Republic Seabees in Norway

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Norway is a country with a very long coast line splitted up by hundreds of scenic fjords, thousands of islands and thousands of inland lakes - and a very low  density of population.   It is therefore no surprise that aviation have played an important role in modern Norwegian communications history

Already in the 1920s and 1930s the first commercial aircraft operators were formed, most of them operating seaplanes.  When WW2 started several Norwegian military and civil pilots escaped to England to continue their resistance in the Allied air forces. When WW2 ended, the aviation scene was completely different.  During the war the technologies of aviation had made giant leaps and it was no longer a strange thought the John Doe could have his own airplane or could go by airplane when traveling.

Republic Seabees after assembly at Flatøy SPB, north of Bergen.
June 1947
Photo: © Arne Butteberg via NFF

Several small air taxi companies were formed by ex military pilot heroes from the war.  Norway has long traditions of shipping and after WW2 many ship owners grew an interest in air travel.  Soon almost every little airfield in Norway had a freshly started aircraft operator.  While some of them started their business with surplus military light airplanes from the war, such as Austers and Norseman, several operators found the new Seabee most interesting for the Norwegian coastline.

The famous Norwegian-American aviation pioneer Thor Solberg became the representative for Republic Seabee in Norway in 1946, and after heavy marketing during 1946 - 1947 his company imported 11 Seabees from the USA to Norway.  The first Seabee for Thor Solberg (s/n 202) was delivered at Republic on 13 January 1947.

Most of the new Seabees imported from the USA were shipped in crates from New York to Bergen, Norway.  From Bergen they were transported by barges to Flatøy SPB, north of Bergen, where they were assembled in the military hangars that Thor Solberg had hired from the Norwegian government.

LN-PAK (s/n 865)
Bergen June 1947
Photo: © via Jan Richard Liby

One of the early operators of the Seabee, Vestlandske Luftfartselskap AS (VLS), got their first 3 Seabees in May 1947 and officially started their operations from Sandviken SPB in Bergen on 23 June 1947.

VLS was formed in March 1947 after initiative from local politicians who wanted to improve the transportations to and from Bergen.  The location of a Bergen airport had been discussed for years, and was to be discussed for many more - until the final decision was made for Flesland in the early 1950s.  Bergen Airport Flesland opened in 1956.

Sandviken Seaplane Base
Bergen, Norway
Photo: © via Jan Richard Liby

Thor Solberg also wanted to operate aircraft commercially from Flatøy, but the local government had put restrictions on the number of aircraft operators operating in Bergen area.  They favored VLS and Thor Solberg was only allowed to operate as a flight school and air taxi operator. Solberg also founded a base at Sola Airport.  During 1948 Solberg sold most of his aircraft in Norway, including the Seabees and moved back to the USA.

Two working 'horses' of Norway - the Seabee and the row boat!
Photo: © via Jan Richard Liby

Logo: © Courtesy Kim Brantenberg

On the coast the Seabees would fly people, mail, supplies, etc. to habitated islands.  From inland lakes and rivers, the Seabees would fly delicious fish to the town markets.  The Seabees would also be the life saving ambulance transportation for emergencies in remote areas and to islands along the coast.

Seabee operators in Norway included Thor Solbergs Flyselskap AS, Wideröe's Flyveselskap AS, Vestlandske Luftfartselskap AS, Tröndelag Flyselskap, Sörfly AS, Mörefly AS.

Logo: Thanks to Kåre Aasebø

LN-PAK (s/n 865) at Vigra Airport, Ålesund.
Operated by Mørefly AS
Photo © via Per Erik Dalen

	During the late 1940s and the 1950s the Republic Seabee became one of the most popular ambulance aircraft in Norway.  The nose door was very useful when taking patients in and out of the aircraft, especially on water. Photo © via Per Erik Dalen
	One of Mørefly's Seabees flying over Ålesund, on the North-west coast of Norway.  Mørefly operated two Seabees from their seaplane base at Sörnesest in Ålesund. Photo © via Per Erik Dalen

LN-TVV (s/n 829)
Eggemoen 1968
Photo: © Gunnar Flak

Almost all of the Norwegian Seabees had minor accidents or crashed during their careers.  Most of the  accidents happened off airports.  This should come as no surprise, when considering the challenging environment they operated in and the difficult tasks they had.  In most accidents the occupants survived, but sadly three people died in two ambulance flight crashes.

LN-PAM (s/n 644)
Crashed on 22 January 1957
Photo: © via Jan Richard Liby

Two Seabees (s/n 645 and s/n 646) were imported to Norway from England to replace Seabees that had been lost in accidents.

The last Seabee in Norway, LN-IKK (s/n 270), was sold to Sweden summer 2003 and was cancelled from Norwegian Register on 17 September 2004.  In Sweden s/n 270 has been registered SE-AXR. Sadly 57 years of Norwegian Seabee history was over...

LN-PAI (s/n 864)
Crashed in Høyanger on 23 March 1948
Photo: © via Jan Richard Liby

Summer 2009 Mr. Per Otto Leth-Olsen, Jonsvatnet, told this webmaster that he was considering purchasing a Franklin-powered Seabee from the USA.  Autumn 2009 the great news was confirmed when registration LN-PLO was reserved for Seabee s/n 813 (N6547K).  December 2009 the Seabee finally arrived Norway, and is now hangared at Værnes Airport for restoration.  Per Otto's late dad, Petter Leth-Olsen, was the owner of Seabee LN-TVV (s/n 829) during the early 1960s!