of Lake Mjøsa, the largest lake of Norway. At 5 am they departed from Bestumkilen and climbed to 4,000 feet (1,200 metres). The first point of orientation was Lake Øieren and from there they followed the river Glomma upstream. At 6.15 am they arrived at Hamar and landed in front of a large and ecstatic crowd. But the visit did not last long. At 6.40 am the Curtiss took off again. Mr Bryde remained in Hamar and returned to Kristiania by train. On his way a new passenger, Knut C Langaard, a local landowner, joined Mr Batts. The 90 kilometres (56 miles) were flown in just 40 minutes and at 7.20 am the Curtiss MF Seagull, N-4 returned on its nest in the Bestumkilen. Mr Batts described the flight as follows: “Ah, great, brilliant. I have never seen a similar scenery with mountains, lakes and forests and many beautiful farms in between.”

But he was not ready with flying. The next day Mr Batts started with a flight from Kristiania to Tønsberg with Ernst Rolf (the popular Swedish actor and singer?) as passenger. Upon return Mr Batts took to the air again, now with a journalist of the newspaper Aftenposten for a flight to Engene, where an explosion and an all-destroying fire had burned down a large factory. Four people were killed in this fire. The journalist made his report while in the air and this was in Norway reported as being the first time an aircraft was in service of the press.

Once returned from this flight, Mr Batts took to the air again, this time with Mrs Larsen-Grand, the wife of John M Larsen. She had the possibility to see Kristiania from 1,500 metres and enjoy the view on this lovely city. If this was not enough, Mr Batts made a few joy-ride flights extra for new passengers. After that he could finally enjoy a well-deserved supper.

A “first” for John M Larsen and Mr Batts

John M Larsen and Mr Batts can claim and have received recognition of being the first to have crossed the sea between Norway and Denmark by flying boat. On Friday 23 May at 9.20 am John M Larsen was (who was the pilot) and Mr Batts took off for the next stretch of their journey through Scandinavia. They were going to fly to København (Copenhagen, Denmark), Stockholm (Sweden) and Helsinki (capital of the than young republic of Finland). The flight took them from Kristiania along the Kristiania Fjord to Oscarborg Fortress (passed there at 9.35 am) and some 25 minutes later Færder Lighthouse at the entrance of the Kristiania Fjord. Because of low clouds, the aircraft could not be seen and this was the last Norway heard of the aircraft for a while. The flight across the Skagerak went without any problems and they arrived at Skagen on the tip of Denmark at 11.20 am. John M Larsen probably made this flight as pilot, because he wanted to fly to his home country himself.  The Curtiss Seagull was moored at the beach near the western pier and immediately scores of children gathered around the flying boat. Mr Larsen tried to send them away, but they continued touching the flying boat. They stayed in Skagen for just a few hours. John M Larsen went ashore and inspected one of his cooling facilities, before he returned to the flying boat for the next leg of the journey to København. Mr Larsen’s mother lived in Hjørring and in the afternoon he would pass the village of Sæby, where John M Larsen two sisters lived. He would throw some airmail down to them before they continued south. The flight brought them via Grenaa, Nykøbing and the Roskilde Fjord to København. After a flight of 2 hours and 4 minutes the Curtiss MF Seagull, N-4 landed smoothly near Margretheholm, the Naval Flying Boat Base at København. The total flying time from Kristiania to København had been 4 hours and 4 minutes – a good result for such a small flying boat. John M Larsen expressed that the reason for this flight was not only to show how reliable a flying boat can be, but also to show that a flight can be planned and executed correctly.

They stayed in København for a few days and made some joy ride flights with friends and relatives of John M Larsen. They also made a flight to the Danish island of Bornholm and back to København. Many pictures were made. The Danish press praised the Curtiss MF Seagull and one plane spotter (the first Danish one known to us) wrote: “… Especially Mr Bätt (4) made nice, vertical landings with the flying boat”.

On 25 May the two departed from København again and started on their journey to Stockholm. At 9.10 am they lifted off the water and started their flight to Kalmar, where they were to land to take in fuel. They arrived there at 11.40 am. Despite an agreement there was no fuel reserved for them and it took them 7 hours to solve the problem. At 6.30 pm they could finally depart from Kalmar and head for Stockholm. But here the problems started. Night fell and it became foggy. This made it even more difficult to orientate them. They had calculated that they were near Stockholm, but it was so dark that they could not distinguish the islands in the Swedish archipelago. They decided to land near Nynäsvik (south east of Stockholm) to orientate them. After their renewed take off and some flying, they suddenly realized that they were flying above the Østersjøen (Baltic Sea). The decision was made to go down near a lighthouse they could see. But before they reached this lighthouse, they spotted a small freighter-steamer. The plan was changed and in stead the flying boat landed near the freight-steamer. A small rowing boat was sent out to the flying boat and the Curtiss was towed in by what turned out to be a Danish freight-steamer with wood on board. Mr Batts and John M Larsen were told by the captain that they were 50 English Miles (92.6 km) east of Stockholm. On board the two aviators had the possibly to rest for a few hours, before it became morning again.

Meanwhile the news about the “disappearance” of Mr Batts and his flying boat reached the Norwegian press and gave the newspapers big headlines: “Mr Batts and Mr Larsen have not arrived in Stockholm. They departed from Kalmar at 7 pm – Fear that an accident has occurred” (see Norwegian heading). But Mr Batts and Mr Larsen were comfortably sitting on a freight-steamer, waiting for the first morning light. Once morning broke they boarded their flying boat and used the remaining petrol to fly to Furusund, where they could get 50 kg petrol. Half-an hour later (at 9.30 am) they were in the air again and flying towards Stockholm. But also in Sweden people were getting worried and the Swedish Navy had started a search and rescue party with boats.

On 26 May at 10.05 am the Curtiss MF Seagull, N-4 sailed above the city of Stockholm and after a short flight above the city Mr Batts landed near the fleet’s shipyard. Upon arrival Mr Larsen emphasized (he was thinking of his business) to the press that “… both the flying boat and the engine functioned perfect during the whole trip. We had no accidents and have flown all the way from Tønsberg to Bergen and from Bergen via Stavanger and Kristiansand to Kristiania, further to Hamar, Skagen and København. En extra trip was made to Kalmar and Stockholm. The only thing irritating us is the problems with the supply of petrol”.

We know that the Curtiss MF Seagull flew to Helsinki later, but this part fells outside the context of this article. We will deal with this part of the trip later. Just some information: Five days later he arrived in Helsinki (Finland) and continued to Tallinn in Estonia (arrival 6 June). He returned to København on 15 June. Later (10 July) he made a trial flight on the air route Stockholm – Göteborg – Kristiania.

The fate of the Curtiss MF Seagull, N-4

In September 1919 it was sold for 40,000 Norwegian Kroner to the Norwegian airline company Nordisk Luftkraft A/S at Gardermoen. It was taken in use at the airline company’s flying school (Norsk Flyveskole A/S), but due to lack of capital the companies were liquidated in July 1920. On an auction to raise money A Johannesen (from Sarpsborg) bought the Curtiss MF Seagull and took it to Sarpsborg, but already on 13 August 1920 this lovely flying boat ended its life after a failed take-off from the river Glomma. It landed on the roof of a stable, was destroyed beyond repair and subsequently cancelled from the Norwegian Air Register.

