Arado Ar 196 in Norwegian Service
On 8 April 1940, following the sinking of the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser Blücher, its Arado Ar 196 floatplane was captured by Norwegian forces at Lyngstad, Eide. After being towed to Kristiansund by the torpedo boat HNoMS Sild, it was used against its former owners, flying with Norwegian markings. At 03:30 on 18 April, it was evacuated to the UK by a Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service pilot. The plane was shortly thereafter crashed by a British pilot while on transit to the Helensburgh naval air base for testing.
At the end of the war, an Arado Ar 196A-3 Werk Nr. 1006 was flown into Norway from Sweden to avoid its seizure by the Soviets. This aircraft had been interned by Sweden after straying into Swedish Territory in 1943. It was later purchase by British SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) to run supplies to agents in Lapland observing the German retreat from Finland to Norway. After its arrival in Norway, it was used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force for a year on the West coast. It was then sold to a Swedish company and returned to Sweden.
