Norge (airship)

The Norge arrived at RNAS Pulham Airship Station in England at 15:20 but due to bad weather, the ship was not moored inside the hangar until 18:30.

[6] After the arrival at Gatchina, Nobile announced that the Norge would remain in the hangar for a week for engine overhaul and maintenance; this included the addition of collapsible rubber boats for emergency use.

[10][11] The Norge finally left Gatchina at 09:40 on the morning of 5 May to proceed to Vadsø in northern Norway, where the airship mooring mast still stands today.

Birger Gottwaldt, radio expert, Dr Finn Malmgren of Uppsala University, meteorologist;[12] Fredrik Ramm, journalist; Frithjof Storm-Johnsen, radioman; Flying Lt. Oscar Omdal, flight engineer; Natale Cecioni, chief mechanic; Renato Alessandrini, rigger; Ettore Arduino, Attilio Caratti and Vincenzo Pomella, mechanics.

[12] On 12 May at 01:25 (GMT), the Norge reached the North Pole, at which point the Norwegian, American and Italian flags were dropped from the airship onto the ice.

[15] After crossing the pole, the airship's propellers became encrusted with ice to such an extent that pieces breaking off were flung against the outer cover, causing several rips and tears in the fabric.

We had used up all our cement in repairing the fabric..."[12] On 14 May, the Norge reached the Inupiat village of Teller, Alaska, where in view of worsening weather, the decision was made to land there rather than continue on to Nome, about 70 miles away.

The three previous expeditions that claim to have reached the North Pole—led by Frederick Cook in 1908, Robert Peary in 1909, and Richard E. Byrd in 1926 (just a few days before the Norge)—are all disputed as being either highly inaccurate or totally false.

Fragments from the Norge' s tail
Norge prior to departure at Ciampino Airport
Mast in Ny-Ålesund
Mast in Vadsø