Carl T Batts remained in Scandinavia for some time. A second Curtiss MF Seagull arrived to Norway and was assembled and flown to København. In October he arrived together with John M Larsen at København from Kristiania and it was said that this flying boat was bigger than the one that visited København in May. The engine installed had 200 hp. Unfortunately he could not make many flights out of København due to the early winter weather. The waters surrounding København turned into ice. In the beginning of November 1919 John M Larsen handed over the Curtiss MF Seagull to the Danish Navy. The official handover was on board the Danish naval light cruiser “Hekla”.

I would like to thank the following people for their contribution of the making of this article:

Lennart Andersson, Ralph Cooper (Early Birds of Aviation, USA) and Kay Hagby.

Notes:

1. Picture taken from: http://www.geocities.com/kwii62/mf.htm
2. Premierløitnant Leif Ragnar Dietrichson was later (1928) killed together with Roald Amundsen and French crew when their Latham flying boat crashed on their way to Spitzbergen. They were to participate in the search of the Italian air ship “Italia”.
3. 2,000 feet is approximately 600 metres.
4. The plane spotter did not quote the name correctly.

After the struggle for independence ended in 1920, Latvia started as so many other European countries after the Great War, to rebuild its country. It supported in the beginning mainly on co-operation with Germany as Latvia saw Germany as a liberator of the country from the Russians and because of the historical ties. The foundation of the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedríba was therefore not surprisingly supported by Germany or more directly by the Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG (Jfa) from Dessau, eager to find ways to avoid destruction of its fleet of Junkers F 13 and increase its sales of Junkers-aircraft.

Already in December 1920 the German postal authorities decided to grant a concession for the transportation of freight and passengers on the link Berlin – Königsberg – Kaunus (Memel) – Riga. But it was a non-German airline company that would open the first airline on Riga. With a Sablatnig P.I of the Estonian airline company A-S Aeronaut opened on July 29, 1921 the Tallinn – Riga route for passengers, freight and mail and with connection in Tallinn to and from Stockholm. The latter was flown with a Savoia S.16 and a Junkers F 13W by the Swedish company Svenska Lufttrafik AB. The 2-2½ hour flights had an experimental character, but turned to be a success. No accidents occurred on the Tallinn – Riga service. A ticket cost 5,000 Estonian Marks one way per person. After one month 17 flights were made and 38 passengers carried.

In 1921 Junkers Werke & Co. (Jco) came in contact with a Russian lawyer living in Riga named Dr Alexander Woskressenski. He was interested to be the representative of Jco in Latvia. On June 15, 1922 a contract was signed between Lloyd-Junkers Luftverkehrs GmbH in Berlin and Dr A Woskressenski, making him general agent for Lloyd-Junkers Luftverkehrs GmbH for Latvia and Estonia. He was paid monthly 20,000 Latvian Rubbles and the contract was valid one year, starting July 1, 1922. Furthermore, an airline company was founded: Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akziju Saboedría. The foundation was on July 31, 1922 and with a capital of 100,000 (Lats) Gold francs, divided into 5,000 shares each 20 (Lats) Gold francs. The founders were the two Latvian citizens Captain Janis Lindberg and Lieutenant Janis Osol, together with Dr Woskressenski. The company received a special concession from the Latvian Government for flying international services. Besides being an airline company, Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS was to act as an agent, planned the purchase of workshops for aircraft maintenance and the building of maintenance facilities at airports. In addition § 17 of the company’s charter included the possibility for the company to use the shares of the company for the purchase of aircraft. This was done to give Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG (Jfa) the possibility to deliver aircraft to the company. On the day of the foundation Jfa was officially not the owner of the company, but on August 2, 1922 exactly 2,000 shares went to Junkers Werke AG, Dessau and 2,760 shares to the Junkers-affiliated Danziger Luftpost GmbH from Danzig. From each company the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS received one silver-coloured Junkers F 13: D 202 Condor (c/n 579) from Jfa and D 215 Fasan (c/n 631) from Danziger Luftpost GmbH. They flew with German registrations first and were later registered as respectively B.L.A.T.A. (latest since September 1923) and B.L.A.T.B. (latest March 1924) in Latvia. At the day of the foundation the 5,000 shares were divided over:

But two days later the shares changed hands:

After that day, the shares changed hands several times. Janis Osol had to sell his shares on March 30, 1924 to Roderich Bach. He had some financial problems with the company and could not stay on as director of the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS anymore. Early 1923 Danziger Luftpost GmbH transferred 2,410 shares to Janis Lindberg and Theodor Erlanger, only to receive them back again on June 10 that year. Junkers Werke AG’s share remained the same throughout the company’s existence, but through so-called Treuhändervertrag (straw men agreements) it owned 100 % of the company. The shares were only on the name of the above mentioned, but by delivering the two aircraft Jco/Jfa received the shares.

Any detailed results or information on this small airline company are not known, but in the spring of 1923 the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS joined the Osteuropa Union of Junkers-affiliated airline companies to fly (as from March 7, 1923) on the Tallinn – Riga – Kaunus – Königsberg line. Latvian aircraft flew on this stretch of the network and performed good work. On this line the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS and other Osteuropa Union-members flew between May and October 1923 107,896km and transported 1,061 passengers, 7,041kg of freight and 581kg of mail. Of the 284 flights planned 257 were actually carried out (= 90% regularity). The Osteuropa Union was followed, after the foundation of Aero O/Y in Finland by the Nordeuropa Union. In 1924 the same line was served again.

On October 15, 1924 the Junkers F 13, B.L.A.T.B. Fasan (c/n 631) crashed and was transported to Königsberg for repair. During a fire in Königsberg the aircraft was subsequently destroyed beyond repair. Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS was offered in April 1925 a new aircraft, the Junkers F 13, D 251 Eule (c/n 570). It received the vacant registration B.L.A.T.B. In May 1925 Dr Woskressenski asked Junkers’ director Dr Kaumann to investigate the possibilities of supplying Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS with one Junkers F 13W and two Junkers G 24s. This plan was abandoned.

In September Harry Winter died and his shares were taken over by Gustav Nordt. The General Managers were Janis Lindberg and Roderich Bach and other personnel working for the company was a secretary under the name of Ms Witte and two pilots: Mr Pawlowski and Mr Jakubow. Finally, there was an unnamed watchman, who received the sum Lats 80 per month to look after the premises at the Riga airport. In 1925 the Board of Directors of the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS consisted of Janis Lindberg, Dr Alexander Woskressenski, Theodor Erlanger, with as candidates Roderich Bach and Eberhard Cranz. The final revise of the accounts was done by Harry Winter (after Winter’s death in September replaced by Gustav Nordt), Wilhelm Schmidt and Erhard Milch. The year 1924 could be closed with a small profit of Lats 104.35. Of revenue of Lats 366,319.95 the company had only an income of Lats 42,328.86 the sales of airline tickets. The company was still writing of the losses from the financial problems in 1923 of former director Janis Osol.

