| 331 Squadron Royal Norwegian Air Force No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron Royal Air Force | |
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| Active | 21 Jul 1941 – 21 Nov 1945 1945 – 1951 1952 – 2022 2023 – present |
| Country |  Norway United Kingdom (1941-45) |
| Allegiance | Norwegian Government in exile (1941-45) |
| Branch |  Royal Norwegian Air Force Royal Air Force (1941-45) |
| Role | Fighter |
| Part of | RAF Fighter Command,2nd Tactical Air Force (1943-45) |
| Garrison/HQ | Ørland Air Station |
| Mottos | Norwegian:For Norge ("For Norway") |
| Equipment | Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | Two swords insaltire, enfiled by an amulet |
| Squadron Codes | FN (Jul 1941 – Nov 1945) |
331 Squadron of theRoyal Norwegian Air Force is an aircraft squadron. It traces its history, unbroken, to the establishment ofNo. 331 (Norwegian) SquadronRoyal Air Force of theSecond World War, formed in July 1941.
No. 331 Squadron RAF was aSecond World Warsquadron of theRoyal Air Force. The squadron was primarily manned with Norwegian aircrew. The squadron was part ofRAF Fighter Command between 1941 and March 1944 when it joined the2nd Tactical Air Force until the end of the war. The squadron took part in theDieppe Raid and theNormandy landings.
It was formed as a fighter squadron atRAF Catterick inYorkshire on 21 July 1941. The squadron was manned byexiled Norwegians,[1] except for the ground crew and the commanding officer.[2]
It was given the RAF aircraft code prefix "FN",[1] which was often said to be an abbreviation for "First Norwegian" or "For Norway",[citation needed] the latter being the squadron's official motto (in NorwegianFor Norge). The squadron badge was two Norwegian Viking swords insaltire, bound together with a ring[3]
The squadron was initially equipped withHawker Hurricane Is,[1] inherited from aPolish RAF unit. These had to be rebuilt before 331 Squadron could become operational, on 15 September 1941. It provided defence for northernScotland, moving toRAF Castletown on 21 August[4] and later toRAF Skeabrae.[1]
On 4 May 1942, the squadron moved south toRAF North Weald,[4] having re-equipped with theSupermarine Spitfire IIA in November 1941.[1]
331 Squadron was joined by a second Norwegian unit332 Squadron, also flying Spitfires. Together they were known as North Weald Wing and were part of the Allied air umbrella over the landing area in theDieppe Raid, and later flying fighter sweeps and escort operations over occupied France and theLow Countries.[4]
In November 1943, 331 and 332 Squadrons were transferred to theRAF Second Tactical Air Force[5] and became known as No. 132 (Norwegian) Airfield Headquarters withinNo. 84 Group RAF;[6] laterNo. 132 (Norwegian) (Fighter) Wing RAF.[7]
Following fighter bomber and tactical air superiority operations, connected to preparations forD-Day and the actual landings in France, the squadron moved toCaen,Normandy, in August 1944. From September onwards, 132 Wing participated in theliberation of the Netherlands and provided air support for thecrossing of the Rhine.[citation needed]
On 22 April 1945, the squadron was transferred toRAF Dyce inScotland, where 331 and 332 Squadrons converted to Spitfire Mark IXe and Mk XVI.[8]
Following the end of the war, the wing flew to Norway and on 22 May 1945, 331 Squadron was officially disbanded as an RAF unit, with control passed to the re-formedRoyal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) on 21 November 1945.[8]
According to the British embassy in Oslo, No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron defended London from 1941 and was the highest scoring fighter squadron in South England during the war. The squadron was given the RAF aircraft code prefix "FN" - or "For Norway".[citation needed]
Between them during the war, 331 and 332 Squadrons scored 180 confirmed destroyed, 35 probables and more than 100 damaged. Combined losses were 131 aircraft lost with 71 pilots killed.[citation needed]
In honour of the achievements of the Second World War squadrons, the RNoAF has maintained RAF squadron names, including a 331st Fighter Squadron, now flying F-35A Lightning IIs and based atØrland Air Station.[9]
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