Issue No 22 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN 43
Meanwhile, the Vega, stored at the naval air
base at Horten, was transported to Kjeller for
reassembly. On October 7 Gunnestad made his
first flight in the aircraft, by this time registered
as LN-ABD, which had its Certificate of
Airworthiness renewed the same day.
The original starting point at Arendal was
reconsidered and as a result, the military airfield
at Gardermoen in Oslo was chosen instead, the
latter being longer and more suitable, the team
deciding that the heavily loaded Vega would
struggle to get off from Kjeller. Immediately after
his first flight in the Vega, Gunnestad flew it to
Gardermoen, where he completed a 50min trial
flight with Bernhoft and mechanic Ole Næss.
Four more trial flights were made the following
day, after which the team felt ready to attempt
making the crossing.
A PERFECT FLIGHT
The day of departure was initially set for
Tuesday, October 10, 1933, but a weather front
with rain and gusts blew in, postponing the
flight. The Meteorological Institute suggested
that Gunnestad and Bernhoft make the flight on
Friday the 13th(!), when the weather would be
perfect. On the evening of the 12th, Gunnestad
completed a final 30min trial flight to make sure
all was in perfect order.
Early the next morning Gunnestad and
Bernhoft took off in the Vega from Gardermoen,
the pilot later recalling:
“We took off at 0700hr for the direct flight to
the UK. There was only one seat in the cockpit of
the Vega. In the passenger cabin were seven seats
and Bernhoft picked one of them. He spread out
his maps and installed his navigation equipment.
The weather was perfect — a clear blue sky —
and we quickly climbed to our flying altitude.
Due to strong headwinds the flying time was
rather long; 8hr 43min.”
Gunnestad landed the aircraft safely at
Lympne aerodrome in Kent, on the English south
coast, in the late afternoon. Owing to their late
arrival, the pair decided not to return the same
day, but stay overnight. They were received by
an impressive welcome committee from the head
office of Selo, which had flown down to Lympne
with some British journalists. In the evening, the
pair attended a supper organised by Selo and
Gunnestad handed over a scale model in silver
of a Viking ship to the management of Selo from
its Norwegian subsidiary.
On the following day, October 14, Gunnestad
and Bernhoft took off from Lympne in the Vega
for the return flight. This time the weather was
not as favourable as on the outbound flight.
Fine weather conditions across England and
along the French and Belgian coast prevailed,
but on reaching the Dutch Frisian islands the
pair encountered fog and heavy rain. Gunnestad
decided to descend to just above the wavetops,
and they eventually arrived above the Danish
harbour town of Esbjerg. However, the weather
forced them to fly south towards Schleswig-
Holstein in Germany. After a period of flying
across northern Germany, Gunnestad turned the
Vega north to fly up the east coast of Jutland.MAP BY MAGGIE NELSON