The Königsberg – Kaunus – Riga – Tallinn – Helsinki service was re-opened on May 1, 1925. One week later, on May 7, the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS joined the founders of the Europa Union KGA in Berlin, but when Europa Union KGA decided to increase its capital stock (September 1925), the Latvian Government withdrew the subsidy. As a result the company had to pull out of the co-operation and had subsequently to cease operations under Europa Union KGA’s jurisdiction. During the three years it participated on the above mentioned air service Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS flew 603,000 kilometres, carried 5,627 passengers and 84,007 kg. of freight.

In 1926 the two remaining Junkers F 13s were still registered on the name of Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS. During the winter of 1925-26 (when all the changes took place in German aviation), the Junkers F 13, B-LATA was leased by Aero O/y from Junkers to replace D 335, which was on overhaul in Königsberg. On March 10, 1926 this aircraft crashed in Helsinki, with on board the Latvian Air Force delegation, which had just visited Finland. On April 19, 1926 it returned to Königsberg for repairs.

On September 30, 1925 the Junkers Werke AG had already taken over the Jfa/Jlag-shares, so was technically the owner of Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS. A meeting at the head office of Jco in Dessau on June 22, 1926 made it clear that Jco was not willing to support the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS anymore and subsequently decided to dissolve the company. Between February and August 1926 Jco had paid RM 8,337.02 in financial support. The participants on the Dessau-meeting were Mr Bach (one of the two directors of the Latvian company), Mr Bentheim (Jfa) and Junkers’ lawyer Dr Kottmeier. Neither Jco nor Jfa was willing to support the Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes AS anymore as long as the airline company did not give anything in return. Only if a solid economical platform was created by a subsidy from the Latvian Government, Jco was willing to continue. But it never came that far. Jco wanted to dissolve the company and started to do so. First, on July 1, 1926, the office was moved from the Hotel Bellevue on the 33, Rainis Boulevard, to the 50, Lacplesu Iela at Riga. Important was to get all office material as soon as possible from Riga to Dessau. Mr Bach was the man to start the dissolution of the company and in June and July the two Junkers F 13s were sold. Both B-LATA (c/n 579) and B-LATB (c/n 570) were eventually transferred to DVL eV in Adlershof as respectively D 202 Condor and D 251 Eule for a total of RM 90,954.05.

In 1927 the dissolution of the company was still not finalised. The Board of Directors was formed by the Messg. Lindberg, Cranz and Erlanger, with as candidate Mr Bach. The only item of some interest at the workshop at Riga’s airport was a BMW IIIa-engine, which however could not be used anymore. The Latvian company’s debt with Jco was eventually paid by the return of two stored aircraft floats. By November 1928 the company was dissolved.

To view a time table including the routes across Latvia follow these links to the website of Björn Larsson and David Zekria: www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/lett25a.htm

The picture was supplied by Lennart Andersson.

The Fokker F.II was the first of a long range of aircraft that KLM purchased from the Nederlandsche Vliegtuigfabriek NV (Fokker) before the Second World War. KLM had opened its first air service on May 17, 1920 with leased British aircraft, but ordered in July 1920 the first Fokker F.IIs. The fleet was within two years extended by the new Fokker F.IIIs. In this article we give a short introduction of both aircraft. This article is the second version. The first version has been taken down from the internet after just one day since the information was incomplete. Thanks to Herman Dekker we have now verified all information.

The first aircraft for the KLM

The airline company KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines was formed on October 7, 1919 and was headed by the famous lieutenant Albert Plesman, organizer of the first air exhibition of the Netherlands, the ELTA. Right after the foundation the KLM joined the International Air Traffic Association – IATA that had its offices in the same city as the KLM, Den Haag (The Hague). The winter of 1919-20 was used for the organisation of the company. Albert Plesman started to look for suitable aircraft and for partners to work with. On May 10, 1920 it eventually signed an agreement with the British firm Aircraft Transport & Travel Ltd – AT&T. The two companies were to fly the air service Amsterdam – Rotterdam – London where AT&T would lease aircraft and crews to KLM. The first season KLM therefore operated an extensive fleet of English aircraft. On May 17, 1920 the first flight between London and Amsterdam was made by an Airco DH 16. Jerry Shaw had the honour to be the first pilot on this route. Except for the Second World War, this route has been operated ever since and can in 2005 celebrate its 95th birthday. The first passengers were two English journalists and also on board were a present from the Lord Major of London for his colleague in Amsterdam and a package with English newspapers. KLM also signed an agreement with the Dutch Royal Mail (signed on March 29, 1920) thus securing the transportation of airmail between the two cities as well. For this purpose KLM had to sign an agreement with Handley Page Transport Ltd since the British government had assigned this company to this company. On July 5, 1920 the pilot Hinchcliffe with the DH 9, G-EAMX (1) made the first flight with airmail from Holland to England.
The regular air services were changed from three times weekly into daily (except on Sundays) from June 28. And from July 12 the frequency increased to two daily departures. A new air service was inaugurated on September 1, 1920 in co-operation with the German airline company Deutsche Luft Reederei GmbH (DLR): Amsterdam – Bremen – Hamburg – København (Copenhagen). Also here a pool agreement was signed and AEG and LVG biplanes operated the air service. On October 31 all services were suspended because of the autumn weather. During the winter KLM could prepare itself for the next season with its own aircraft.

The Fokker F.II

When the KLM opened on May 17, 1920 the air service Amsterdam – Rotterdam – London Anthony Herman Fokker sent up his Fokker F.II in the air to impress the director of KLM, Albert Plesman. This was important, because before the KLM decided about an aircraft, the company investigated the possibility of buying, some Junkers F 13s from Germany. The aircraft was regarded as too expensive. Anthony Fokker had built the prototype of the Fokker F.II (known as V.45) at its factory in Schwerin (Germany). The prototype had made its maiden flight in October 1919. He sent Bernard de Waal to Schwerin to get the aircraft and transfer it to the Netherlands. The Germans were however prohibited to export aircraft so Bernard de Waal took off directly from the hangar. He managed to fool some German police officers after an forced landing and reached the north of the Netherlands. He landed near the Frisian village of Surhuisterveen to deliver a sewing machine that he had taken along for someone in Friesland. By train and ship the aircraft was transferred to Amsterdam and repaired. The aircraft was in December 1920 sold to the Dutch Rijksstudiedienst voor de Luchtvaart (Government Aviation Research Esthablishment) and used without  registration until 1931.

The Fokker F.II was a high-wing monoplane with fabric covered welded steel-tube fuselage and thick-section all-wood wing with ply covering. The wings were built in one piece and bolted to the top of the fuselage. The wing of the F.II tapered slightly in chord and sharply in thickness. The fuselage was of rectangular section, had hardly any taper in side elevation and ended in a vertical knife edge. The cabin for four passengers was beneath the wing, had three windows each side and a door in the port side. A fifth passenger could be carried beside the pilot in the open cockpit, which was immediately forward of the cabin (2).

