The first Catalina in Norwegian service was a PBY-5B with the 1477(N) Flight, later the 333 (Norwegian) Sqn. They were used for U-boat patrols and flights to the Norwegian coast, transporting personnel and equipment. After WW2, the Air Force kept operating the type for transport, rescue, herring searches and mine hunt operations. In the autumn of 1953 the 333 Skv received 6 new PBY-5A aircraft. These served until 1961, completing almost 20 years of Catalina service in the Air Force.