Skattøra

69°41'50"N 019°01'08"E

Runway: water

Skattøra seaplane station was an airfield in Tromsø, 1150 kilometers north of Oslo.
It was created in 1938 as a station for the 3 Avdeling (3 squadron) of the Marinens flygevåpen (Naval Air Arm) and headquarters for military seaplane operations in Northern Norway. Construction of the hangar at Skattøra was initiated by the Navy in 1939 and completed by the Germans during World War II. During the invasion of Norway, 12 aircraft flew 147 bombing and reconnaissance missions from here, without any losses, until they were forced to withdraw to the United Kingdom. They were the last active resistance until the capitualtion of Norway.


Junkers floatplane D260 at Tromsø-Skattøra before the war (Perspektivet Museum, on Flickr)

The German occupying forces continued development of the facility and used Skattøra as a central station for its seaplane operations in the region during the war. All sorts of aircraft, ranging from light aircraft to the largest six-engine seaplanes, torpedo bombers, reconnaissance and patrol, transport, communications and rescue aircraft. The activities also included a seaplane route that Lufthansa operated between Kirkenes and Germany. Aditionally, it supported tankers, crane ships and a large purpose-built catapult ship for seaplanes. In total, 1500 people were working for the station. 


Undated photo of a Do-24 in front of the hangars (DigitaltMuseum) 


An abandoned Blohm und Voss Bv 138 flying boat stands close to a pile of wreckage from German seaplanes at Tromso in northern Norwayin 1945 © IWM (CL 2918)

After the war, the Norwegian Air Force took over Skattøra as a base for a twin-engine seaplane for patrolling the northern ocean and for ambulance and mail flights to Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and Arctic stations. In the autumn of 1945 Det Norske Luftfartselskap began seaplane services between Skattøra and Sola using an old German Junkers Ju-52/3m on floats and four-engined Short Sandringham flying boats. Later, the services were carried out by SAS and ultimately Widerøe until 1971. In 1947 Skattøra was designated as one of five major air bases and the only permanent seaplane station in Norway. Skattøra was also developed as one of the two main centers of air control in Norway, responsible for the airspace between Iceland, Jan Mayen, Spitsbergen, Russia and Norway. In 1957 the air control center transferred to Bodø. The aeronautical meteorological service was moved to Langnesgrunnen in 1964. The control tower at Skattøra was in operation until 1967.


A Ju-52/3m on floats in front of the hangar with what appears to be a Do-24 inside. The Norwegian colours on the rudder suggest this photo was shot immediately postwar, 1945 or 1946 (source) 


Scandinavian Airline System Ju-52/3m LN-KAF "Askeladden" at Tromsø-Skattøra on 12 Juni 1954 (Avia Deja Vu)

Scanopterservice and Helikopter Service A/S  stopped using the airfield when Defence sold the property to the municipality of Tromsø in 1972. Nor-Air A/S (later merged as part of Norving) was the last airline to use Skattøra (1965-1975). It has since been redeveloped into a marina, although the hangars are still recognisable. The facility still has a helicopter landing platform.


The hangars in September 2013 (Siri Uldal, via Wikipedia).