On July 10 KLM ordered two Fokker F.IIs. The original aircraft was powered by a 185 hp BMW IIIa. Both aircraft were delivered to the KLM on August 25 and on September 13, 1920 registered as H-NABC (c/n 4057) and H-NABD (c/n 4058), but it would take until September 30 before the first aircraft took off for its maiden flight to London. The first flight was made by the Englishman Hinchliffe be it not without problems. But especially the engine gave problems. The technicians of the KLM managed to keep the aircraft flying, but in the winter of 1920-21 the engines were replaced by the 240 hp Armstrong Siddeley Puma that led to more reliability. The flight to London was made to give a demonstration flight for the English Air Ministry and later at Cricklewood for Handley Page Ltd and Aircraft Transport & Travel – AT&T.
On April 14, 1921 H R H Prince Hendrik performed the official opening of the new season. For the first time only Fokker-aircraft were used. In 1921 the two F.IIs made 55 flying hours and the next year 366 flying hours. This increased in 1925 to 439 hours. But the aircraft were not too much used. The Fokker F.III (see below) took over the air services and the F.IIs were only in reserve. It must be noted that the aircraft flew until September 1927 for KLM, but were soon replaced by the improved Fokker F.III. The two KLM-aircraft were sold to the Belgian airline company SABENA, where they were registered as OO-AIC and OO-AIB.

Another H-NABC exists! Between 1994 and 2004 the Fokker factory paid for and built a new Fokker F.II. The aircraft even received an original constructor’s number! The last known c/n was 1596, while c/n 1597 could not be confirmed, so the new H-NABC was allotted the c/n 1598. It is now exhibited at the Aviodrome at Lelystad Airport. An original Armstrong Siddeley Puma engine was found as well and installed. During our visit in the summer of 2004 we saw the aircraft and were impressed by the work done. Congratulations to the museum!

The Fokker F.III

Already before the delivery of the first Fokker F.IIs to the KLM the F.III was ready on the drawing board. A mock-up was constructed in Amsterdam and the designer Reinhold Platz returned to German to construct the prototype at the Fokker Flugzeug -Werke GmbH at Schwerin. On November 20, 1920 the first flight with the prototype of the Fokker F.III (see picture of the aircraft at Amsterdam-Schiphol) was made with the KLM-pilot Hinchcliff at the controls. One month earlier (October 29) KLM had ordered the first Fokker F.III for delivery before the start of 1921-season. On April 14, 1921 the first Fokker F.III of the KLM entered service. At that day eight Fokker F.IIIs were delivered and registered as H-NABG to H-NABN. With the Fokker F.III, H-NABH the English pilot Gordon Olley inaugurated the air service Amsterdam – Rotterdam – London. Ray Hinchliffe inaugurated the air service from London with the Fokker F.III, H-NABH. Walter George Raymond Hinchliffe was born in Liverpool on June 10, 1894 and was a Great War fighter ace with 10 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service and 210 Squadron RAF. He joined KLM after the Great War.

At the same day a Fokker F.III flown by the German pilot Gnädig inaugurated the air service from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, Bremen and Hamburg. If this was not enough the next air service was opened just three weeks afterwards. In co-operation with the Belgian airline company SNETA and the French airline company CMA, KLM inaugurated the Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Brussels – Paris route. It was Gordon Olley that took the Fokker F.III, H-NABK on the first flight to Brussel. Here the passengers had to transfer to the Belgian or French aircraft that continued to Paris. There was no Air Treaty between Netherlands and France, thus KLM could fly all the way to Paris. That would take another two years.

Just five weeks after the opening of the air routes, the first Fokker F.III (H-NABL) was destroyed beyond repair due to an accident near Hekelingen (NL).  In June this aircraft was replaced by a new aircraft with the same registration in addition to two other aircraft that were ordered one month later: H-NABQ and H-NABT. The new Fokker F.III, H-NABL did not stay in service very long. Already on October 26 that year it was destroyed beyond repair following an accident at Rotterdam/Waalhaven.

For the first time KLM wanted to operate the services throughout the winter, but the on October 3 the service to Hamburg had to closed due to the general German economical situation and the dizzying inflation. On  November 19, 1921 the route to London was discontinued due to the uncertainly about the Dutch subsidy. The Fokker F.III had made 1,195 flights and carried 1,664 passengers, 1,547.885 kgs of mail and 38,907.175 kgs of freight. The aircraft had also made some special flights of which the annual repport mentioned the first night flight from Amsterdam to Berlin and Berlin – Amsterdam – London – Amsterdam on one day. Also a flight Amsterdam – Dortmund – Rotterdam – London  – Amsterdam on one day was made by one of the Fokker F.IIIs.

1922: The second year with the Fokker F.III

During the winter the Technical Department of the KLM overhauled all aircraft and their engines. On February 4, 1922 the KLM was asked by the Dutch Post Office to start up an air service from Amsterdam to Bremen and Hamburg. Due to the German railway strike, mail could not be carried and the aircraft seemed to be the perfect solution. The flights were made between February 5 and 10 and beside 1,535 kg mail, 26 paying passengers were transported. In addition KLM was asked to fly to the isolated Frisian islands and on January 6 and 28 and February 5 and 10 such flights were made commissioned by the Dutch Post Office and the Gist- en Spiritusfabriek (a yeast and distillery factory) from Delft.

The fleet of KLM consisted out of two Fokker F.IIs and ten Fokker F.IIIs. In addition it operated two De Havilland DH.9. The pilots were beside the German Wende, all Dutch and later the Russian-born pilot Ivan Smirnoff was taken over from the Belgian company SNETA.

The first loss of an aircraft was registered on May 17, when the Fokker F.III, H-NABT was destroyed beyond repair following an forced landing near Hythe (UK). On June 22, KLM could announce that it had flown 1,000,000 kilometres without a casualty. On August 21 the KLM-fleet of Fokker F.IIIs was further extended by the delivery of another three aircraft: H-NABS, H-NABU and H-NABV. Latter two had their wing mounted 25 centimetres above the fuselage (see picture of H-NABU) and the Siddeley Puma engine was replaced by the new 360 hp Rolls Royce Eagle VIII. Furthermore the fuselage was one metre longer, allowing a sixth passenger to be carried in the cabin.

In 1922 KLM operated pretty much the same network as in 1921: Amsterdam – Rotterdam – London, Amsterdam – Brussels – Paris and the domestic service Amsterdam – Rotterdam. On June 1, SNETA discontinued its operations and KLM completely took over the service between Amsterdamn and Brussels. The connection in Brussels to Paris in co-operation with the French airline company Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes – CMA did not function well due to the constant delay of the French aircraft. During the summer season KLM offered twice daily service to London in co-operation with the English airline company Daimler Airways Ltd. The service to Bremen and Hamburg was discontinued because of the problems with the German inflation. It was financially not possible to operate the service. This influenced also the results on the service to London and Paris, as many foreign passengers flew from their home country by KLM to Germany.

1922 also saw some special flights: On August 28 and 29 special flights between Amsterdam and Groningen commissioned by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf; On September 6, Geijssendorffer flew non stop from Amsterdam to København (Copenhagen, Denmark) with a Fokker F.III filled with flowers. It returned the next day with films about the visit to København of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Special flights were also made to Oostende (Belgium), Vlissingen, Ede and Brussels (Belgium). For the first time flowers were carried on a large scale on behalf of flower florists from Boskoop. In June and July 3,837 kgs fresh flowers were flown to London. Generally the transportation of freight increased by some 100 %.

In 1923 saw changes in the line to Paris. On April 1 the lines to Brussels and London were re-opened, but after the hurdles were taken down, KLM was able to start on June 4 its own service from Amsterdam via Rotterdam and Brussels to Paris. Thus a twice daily air service was operated. The Dutch captain Hofstra made that day the first through KLM-service to Paris by the Fokker F.III, H-NABK, while Ivan Smirnoff made the first return flight in the Fokker F.III, H-NABM. On November 21 the condition of the air field Haren near Brussels was so bad that the landing there had to be dropped.

