ICELAND - RAF Kaldadarnes, 269 Squadron Memorial

[REF]

Photos and info from Jim Crail.

A memorial to 269 Squadron in Iceland erected close to their operating wartime base of RAF Kaldadarnes.

The memorial to 269 Squadron was financed by Captain Arngrimur Johannsson the then owner of Air Atlanta Icelandic and was unveiled by the British Ambassador in the presance of ten ex members of the Squadron and various Icelandic dignitaries on the 10th August 1999. The memorial itself is a carefully selected rock of dolorite with a copper wind-vane sculpture depicting the three runways at Kaldadarnes. Each of the ten members then planted a semi-circle of Sitka spruce around the memorial. RAF Kaldadarnes had completely reverted to farm use by then,but it was still possible to make out the grass covered runways. The memorial is erected adjacent to the site of this large wartime aerodrome at the small aerodrome in Selfoss. Our great friend Arnegrimur Johannsson invited us back to Iceland in May of this year and five survivors of the 1999 group were taken to the memorial when the attached shot was taken. This could be our last visit as four of the five members are now in their nineties.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/PHOTOS%20NOT%20TAKEN%20BY%20ME/DSC01083.jpg

Herewith the closer view of the plaque. With people milling around it was not easy to get uncluttered shots. Anyway I hope the have been of interest. 269 Squadron of course is famous for the capture of U-boat U570.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/PHOTOS%20NOT%20TAKEN%20BY%20ME/DSC01087a.jpg

[airfields man]

Another good one REF, save all your money got some long journeys to do..

[PETERTHEEATER]

Different and nice.

[Black Hornet]

Really great stuff. Very interested in Iceland. Quite an interesting piece of real estate. Sweden considered invading it for the Sulphur mines to make explosives, US considered buying it in 1867, Germany considered invading it, Denmark & Britain did. I'm sure the Russians have given it some thought. Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising come to mind.


As to Germany's Operation Ikarus, several interesting bits have come to light, The Glider team in 1938, Lufthansa trying to open a line in 38 etc. Iceland has 90 airstrips today. Stukas & JU 52's could operate on grass. Iceland is mostly treeless. Stukas could also operate off paved roads around Reykjavic.

The topic of a German invasion usually hinges on re-supply. Distance between Icelands east edge to Norways west edge is 602 miles. An airstrip from Egilsstadir to Bergen about 700 plus miles. Even shorter to Herdla.



Distance from Egilsstadir, Iceland to Flesland, Bergen, Norway is 704.7 miles, 1134.1 km, or 612 nm
http://www.distancefrom.info/Egilsstadir/Iceland/

JU 52.
The normal range is 530 miles with a 5,000 pound load, or 790 miles with maximum fuel and a 4,000 pound load.

http://www.fjr2.be/Pagina%2025%20-%20Airplanes%20of%20the%20fallschirmj%E4ger.htm












http://www.flugsafn.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=143&lang=en



The Klemm D-ESUX was brought to Iceland in 1938 with a German sailplane expedition that came here at the request of Agnar Kofoed-Hansen. It was soon registered in Iceland and in the next two years was used for exploring possible landing sites throughout the country. The aircarft was also used for passenger, mail, and ambulance flights as well as on herring spotting off the North Coast