Oslo Fornebu was opened in 1939 as the airport for Oslo. During the Second World War the field was used by the German occupation troops. After the war, Fornebu was again used as the airport for Oslo until it was closed in 1998. Some airfield buildings are preserved. In the northwest of the peninsula a seaplane station is still in operation.

In the 1930s

Oslo Fornebu (1939) (Source: Oslo Museum; Mittet & Co AS; oslobilder.no OB.F12039c; License: CC CC0, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.F12039c)

Oslo Lufthavn, Fornebu (1939) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer: Harstad, Karl, oslobilder.no OB.F12039b; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.F12039b)

KLM airplane (1939) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer: Harstad, Karl, oslobilder.no OB.F12038c; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.F12038c)

Aircraft in Oslo Fornebu on the opening day 01 June 1939 - KLM Douglas DC-2 PH-AKI "Kieviet". Fairchild 24 LN-EAF of Wessels Flyveselskap; Caproni Ca.310 LN-DAK of DNL; Fiesler Fi156 Storch D-IUGR, private; Focke Wulf Condor OY-DAM "Dania" of Det Danske Luftfartselskab (DDL) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer: Harstad, Karl, oslobilder.no OB.F12038b; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.F12038b)

World War 2

Aerial picture (April 1940) - On the airfield are aircraft of the types Junkers G 38, Junkers Ju 52, Junkers Ju 90, Junkers W 34 and Heinkel He 111. (Source: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-760-0171-19 / Ruge, Willi / via Wikimedia Commons; License CC BY-SA 3.0)

In the 1940s

After the Second World War 1945/46, Oslo Fornebu was initially operated by the Royal Air Force.

Aerodrome (July 1945) - There are three runways - 013/193: length 1234 m, width 50 m (4050 feet x 165 feet) unserviceable, 058/238: length 1097 m, width 50 m (3600 feet x 165 feet), 142/322: length 686 m, width 41 m (2250 feet x 135 feet) unserviceable. (Source: US DoD)

In the 1950s

Administration building (05 August 1950) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer: Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø50/1080; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9850/1080)

Aircraft Douglas DC-4 OY-DFI Dan Viking der SAS at Fornebu (28 November 1953) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø53 / 2270e; Lizenz CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9853/2270e)

Aircraft Saab 90 Scandia SE-BSB of SAS at Fornebu (1956) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer: Harstad, Karl; oslobilder.no OB.F12039d ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.F12039d)

Seaplane station (Sjøflyhavn)

The base for seaplanes was located on the eastern side of the peninsula.

Seaplane Short Sandringham Mk V LN-LAI of Det Norske Luftfartsselskap (DNL) (1948) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø47 / 0637d (cropped); License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9847/0637d)

Aerial view of the Fornebu seaplane station (early 1950s?) - The small building with the square roof still exists today as restaurant "Sjøflyhavna Kro (Source: Oslo Museum; oslobilder.no A-20015 / Ua / 0003/053; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/BAR/A-20015/Ua/0003/053)

Flying boat Short Sandringham Mk V LN-LAI of SAS at Oslo Fornebu (30 June 1951) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø51/1418a; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9851/1418a)

Scandinavian Airlines System seaplane before the departure to Bergen. (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø51 / 1418c; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9851/1418c)

Luftkrigsskolen (Air Warfare School)

In 1955 the Norwegian Air Warfare School moved from Akershus Fortress to Fornebu. In 1961 it was moved from Fornebu to Trondheim.

Villa Birkeli (February 1954) - This villa still exists today in the east of the peninsula. (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø54/0484a ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9854/0484a)

Barrack (February 1954) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø54/0484e ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9854/0484e)

In the 1960s

NDB approach runway 01 (October 1960) - There are two runways - 01/19: length 1750 m, width 50 m (5741 feet x 164 feet), 05/23: length 1156 m, width 50 m (3792 feet x 164 feet). (Source: US DoD)

ILS approach runway 01 (October 1960) (Source: US DoD)

Hangar (04 May 1961) (Source: Oslo Museum; Atelier Rude; oslobilder.no OB.R10458c; License: CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.R10458c)

NDB approach runway 01 (May 1966) - A new runway 06/24 has been built. Now there are theses runways - 01/19: length 1750 m, width 50 m (5741 feet x 164 feet), 06/24: length 2200 m, width 50 m (7218 feet x 164 feet). (Source: US DoD)

ILS approach runway 01 (May 1966) (Source: US DoD)

ILS approach runway 06 (May 1966) (Source: US DoD)

ILS approach runway 06 (May 1966) (Source: US DoD)

Radar control room Oslo Fornebu (02 June 1967) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø67 / 1720 ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9867/1720)

Bristol Britannia G-AOVK of British Eagle (January 1968) - Loading of 15 tons of paint from the Jotun paint factory for the merchant navy. (Source: Oslo Museum; Atelier Rude; oslobilder.no OB.R12481b ; License: CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.R12481b)

In the 1970s

Oslo Fornebu Airport on a map of the US Department of Defense from 1973 (Source: ONC D-2 (1973), Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin)

SAS hangar and administration building (18 August 1976) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø76/2647 ; License CC BY-SA)

Satellite image from 13 September 1977 - The photo shows a landscape partly covered with snow. However, according to information on the Internet, on 13 September 1977 temperatures in Oslo were between 1 and 15° C and there was no precipitation. So it is possible that the date is wrong. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)

Aerial view (between 1975 and 1980) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørsted, Henrik; oslobilder.no OB.A9417 ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.A9417)

In the 1980s

Road to the airport (1981) (Source: Oslo Museum; Atelier Rude; oslobilder.no OB.R15682e ; License: CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.R15682e)

Apron with SAS DC-9 aircraft (05 November 1982) (Source: Oslo Museum; Photographer Ørnelund, Leif; oslobilder.no OB.Ø82/2920 (cropped) ; License CC BY-SA, http://oslobilder.no/OMU/OB.%C3%9882/2920)

Pictures from August 2018

Building and control tower in the north of the area

Is the "C" (right) still original from the airport?

Tower

Former fire station (Brannstasjon)

The old fire station from the other side

Former terminal building - Today office building.

New office buildings next to the old terminal

Former Hangar

Hangar

Building

Rear of the hangar

Backside

Further hangar

Rear

New homes in the south

The site of the former water airport

Building of the former seaplane base (see above), today restaurant "Sjøflyhavna Kro"

Preserved part of the former runway 06/24 in the west of the peninsula. - Size approx. 50m x 20m.

Former approach from the west

Index to the objects shown on the maps

Radio beacons / Radiofyret:

• Asker NDB "OA"
• Fornebu NDB "LNO", Locator "FO", ILS Localizer "FB", "OF", Outer Marker, Middle Marker
• Gronnesand NDB "LEA"
• Koksa NDB "FB"
• Oslo VOR "FF"

Air traffic control / Flygekontrolltjeneste:

• Fornebu Approach Control, Fornebu Tower

Source for all maps, if not marked otherwise: US Department of Defense (US DoD)

Title photo: The control tower at the former Oslo-Fornebu airport after a heavy rain shower in 2018.