By the way, the latter aircraft was lost in accident on July 17 on Croydon, while Ivan Smirnoff lost his Fokker F.III, H-NABH on October 19 after an emergency landing on  Goodwin Sands. Again, the aircraft were lost, but there were no casualties.

KLM wanted to open an air route on Köln (Cologne, Germany), but political problems made this impossible. During a Belgian railway strike the frequence on Brussels was increased to once every hour. In addition some twenty extra flights were made from Germany to London. On joy-ride flights some 1,747 passengers were booked.

But it was time to find a successor of the Fokker F.III and in 1923 the Board of Directors of the KLM decided that the Fokker F.VII was to become this successor and three samples were ordered.

The next year saw the first fatal casualties in the history of the KLM. On April 24 the Dutch Captain Pijl and his two passengers disappeared with the Fokker F.III, H-NABS on a flight from London to Rotterdam. After an extra landing at Lympe to load some freight the aircraft departed without any problems, but must have fallen into the Channel. No wreckage or traces of the aircraft or its passengers was ever found.

The technical department at Rotterdam/Waalhaven managed to built a new Fokker F.III with the registration H-NABM (2) from parts of other Fokker F.IIIs and some new parts from the factory. In August it was taken in use.

In 1925 the first Fokker F.VII and F.VIIa entered service with the KLM and they took over the tasks of the Fokker F.III. The last Fokker F.III to open an air service was the H-NABQ. It was used by Captain Scholte on the inaugural flight from Rotterdam to Dortmund (Germany) on July 14, 1925. Due to bad results the line was discontinued on October 17.

Two aircraft were lost in 1925: On June 25, the Fokker F.III, H-NABM (2) was lost near Landrécies (France). The pilot Klunder and three passengers were killed and the aircraft lost. He was on his way to Paris and entered a weather front with rain. In a right hand swing the aileron on the right side was teared off causing the aircraft to crash. The next aircraft lost was the Fokker F.III, H-NABI. The failure of the rudder caused the aircraft to crash near Hamburg (Germany).

In the autumn of 1925 two Fokker F.IIIs (H-NABU and H-NABV) fitted with a 420 hp Gnome-Rhône aircooled 6 cylinder engine. They were mounted to test air-cooled engines.

But the increasing use of Fokker F.VII and F.VIIa also led to the selling of the first Fokker F.IIIs. On April 10, 1926 five Fokker F.IIIs were flown in formati­on from Amsterdam’s airport Schiphol to Basel, the main base of the Swiss airline company Balair. The KLM-pilots, who were assigned to fly the Fokker F.IIIs were Geyssendorffer (with H-NABG, c/n 1503), Scholte (with H-NABJ, c/n 1506), Sillevis (with H-NABK, c/n 1507), Duimelaar (with H-NABN, c/n 1510) and Iwan Smir­noff (with H-NABQ, c/n 1529). The aircraft made an extra landing at Köln, where H-NABJ with its pilot Scholte, had a delayed start due to ignition-problems. Nevertheless they all arrived at Basel at 3.15 pm. The aircraft were used on flights to Genève, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, Lyon and Stuttgart.

Just a few weeks later (on April 13) the Fokker F.III, H-NABU was lost in an accident near Amsterdam/Schiphol. Thus only the H-NABR and H-NABV were left.  They were used for freight- and photographic flights. The Fokker F.VII and F.VIIa had taken over the work from the obsolete Fokker F.IIIs.

The fate of the last two aircraft: The H-NABR was lost on July 24, 1928 following an accident during a photographic flight near Rotterdam. It hit the mast of a ship in the harbour and crashed into the water. One passenger drowned. That year the last remaining Fokker F.III (H-NABV) was re-engined with a 420 hp Gnome-Rhône Titan engine with a metal Curtiss Reed propellor. It continued to fly for KLM and was in February 1929 re-registered as PH-ABV. One year later (November 1930) it was sold for £ 300,-,- without an engine to the Australian Ray Parer, owner of the Bulolo Goldfields & Co.

(1) Some sources claim that the Airco DH 9 carried the registration G-EAPU or G-EAQP.
(2) From “European Transport Aircraft since 1910″ by John Stroud.

The fleet

The fleet of Fokker F.IIs and F.IIIs in service with KLM is complete.

John Stroud wrote in his book “European Transport Aircraft since 1910” that the Farman F.121 Jabiru (Stork) was “…one of the ugliest transport aeroplanes ever built”. He probably wrote this with a smile on his face. But in a way the F-3X and perhaps even more the three-engine version F-4X were not the best looking aircraft, but they were used on air services for some years. Four of them were even used in Denmark. This story is about speed, prestige and safety.

The prototype Farman F-3X Jabiru

The prototype, F-3X was a high-wing strut-braced monoplane with a wooden wing, tapered in a curve from 6 metres chord at the root to 3 metres at the sawn-off tips. The fuselage was of mixed metal and wood construction. The nose was like that of the Goliath only deeper and contained two passenger seats. Behind this front cabin was a small section with semi-bulkheads fore and aft. In the top was the open cockpit for one or two crew. The main cabin had six seats. Four 180 hp Hispano Suiza 8Ac water-cooled engines powered the aircraft. They were mounted in tandem pairs at the ends of stub wings. The biggest problem was the cooling of the rear engines. The prototype, F-ESAR originally had cooling surface on the inner struts, but later two Lamblin radiators were mounted above each pair of engines. Still later, a triangular radiator was mounted in front of each engine.

The prototype flew for the first time in 1923 and was delivered to the French State in 1924 for tests. When the first F-3X was registered (F-AGFC) it was re-designated F.121. Nine aircraft were constructed of which four went to Denmark. They were operated until 1930. In order to solve the cooling problems, a three-engine version (originally F-4X, later F.120T) was constructed. Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne – CFRNA ordered four. The picture above shows the Farman F-3X bis (F-ESAS) as prototype.

Farman in Denmark

Denmark was after the Great War (1914-1918) orientated on France and embraced the products of the French aviation industry. Numerous types of military aircraft were delivered to the Danish air force and also in the civil aviation French aircraft dominated Denmark. The best-known example is the flight of the Danish pilot Mr Krause-Jensen, who transferred after the war a Farman F.60 Goliath from Paris via the Netherlands to Denmark. The pilot on this flight was Monsieur D’Or.

But the Danish airline company Det Danske Luftfartselskap AS – DDL had problems establishing itself in Denmark. Right from the start DDL was acknowledged by the Danish State as the national airline company of Denmark and was given as much support as possible. But during the first years (1918-1925) it did not manage to put together a fleet of its own. It had possessed surplus aircraft from German and England, used chartered Fokker-Grulich F.IIIs and Dornier Komet aircraft, before it in 1924-25 was offered the all-metal Junkers G 24. But during the preparations of the 1926-season it was obvious that the battle between DDL and the Swedish airline company AB Aerotransport on the air service to Paris and London via Amsterdam would reach the top. AB Aerotransport and KLM had agreed to co-operate, but could not agree with DDL. Therefore DDL turned to French airline company SGTA Lignes Farman to talk about a co-operation on an air service from Paris to København (Copenhagen). AB Aerotransport operated the service to Amsterdam with modern three-engine Junkers G 24 and used in its advertisements the fact that three engines meant safety. Therefore it was important for DDL to emphasise this advantage as well. But in 1925 it had only single-engine aircraft and had purchased some single-engine Fokker-Grulich F.IIIs, which were actually already obsolete.

