• Flight • Simulation MSFS Early Water Airports, Scandinavia • in_Swedish

Part 1 Contents: History, Movie, Seaplanes, |  9 Old Water Airports DevelopmentLinks(• Part 2 After 1945 in Sweden)• Addons |

Water Airports in Scandinavia - 100 Years Ago!
- MSFS Addon with Nine Ap. - Test-Fly Old Routes!

History:
Seaplane routes started around 1923, by ABA, Aero OY, DLH Lufthansa, Aeronaut.

- By 1936, land airports had opened in most main cities - end of seaplane route era! - Seaplanes continued to be used for rescue, fishing, and tourist flights in northern Sweden. Today replaced by helicopters.

I have made an • Addon for MSFS with 9 old water airports in Scan­dinavia, "Norden". More about each airport can be found below.
 - New ver0.5, April 25, 2023 -

- Here some snapshots, with links.
Stockholm-Lindarängen
Gothenburg-Torslanda
Kalmar-Ängö
Gotland-Tingstäde
Mariehamn
Helsinki-Katajanokka
Tallinn
Copenhagen Kastrup-Old
Oslo-Gressholmen

Seaplane routes in Scandinavia, 1930.   ( = in sim addon)
  - N.B. Landplane routes from Malmö/Bulltofta and Copenhagen/Kastrup, already around 1924.

 Movie from 1930

• Movie: Stockholm-Helsinki, Ju G24, 1931, 12 min
  snapshots, subtitles: - Click to enlarge the image -

 Seaplanes

Junkers F13, 1924-, was the first all metal civilian plane, 4 passengers. Used by ABA and Aero OY: Stockholm-Helsinki.
in Helsinki:
MSFS model by Oliver Moser, 15€ in Marketplace. Basic instruments.

- Clicka for larger images! -
Dornier Wal, 1922-. Used by Luft Hansa, DLH, for Oslo-Gothenburg-Copenhagen, and Stockholm-Kalmar-Stettin
in Torslanda:
MSFS model by Oliver Moser, 15€ in Marketplace. Basic instruments.
Junkers G 24 , 1925-, not as MSFS-model.

Junkers Ju-52, 1932-. Used by ABA and Aero OY.
in Mariehamn:

Ju-52 model by Oliver Moser, 15€ in Marketplace. Advanced cockpit.
Repaint ABA SE-ADR, from flightsim.to.   - Ju-52 Recommended!
Standard MSFS has two fairly old seaplanes/ amphibieplanes:

Grumman G-21 Goose, 1937-


DHC-2 Beaver, 1947-

 
⇓ Info about the 9 water airports in my addon ⇓   • Addon webpage

Stockholm-Lindarängen,   'ESW0'   (we use dummy ICAO-codes 'ESWx', x=0-9)

- Position: 3km northeast city center.
- History: First large airport in Stockholm, used for seaplane routes to Mariehamn - Turku/Åbo - Helsinki. Replaced by Bromma in 1936.

- In sim: - 3D-hangar made in Blender.

Static aircrafts have been added to improve time-feeling: JuF13, Ju52, Dornier Wal.

They are not as detailed as the planes you buy,
see • Development
Bay-exit widened in ver 0.5, and a big ship removed.

Lindarängen in my MSFS addon, with restored bay!

- N.B. I had some problem getting the water good.
- MSFS airphotos are somewhat old, all petroleum storage tanks are gone 2022.
Lindarängen 1936, ILIS exposition., photo Ahrenbergflyg, postcard.
Arranged when Bromma land airport opened.  - Ju-52, F13.

Lindarängen 1930, photo Wikimedia


Image from movie 1936
with Ju-52, Ju F13.
On ILIS exposition:
• ILIS-movie-images

The bay was later filled and used for harbours
- now closed (2021) and planned for housing.
- The large hangar is preserved.
- More info • Wiki, sv.   - Book: No!



 
Gothenburg-Torslanda,   (ESGB), 'ESW5'

- Position: 10km west of city center.
- History: Gothenburg main airport 1923-1977,
with both land and water runways.
It was used on route Oslo-Gothenburg-Berlin, by DLH Lufthansa and others, with Dornier Wal planes, later Ju-52.


Blue Hangar, from 1923, front changed 1946, see bewlow.
  It was burnt down 1980, by a pyromaniac.

Torslanda was replaced by ESGG Landvetter in 1977. To-day golf course and small-boat harbour. The modern terminal building is preserved, and the last seaplane ramp remains, broken.

- More info: • History, photos, en
- Book: "Torslanda - Flygplatsen på framsidan", 2007, sv.
- I sim:
The open water area became reduced when Rwy 14/32 was extended, and even more later on. In sim, I placed Blue Hangar 400m east, near final slip way.

