Sola Airshow at Stavanger-Sola Airport in Norway has gained a good reputation over recent years as one of the biggest and best airshows in Scandinavia, with strong international participation. This was a smaller “Flying Days” event held in the years between their major airshows. Nevertheless, there was a good contingent of vintage aircraft participating in both the static and flying displays. The highlights were the formation flypast of three Spitfires and the display by the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight’s SAAB SK37E Viggen, SE-DXO.
Perhaps the first time three Spitfires have been seen together in Norway for a very long time, the formation comprised LN-BSP/RW386 Spitfire XVIe, based at Sola; LN-AOA/EN570 Spitfire T.IX, based at Notodden, Norway; and G-IRTY (MJ271) Spitfire IX, the Silver Spitfire based at Billund, Denmark.
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
Sadly, the weather was far from ideal. Most of the aircraft managed to get to Sola on the Thursday or Friday before the show, but conditions on Saturday precluded any flying at all, with the cloud base around 200 feet and banks of fog and even lower clouds around the airfield. A few commercial airliners arrived, appearing just before touchdown, and even the resident North Sea oil support helicopters remained on the ground. Sunday was a little better after the morning rain passed through, with the clouds lifting to around 800–1,000 feet. Most of the display aircraft were therefore limited to flat displays, with several departing for home immediately afterward while conditions still allowed them to leave. The Viggen was built as a two-seat trainer, serial 37809, and delivered to the Swedish Air Force in February 1974. It remained in service until June 2007, spending its final two years with the Air Force Flight Test Unit. It was restored to flying condition in 2018 and has since been operated by the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight.
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
Along with the three Spitfires, the North American P-51D LN-BMU, Miss Rebel, was also displayed. This aircraft is now based at Sola alongside Spitfire LN-BSP, having originally been based in Sweden following its importation in 2006 while still associated with Biltema.
(Image credit: Swedish Air Force Historic Flight.)
(Image credit: Swedish Air Force Historic Flight.)
It was great to see the Fieseler Fi 156A-1 Storch, LN-STC, flying. This aircraft was restored by Shuttleworth Engineering for Peter Holloway in England as G-STCH in the late 2000s and was operated by Peter for several years before being sold to Norway in 2019.
The SAAB 91 Safir was designed as a training aircraft for the Swedish Air Force and export customers by Anders J. Andersson, who also designed the Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann, and the similarities are apparent. The first prototype flew in 1945 with a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. LN-AAS, which was on static display and built in 1947, was converted with a Lycoming O-435 and became the prototype S91B, with all subsequent production aircraft being Lycoming-powered. Four other S91Bs were also on static display, and two painted in Royal Norwegian Air Force colors performed an attractive pairs display.
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
DH.82A Tiger Moth LN-SVG was restored by the students and staff of the Sola VGS aviation department from 2017 until its first flight in 2024. It is painted as Norwegian Air Force aircraft 181, which was the first aircraft to land at Sola Airport in 1937. Surprisingly, Sola was only the second airport in Europe to have a concrete runway, the first being Clermont-Ferrand in France, built as far back as 1916 and considered the world’s first.
This Tiger Moth was originally RAF serial NL913 and later registered G-AOFR before being sold to Sweden in 1960. It subsequently went to Denmark and crashed in 1967. Restored for static display, it was exhibited at Egeskov Castle for many years before being sold in 2016. Registered once again as G-AOFR for a short period, it was eventually sold to Norway as a restoration project.
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
Also participating in the flying display was Piper L-18C Super Cub LN-RTH, a former French Army aircraft, and LN-AIA, an Aerostar Yak-52 painted in Russian colors despite never having operated there. It was delivered new from the Romanian factory to England in 1994 and registered G-BVMU until its sale to Norway in 2015.
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman.)
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
In the static display, the Sola Aviation Museum exhibited its former Coast Guard Westland Sea King 062. Almost opposite stood the current Norwegian Coast Guard AgustaWestland AW101, serial 0262. There was also a Royal Navy AW101 Merlin and French Navy Breguet Atlantic NG No. 19.
Next year marks the 90th anniversary of the opening of Sola Airport, so expect the return of the larger Sola Airshow for a special celebration. While in Sola, it is also well worth visiting the excellent Sola Aviation Museum on the north side of the airfield. Dedicated to the history of aviation in the region, it houses Cold War fighters, historic airliners and commercial aircraft, Norwegian Air Force WWII-era aircraft, and a superb collection of rare recovered German WWII aircraft. (Report to follow in a couple of weeks, I hope!)
(Image credit: Nigel Hitchman)