The financial situation of DDL was very bad in the autumn of 1925 and a reconstruction of the airline company was expected to take place. One of the main reasons for this reconstruction was actually the buying of the Farman F.121 Jabiru. The powerful Danish press was very much against this order and was in favour of the single-engine Fokker F.VII. A few years later DDL also purchased the Fokker F.VII. According to the Danish press the Fokker F.VII outclassed the Farman F.121 Jabiru despite its single engine. But the choice the managing director of DDL, Willie Wulff made in favour of the Farman F.121 Jabiru is understandable and defendable since AB Aerotransport operated three engine aircraft and DDL wanted to be better than AB Aerotransport. Another reason to vote for the ordering of the Farman-aircraft was the low exchange rate of the French Francs and that was of importance since the financial situation of DDL was not too sound. With its 175 kmh it was one of the fastest civil airliners of its time.

The first Farman F.121 Jabiru was delivered in September 1925 and registered as T-DOXB in the Danish register. It had been built in France in 1925 and had as previous identity F-AIAN (n/c 2). DDL chartered the aircraft for a month and after this trial period the aircraft was returned to France. DDL was under government control and the Rigsdag (the Danish Parliament) allowed the order of the aircraft. But one of the conditions was that DDL had to let two aircraft be built by the local Danish aircraft industry. Despite the protests of Willie Wulff (to build the aircraft in Denmark would mean nearly a doubling of the costs) the Rigsdag upheld its conditions. An additional subsidy to DDL was promised, but never paid to DDL.

The situation got even worse, when after the sudden death of Mr Holck Colding (from the Ministry of Public Works and responsible for aviation matters) the agreements made between DDL and the Department turned out not to be written down on paper. This meant that new agreements had to be made. On top of this, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of DDL, Director Karl Kiefer ordered an additional Farman F.121 Jabiru on his own initiative. At the beginning of the 1926-season DDL would therefore have two aircraft delivered from France, while the next two were to be delivered at the end of the 1926-season.

The delivery and start of the 1926-season

By May 1926, the first two French-built aircraft were delivered to DDL and landed at Kastrup, the civil airport of København. On May 8, 1926 they were registered as T-DOXB (2, see picture) and T-DOXC. Another reason for the purchase of these aircraft was that the SGTA – Lignes Farman scheduled to use the same aircraft on its air service Paris – Köln (Cologne, Germany). On April 19, 1926 Fokker-Grulich F.III flown by the Danish pilot Rosenberg made a flight to Amsterdam in order to confirm the right of DDL to fly this route. But in stead an air service København – Hamburg – Köln was to be opened on May 17, 1926. This was however postponed until May 26 on request by the French airline company. By then the SGTA Lignes Farman started to operate the air service Paris – Köln – Berlin with connection in Köln to Hamburg and København (operated by DDL).

KLM was not pleased with the opening of this air service to Paris and informed DDL with strong words that it had broken previously made agreements. DDL was of the opinion that it was free to operate other services and was not interested to give in. This decision led to the KLM-decision not to work together with DDL anymore and open its own representation in Denmark. It would take many years before the two parties found each other again and started to work together.

The results on the air service to Köln were however disappointing. In fact nearly no passengers were flown beyond Hamburg. This caused more financial problems for DDL and the final reconstruction of the company. The new management under the leadership of Knud Krebs closed down the air service to Köln and decided only to operate air service in a small scale. As compensation the State paid 200,000 Danish Crowns to the Orlogsværftet for the two Danish built aircraft.

DDL opened in On April 19, 1927 two daily flights to Hamburg: one with the Farman F.121 Jabiru and one with the Fokker-Grulich F.III. But already the next day DDL had to register the loss of its first Farman F.121 Jabiru: The aircraft with the registration T-DOXD Sjælland had to make an extra-ordinary landing due to lack of petrol. The pilot Christian Johannsen managed to put down the aircraft near Karise (Stevns), but could not avoid sever damage. The aircraft had to be written off. This left the company with three aircraft.

In August 1926, the Orlogsværftet (the Army’s Workshops) in København delivered the next two Farman F.121 Jaburis. The aircraft were registered on August 4 as T-DOXD and T-DOXF. From 1928 the Fokker F.VII replaced the Farman F.121 Jabiru. The French aircraft were gradually taken out of services and were all broken up and cancelled from the register in 1931.

The Danish mechanic Asmussen once wrote about the Farman F.121 Jabiru: “Once we had fixed them (i.e. the engines – RM) they were pretty good. The engines did not have a long time – they were former war engines and the French pilots, who flew the aircraft just after their delivery to DDL, were not thinking about the economical side of the engine. They flew the aircraft with maximum rounds per minute.” This led to a short life of the engines. And replacing four engines was rather expensive. Furthermore there were some practical problems with the aircraft: The aeroplane was too high and it was therefore difficult for the pilot to taxi. Also the cooling was still not optimal.

The Farman F.121 Jabiru had only a short operational life in Denmark and was mainly used on the route to Hamburg and for local flying. In 1928 and 1929 the three remaining aircraft were withdrawn from use. With their four engines they were too expensive to operate.

The aircraft delivered to DDL:

Picture of time table from the website of Björn Larsson and David Zekria (http://www.timetableimages.com/)

One of the most important aircraft factories of the period before 1945 was the Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG – Jfa. It produced the first useable all-metal aircraft. The first all-metal fighters were already constructed during the Great War (1914-1918) and after the war Junkers continued to develop military and civil aircraft of all-metal construction. Famous is the three-engined series of civil aircraft: Junkers Ju 252, Junkers Ju 52/3m, Junkers G 31 and Junkers G 24. Latter aircraft has been widely used by the Swedish airline company AB Aerotransport (AB standing for Aktiebolag – Limited company).

AB Aerotransport

After the failure of the Svensk Lufttrafik AB – SLA to establish itself as the national airline company of Sweden, Carl Florman saw the potential to start up a new initiative. During his stay in the United Kingdom for the Swedish Government he met Geoffrey De Havilland and it was understandable that he took contact with him once he developed his idea of a national Swedish airline company. Florman wanted to purchase De Havilland DH.50s and start up airmail services. Delay in the delivery of the aircraft led to problems for Florman and he came into contact with Jfa. This company was willing to invest in AB Aerotransport and so it did. It will take to many pages to explain the structure of the ownership of the AB Aerotransport, but one thing can be confirmed and that is the fact that for some years Jfa invested and owned much of AB Aerotransport. In the first year of operation (1924) the AB Aerotransport used the Junkers F 13s, but Jfa had developed a new reliable three engine all-metal monoplane, which it wanted to enter service in 1925. John Stroud wrote in his book European Transport Aircraft since 1910 that the aircraft could be “regarded as the precursor of all the multi-engine all-metal low-wing monoplane transport aircraft which represent the standard form of today”. And this is a true statement. What John Stroud did not know at the time was the fact that the type designation G 23 did not exist at all. Junkers specialist Lennart Andersson explained in his book about AB Flygindustri i Limhamn 1925-1935 that “the G 24 for a short period in 1925-26 was called G 23. Although many publications state so, the G 23 and G 24 were not different aircraft. The designation G 23 was normally used only outside the company (i.e. Jfa – Rob Mulder) (in contacts with customers, authorities etc.). The J 23 was a completely different type, the single-engined T 23 private aircraft. Afi (i.e. AB Flygindustri – the Junkers-affiliated aircraft factory in Sweden – Rob Mulder) stopped using the G 23 designation already in 1926, but both ABA and the Swedish authorities, which did not know the background, continued to use this designation for the aircraft purchased in 1925. As these machines had different engines, etc, it was later assumed that the G 23 designation indicated a different version or a different type. This was not the case.