In the boat sits Bertil B - shall check the Adcock masts, in 1960!

3D-model of Blue Hangar, made in Blender, importerad to MSFS.



Map 1957:
ICAO Landing Chart.
Rwy on land and in water.

In 1957 the Blue Hangar was 400m from water.

In sim, I placed it 400m eastwards, at remaining bay "Torslandaviken".

- Click for larger images! -
Torslanda, water airport 1931. - Dornier Wal D-1647 = my static model!

Blue Hangar with new front from 1946. Photo 1970s, Peter Fredriksson.

Fire 1980. Was to become public heritage! Photo Torsten Martinsson.


 
Kalmar-Ängö,   'ESW4'

- Position: 1km northeast city center.
- History: Used in 1920s on Lufthansa seaplane route Stockolm - Stettin, with planes Dornier Wal. Combined with train or land airplanes to Berlin.

- In sim:



- Quay preserved, but not ramp and terminal.
  The bridge to Öland opened in 1972 - modelled in MSFS.

- More info • History, photos, maps, by BoJu, sv

3D-model in ver 0.4:

 
Gotland-Tingstäde,   'ESW3'

- Position: 20km northeast Visby.
- History: Route Stockholm-Gotland in 1930s with seaplanes to its largest lake, Tingstäde Träsk.

- In sim:

- Today a popular bathing beach.
  The small terminal cottage is preserved:

From movie 1933:

- Movie, video, 10min 1933:
• "Fly to Gotland and Bathe", SvT movie archive.

- More info • Seaplane base Tingstäde Träsk, Gotland's defense history, sv


 
Mariehamn,  in East Harbour,  'EFW3'

- Position: in city center, east harbour
- History: Used on route Stockholm-Helsinki in 1920s.
- In sim:

Only a wooden jetty, no buildings, on "Lilla Holmen" (Little Island).

  Photo 1938, from land-pier, to the right "Lilla Holmen".

- Replaced 1940 by land airport EFMA, 4 km NW of town.
- More info • History, photos, maps, by Bo Ju, sv


 
Helsinki, Katajanokka/Skatudden,  'EFW1'

- Position: in city center, to southeast.
- History: Used from 1923 for routes to Stockolm, to Tallinn, and south towards Berlin.
- Replaced by land airport Malmi in 1936.
 
- In sim: - moved 400m east.     New 3D-model in ver 0.4.



- Seaplanes: Junkers F13, G24, Ju-52 - two as static planes.
- In winter from the ice, with skis, but only Ju F13.
- Hangars in Pikku-Kuusisaari and Kellosaari, west of City.

- More info:
• Helsinki, water airport and light beacon, in Swedish, many photos.
• Finnish Civil Aviation, 1920-1940, by CanKiwi2,
  forum.axishistory.com, pdf-copy
- Book: "Finnair", John Wegg, 1983.




Excellent 3D City in MSFS
  - - fly around and check points of interest, POI.

 
Tallinn,   EETN + 'EEW1'

- Position: west of Tallinn's present airport.
- History: first air route from Finland! Seaplane traffic started in 1921 from Tallinn harbour. In 1928, it moved to Ülemiste Järv (Upper Lake) south of center. A long pier into the lake and a hangar.

- In sim:

Soon plans were taken for a land airport, and it opened in 1936 with three 300m concrete runways. Later extended and is the largest airport in Estonia.

- Preserved: Parts of the first runways can still be seen west of new, large Rwy 08/32.

- More info • Tallinn Airport through the ages, estonianworld.com
Tallinn sea airport, around 1936, Ju-52 OH-ALL.



 
Copenhagen, Kastrup-Old,   EGCH + 'EGW1'

- Position: southeast of modern Kastrup.
- History: Opened 1925, land + sea.
  Largest airport in Scandinavia, then and now.
  Water terminal not preserved - now motorway to Sweden!,

- In sim: I placed it 2 km to the south. - Also with land Rwy.


            - Click for larger images -

Kastrup, late 1920s, photo Copenhagen museum.

Kastrup, late 1930s, postcard. Ju-52 in water and on land.

- In ver 0.4, 3D-models of "Træslottet" and of "Krudthuset"


Beautiful buildings - sadly, not preserved: First terminal building "Træslottet", and "Krudthuset" with Hammer's hotel/restaurant.

3D City in MSFS - fly around and check points of interest, POI.
 

- More info • History, photos, maps, by Bo Ju, sv
- Book: "Til vejrs, Københavns Lufthavn i 75 år", Jan Cortzen, 2000.
 

 
Oslo - Gressholmen 'ENW1' and Fornebu (ENFB)

- Position: 3km southwest of city center.

