Kaj Birksted
Encyclopedia
Kaj Birksted was a Danish
flying ace
during World War II
where he served in the RAF, with final rank of Wing Commander and Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
.
Kaj Birksted was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to the United States
. The family returned to Denmark 12 years later, where in 1928 Birksted went to Birkerød
Boarding school. In 1936, he was admitted to Naval Flying School and was nominated two years later to fly in the reserve.
After the fall and occupation of Denmark
, Birksted was already an Officer in the Danish Air Force. He fled to Sweden
and hence to the UK. He trained in Canada
at Little Norway
, the Norwegian flight school where he worked as a student / instructor. In July 1941 he was posted to the Norwegian-manned No.331 Squadron as a Flight Commander. He commanded the unit from September 1942 to April 1943. In late summer 1943 Birksted became Wing Leader, of 132 ( Nor.) Wing. He flew Spitfire
s scoring ten and one shared confirmed with five damaged.
By the end of his tour in early 1944 he had received the DSO, DFC and the Norwegian War Cross (twice). At the end of the war Birksted did service in operational planning at the General Staff of the RAF 11th Group's Combined Control Centre, where he among others was responsible for fighter cover and escort during the day on D-day
. He returned to Denmark after the war, rejoining the newly formed Air Force as a senior staff Officer. Birksted was in Danish Air Force until 1960 with the rank of colonel, after which he took up a position at NATO.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where he served in the RAF, with final rank of Wing Commander and Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
.
Kaj Birksted was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The family returned to Denmark 12 years later, where in 1928 Birksted went to Birkerød
Birkerød
Birkerød is a town and was a municipality in Frederiksborg County on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark...
Boarding school. In 1936, he was admitted to Naval Flying School and was nominated two years later to fly in the reserve.
After the fall and occupation of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Birksted was already an Officer in the Danish Air Force. He fled to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and hence to the UK. He trained in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at Little Norway
Little Norway
The Flyvåpnenes Treningsleir , the official name) or "Little Norway" was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during the Second World War.-Origins:...
, the Norwegian flight school where he worked as a student / instructor. In July 1941 he was posted to the Norwegian-manned No.331 Squadron as a Flight Commander. He commanded the unit from September 1942 to April 1943. In late summer 1943 Birksted became Wing Leader, of 132 ( Nor.) Wing. He flew Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s scoring ten and one shared confirmed with five damaged.
By the end of his tour in early 1944 he had received the DSO, DFC and the Norwegian War Cross (twice). At the end of the war Birksted did service in operational planning at the General Staff of the RAF 11th Group's Combined Control Centre, where he among others was responsible for fighter cover and escort during the day on D-day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. He returned to Denmark after the war, rejoining the newly formed Air Force as a senior staff Officer. Birksted was in Danish Air Force until 1960 with the rank of colonel, after which he took up a position at NATO.
Other sources
- Shores, Christopher F. & Clive Williams (1966) Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II (Shores & Williams)
- Ancker, Paul E. (2006) De danske militære flyverstyrkers udvikling 1910-1940 (Syddansk Universitetsforlag)