The Junkers G 24

In September 1924 the Junkers G 24 made its first flight. It was a low-wing cantilever monoplane and the prototype was powered by one single 230 hp Junkers L 2 and two 120 hp Daimler D IIa. The enclosed cabin offered seats to nine passengers and there was an open cockpit for two pilots. In the beginning the assembly was in Sweden at Jfa sister company AB Flygindustri and the first aircraft delivered to AB Aerotransport came from the Malmö-based factory.

Already in October 1924 AB Aerotransport ordered at Jfa four Junkers G 24s pending Swedish State subsidy. The order was confirmed by Jfa with the order number 480 and indicated that the delivery of the first two aircraft would take place in March 1925. This was followed by the delivery of the other two aircraft in respectively April and May 1925. In March the Swedish Riksdagen (Parliament) approved the concession and AB Aerotransport was allowed to operate the air services Stockholm – Helsinki, København – Göteborg – Oslo (Copenhagen – Gothenburg – Oslo) and Malmö – Hamburg – Amsterdam. AB Aerotransport could also purchase the Junkers G 24, but this would partially be done through a new AB Aerotransport-owned company called AB Flygmateriel (Aero Equipment Ltd). This company would pay for the Junkers G 24 and lease them on to AB Aerotransport. Once the financial situation in AB Aerotransport was sound the airline company could buy the aircraft.

On May 2, 1925 Robert Holmèn made at Malmö/Bulltofta the first test flight with AB Aerotransports first Junkers G 24, the WNr 833 (Werknummer – constructor’s number). Seven days later it was registered as S-AAAD Götaland on the name of AB Flygmateriel, who transferred the aircraft to AB Aerotransport for use. Three days later (May 12) the next two aircraft were delivered: S-AAAE Svealand (WNr 836) and S-AAAF Skåne (WNr 837). One month later on June 10 the last aircraft was delivered: the S-AAAG Norrland, WNr 838. The aircraft all had three 220 hp Junkers L 2 engines.

The world’s first air service operated by a three-engined aircraft

On May 13 the newly delivered Junkers G 24, S-AAAD flew to Amsterdam/Schiphol in order to be able to open the new air service Malmö – Hamburg – Amsterdam from there. Two days later, on Friday, May 15, 1925 AB Aerotransport inaugurated with the Junkers G 24, S-AAAE the world’s first air service operated by a three-engined aircraft from Malmö to Hamburg and Amsterdam. This was a great improvement compared with the single-engined Fokker F.III and the Dornier Merkur used so far by the competitors. KLM did not receive its first three engined aircraft until October 1925: the Koolhoven FK.33. This aircraft did not satisfy the needs. It was not until the introduction of the Fokker F.VIIb-3m that KLM could put up a competitive aircraft.

AB Aerotransport used all its four Junkers G 24s on the route to Amsterdam. This service was officially closed on September 30. But AB Aerotransport and Junkers Luftverkehr AG – Jlag continued to fly without any subsidy. AB Aerotransport only received an imbursement from the Generalpoststyrelse (the Swedish Mail Office), but when this ended (December) AB Aerotransport and Jlag flew the service until it was finally closed down on December 22. From October 1 until December 22, the route was operated with a minor adjustment. The service started in Malmö, but after the landing in Hamburg it continued to Amsterdam via the city of Essen/Mülheim in the Ruhr area. The service was now operated in co-operation with the Junkers-affiliated airline companies Luftverkehrsgesellschaft Ruhrgebiet AG – LURAG and NV Nederlandsche Wereldverkeer Maatschappij – NWM.

In September 1925, AB Aerotransport chartered a fifth Junkers G 24, the S-AAAX (WNr. 904). Jlag and Sächsische Luftverkehrs AG owned it and chartered it to AB Aerotransport for a three months period. In December it returned to Germany and went in January 1926 with the Swedish registration to Deutsche Luft Hansa AG. In June it was re-registered D899.

The Swedish Junkers G 24s were in 1925 only used on the air service to Amsterdam. The Stockholm – Helsinki service was still operated by Junkers F 13 with floats.

Co-operation on the Malmö – Amsterdam service

In the period April 19 to October 9, 1926 the Junkers G 24s have been used on the air service to Amsterdam and AB Aerotransport was responsible for 100 % of the traffic up to July 14, after which date the Deutsche Luft Hansa AG took over 50 % of the traffic. The German company used the Junkers G 24 as well. In the approximately the same period Dutch KLM operated a competing service from Amsterdam to Malmö. An agreement between KLM and AB Aerotransport made it possible for both companies to work together on the air service in 1927, 1928 and 1929. During three months in 1927 and 1928 traffic was doubled and both companies operated a daily flight (only on Monday to Friday).

KLM operated the service with the single-engine Fokker F.VII for eight passengers and from 1928 also with the single-engine Fokker F.VIII (12 passengers).  The co-operation went fine. The pool agreement was such that the incomes and expenses were divided between the two companies. But one kilometre flown by the Fokker F.VIII was compensated with 55/45 part of one kilometre flown by the Junkers G 24. This system was changed in 1929 when KLM operated the service with smaller aircraft than AB Aerotransport did.  The Swedish authorities paid the first year 1,75 Swedish Crowns per flown kilometre, increased to 2,50 Swedish Crowns in 1927 and reduced to 2,45 Swedish Crowns in 1929. Regularity on the air service is impressive with figures high up in the nineties, but the economical results were far from satisfactory.

Results on the route for the period 1925-1929 are:

Source: Sveriges Offentliga Utredningar (SOU) 1929 nr 21. For 1929 are only approximate figures known.

Malmö – København – Göteborg – Oslo

In 1926 the Junkers G 24s were again used between Malmö and Amsterdam, but in addition an air service to Oslo was scheduled to open. Lack of a Norwegian subsidy and airline company made it impossible for AB Aerotransport to open the air service København – Göteborg – Oslo. In order to promote the foundation of a Norwegian partner AB Aerotransport chartered in the autumn of 1926 a Junkers F 13, the S-AAAB, to A/S Norsk Aerotransport for joy-ride flights over Oslo. On the left can be seen a timetable from June 1925 including a red line between Göteborg and Oslo. It did not get that far until 1927.