History:
- Gressholmen, Oslo's first airport 1927.
Planes: DLH Wal, Ju52, and Sikorsky S-43 (1936/7).
Closed 1951. To-day leisure boat harbour.

- Oslo-Fornebu 1939-1998, combined land and sea airport. Now closed, area covered by buildings. Not in MSFS.

- In sim: Static: Ju52, Dornier Wal, and S-43 look-alike Catalina.

- In MSFS, boats are seen below water surface. Difficult to cover.

- Map:



More info:
• Gressholmen Boat Club - History, no. - use Google Translate!

• Gressholmen, Wiki, en
• Fornebu, Wiki, en
• Fornebu, History,photos,maps - Military Airfield Directory
• Oslo sjøflyplass. Fornebu og Sjøflyhavna Kro, no. - today.
Gressholmen, left with Dornier Wal, right with Ju-52. Photos via NRK.no
German DLH Lufthansa had a route Oslo-Gothenburg-Copenhagen-Stettin.

Fornebu seaplane harbour. Preserved blue terminal.


Sea plane flying in Norway
Norway is well suited for seaplane flying, with its
wonderful landscape of mountains, fjords (ice-free!), and lakes.
Many active seaplane clubs and landing places.
- Also in an addon for MSFS! see • Links, below


Photo from Scandinavian Seaplanes, Aurland, tourist flights.

 
Åbo-Runsala / Turku-Ruissalo - Not in my sim-addon

First airport for Åbo (Turku) on island Runsala (Ruissalo) in 1927.
Today large port for leisure boats, and restaurant Ruissalon Maininki, in a villa once used as terminal.

Replaced by land airport Artukainen (Artukais) in 1935,
which was followed by Åbo's present airport in 1955.

More info:
• Planning of the airport, en, pdf, - Google translation.
• Original, Ruissalon Maininki facebook, fi - Photos!
Åbo (Turku) water airport. Left: Air photo 1932, of air show?, with Ju-F13,
Heinkel HE5, and smaller aircrafts. Photo Aviation Museum.  Right: Ju-52
 
 

 
Stettin/Szczecin-Altdamm - Not in my sim-addon

Combined land och water airport. Used by DLH from 1926 for seaplane routes. In Stettin, passengers changed to landplane or train, to Berlin.

After WWII, the town is in Poland, and is named Szczecin. The field houses a private aviation club. A large hangar is preserved, now industrial site.

More info:
• Airport History, en, pdf. - Google translated
"Lotnisko w Dabiu", pl, pdf. - Original, saved
  from: www.alt-damm.neostrada.pl
Stettin-Altdamm airport before WWII - Map 1926, and Do J Wal.

 
Developed with - SDK for sceneries - Blender for 3D-models.

SDK
One ceates sceneries and airports for MSFS with SDK, Software Development Kit. SDK is built into MSFS, and is activated by setting DeveloperMode to On.

You create one project for each airport, and you add runways, start-ramps, hangars etc. All is displayed immediately in the running sim's landscape!

When you feel ready, you compile to a file directory Package, which you can send to other users, who put it in their Community-directory.

- Snapshot from MSFS in SDK Developer mode:
3D-models - via Blender and ModelConverterX
- Buildings - I have made a few using Blender:
  - Torslanda - Blue Hangar,
  - Lindarängen - Big Hangar,
  - Kastrup - Terminal and Restaurant/Hotel.
  - Helsinki and Kalmar/Ängö - small terminals


- Static seaplanes have been added in my MSFS-sceneries.
  I converted FS2004-models using ModelConverterX plus Blender.
  Only exterior! - Not flight model, moving parts, functioning cockpit etc.

  - Ju-52 by Pierino Primavesi - © OK, see his website, "LEGAL"
  - Dornier Wal by Michael Pook - © OK, via e-mail.
  - Ju F13 by Craig Richardson - © OK, via e-mail, see Links for his new website.

Copyright: © ? - All are noted as Freeware! I have also contacted the authors, and got okey for my conversions.

Ju F13:

Dornier Wal D-1647 "Bremerhaven"

N.B. Ju F13, Ju-52, Do Wal, by Oliver Moser, can be purchased as sim-models in MSFS Marketplace. They are more detailed, and flyable!
 
- Old cars, from • 3DWarehouse, Sketchup - converted from .dae to .gltf with Blender. - Intended to illustrate time-period!

1930s - made by best-lemming, Marian 87, ZXT, Chad P - here darker!
1960s, only on Torslanda. - By Chad P, Old times CR, M6454, M6454:

Truck by Steve S.   - Old boat, "launch", by thom V.

Copyright: Models uploaded to 3DWarehouse are free to download and use in your own project.

 
Links. References.



Last updated April 25 , 2023, Bo Justussson, Stockholm
Contact: justusXownit.nu - change X to @