The route between København and Göteborg was changed into a service from Malmö via København to Göteborg and inaugurated on July 1, 1926 by the Junkers G 24, S-AAAG. For this route the aircraft had been renamed Västkusten (West coast). Beside the S-AAAG, AB Aerotransport also used the G 24s S-AAAF and S-AAAE. The results were disappointing and therefore the smaller Junkers F 13, S-AZAA was used on a regular base as well. At the end of August the route was closed down and by then 483 passengers were transported in addition to 2,605 kg of luggage, 117 kg of airmail and 133 kg of freight.

In 1927 the air route was re-opened on June 1, but now mainly Junkers F 13s operated the service with occasionally a Junkers G 24 (only twice). The Junkers F 13, S-AWAA made on July 16 the last flight over the route. On Monday July 16, 1927 the Deutsche Luft Hansa AG opened a route from Stettin to Oslo via Göteborg and København and took over the traffic from AB Aerotransport. The Swedish airline company transported until the closure of the route 250 passengers, 2,041 kg luggage, 29 kg mail and 522 kg freight.

Stockholm – Helsinki and the Junkers G 24W

The letter W stands for the German word Wasser – water, i.e. a Junkers G 24 with floats. AB Aerotransport was interested to replace the Junkers F 13W with the G 24W on the Stockholm – Helsinki route. The original plan was to purchase two Junkers G 24W , but in the end one of the land-based aircraft was returned to Jfa and a new aircraft taken over. But it would take until 1927 til an aircraft of this type entered service with AB Aerotransport. In May the Junkers G 24ce was registered as S-AABG Uppland (WNr 904) to AB Flygmateriel and chartered to AB Aerotransport. It was used during the summer season on the air service between Stockholm and Helsinki.  In 1926 the pool partner on this route, Finnish Aero O/y, had already purchased one Junkers G 24W (WNr 919) and registered it in Finland as K-SALC Suomi.  Both companies operated the service six times per week and it was one of the most important services in the Baltic area. In 2004 it has been 80 years in operation. In June 1928 the S-AABG Uppland participated on behalf of the Swedish Government on a rescue mission to the Nobile-expedition around Spitzbergen. The flight between Tromsø (Norway) to Spitzbergen was covered in 6 hours and 10 minutes. Upon arrival a number of search flights were made.

AB Aerotransport used in the season 1924, 1925, 1926 and part of 1927 only Junkers F 13Ws on the air service, but after the return of the Junkers G 24ce from Spitzbergen the capacity on the line increased from four to nine passengers.

The line was subsidized from Swedish side by 1,50 Swedish Crowns per flown kilometre and later increased to 1,85 Swedish Crowns (1927) and 2,50 Swedish Crowns (1928), but reduced to 2,30 Swedish Crowns (1929). The occupancy figure was in 1928 too low (40 %) and thus the used aircraft (Junkers G 24s) were regarded as too big. Nevertheless the type was still used in the following years. The Swedish aircraft was during the winter season converted into a land-based aircraft and operated on the Malmö – Hamburg – Amsterdam service.

Source: Sveriges Offentliga Utredningar (SOU) 1929 nr 21. For 1929 are only approximate figures known.

Malmö – (København –) Berlin

The last regular air service where AB Aerotransport used the Junkers G 24 was between Malmö and Berlin. In 1925 the Junkers-affiliated airline company Dansk Lufttransport AS operated the service in pool with Jlag and AB Aerotransport and in the autumn Det Danske Luftfartsselskab AS joined. In 1926 and after the formation of the Deutsche Luft Hansa AG the Swedish airline company started a co-operation. In 1926 the service was operated between April 19 and July 14 with a frequency of six times per week. Until July 14 all flights were made by the DLH. On July 15 AB Aerotransport joined in and flew 50 % of all traffic. As compensation DLH took over 50 % of the traffic between Malmö, Hamburg and Amsterdam.

AB Aerotransport operated also a direct connection between Malmö and Berlin between July 15 and October 2, 1926. Both companies operated the services with the Junkers G 24. After October 2 DLH operated the service alone. The same frequency was upheld in the period 1927-1928, but in 1929 the co-operation was discontinued.

Source: Sveriges Offentliga Utredningar (SOU)

1929, nr 21.

What happened to the aircraft

During the years after 1929, AB Aerotransport operated the same services with great regularity and did not start any new services, except an airmail night service between Malmö, Hannover and Amsterdam in co-operation with the Dutch and German airline companies.

In 1929 Jfa published a table about the flying hours and kilometres flown of the aircraft of AB Aerotransport. We publish this table here including the figures for the Junkers F 13s. All figures are per December 31, 1928:

Despite several improvements during their life, the aircraft aged and in the beginning of the thirties replacements were sought and found in the Junkers Ju 52/3m. At the end of the twenties AB Aerotransport was offered the Junkers G 31, but refused the offer as it regarded the aircraft as too big for its services (the G 31 took fifteen passengers). In 1929 the aircraft were re-registered as follows:

In December 1925 the first aircraft to leave AB Aerotransport was S-AAAX. But the first of the purchased aircraft to leave AB Aerotransport service was the Junkers G 24, S-AAAD Götaland. This aircraft was sold to Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG in May 1927 to cover partially the payment of the Junkers G 24ce, S-AABG. Jfa sold it to the Spanish airline company Union Aeréa Española, where it flew as M-CABB. In service with AB Aerotransport the aircraft had flown 91,100 kilometres and made 658 flying hours.

The first aircraft to be lost in service was the Junkers G 24, SE-AAF. On August 29, 1929 the pilot was confronted with engine troubles and crashed subsequently near the border of the Netherlands and Germany.  During the landing the aircraft rolled into a wood and was damaged beyond repair. Passengers and crew remained unhurt. In AB Aerotransport service it flew 236,200 km in 1,717 flying hours.

Next was the Junkers G 24, SE-AAG. This aircraft was lost in a fire at Malmö/Bulltofta on June 11, 1931. The aircraft was in the hangar for an overhaul and one of the workers dropped an electric lamp that lightened oil and petrol on the floor. The aircraft was set on fire before the rest of the hangar. In AB Aerotransport service it flew 263,700 km in 1,792 flying hours.

The Junkers G 24, SE-AAE was the last aircraft to be lost in a crash or accident. On August 30, 1932 the experienced pilot Karl Bernhard Liljeberg crashed with this aircraft on the night airmail service Amsterdam – Hannover – Malmö. On board was also the radio operator Uttergård. The pilot wanted to make an extra-ordinary landing and was looking for an emergency airfield. He collided during his search into a house. The aircraft was destroyed beyond repair and both crewmembers lost their life. In AB Aerotransport service it flew 367,100 km in 2,476 flying hours.

That brings us to the last aircraft in service, the Junkers G 24, SE-ABG Uppland. This aircraft was used a payment for a new Junkers Ju 52/3m that was delivered in 1932. The aircraft went to Afi. This company sold it to Germany as D-1005 to the Reichsbund der deutschen Verbrauchsgenossenschaft (1933). In AB Aerotransport service it flew 200,800 km in 1,182 flying hours.

In September 1932 the last flights with the Junkers G 24 were made and one of the most popular aircraft in Swedish service had stopped flying. The modern Junkers Ju 52/3m were to take over their work. But that is a different story.

I would like to thank Lennart Andersson for taking time to check the fleet data and supplying the picture of the Junkers G 24, SE-AAE.  The timetables come from the website of Björn Larsson and David Zekria: http://www.timetableimages.com/index.htm. Please visit this website for great enjoyment.