HNoMS Odin (1939)

HNoMS Odin was a Sleipner class destroyer that entered service with the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1939. She and the other Sleipner class vessels were built as part of a Norwegian rearmament scheme in the last years leading up to the Second World War. In 1940 she had taken part in protecting Norwegian neutrality, before being caught up in the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940. After fighting the invasion forces at Kristiansand, she was captured and pressed into Kriegsmarine service for the duration of the war. After the end of the war, she was returned to Norway. In 1948 she and her surviving sister ships were converted to frigatesand remained in service until being sold for scrapping in 1959.

Construction
Odin was built at Karljohansvern naval shipyard in Horten with yard number 126, and was launched on on 24 January 1939.

Second World War
After the outbreak of the Second World War Odin formed part of the 3rd destroyer section in the Kristiansand Defence Sector of the 1st Naval District.

Rio de Janeiro
On 8 April 1940 she had taken part together with the guard ship Lyngdal in the rescue of the surviving sailors and soldiers from the 5,199 ton clandestine German troop transport Rio de Janeiro  sunk by the Polish submarine ORP Orzeł near the small port of Lillesand.

Defending Kristiansand
The next morning, 9 April 1940, Odin took part in the defence of Kristiansand, against landing group four of the German invasion of Norway. When the battle at Kristiansand between the Kriegsmarine flotilla and Odderøya Fort began Odin steamed out into the Toppdalsfjord and opened up on attacking Luftwaffe bombers with her Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns. Continuous evasive manoeuvring saved the destroyer from being hit by the many bombs dropped at her and several hits were recorded on the attacking aircraft, although none were shot down. At about 0730hrs a twin-engined aircraft attacked the interned German U-boat U-21 that was docked in Kristiansand harbour, having been seized by Norwegian warships for neutrality violations after running aground on the Oddene shallows near Mandal 27 March that year. U-21 had been docked in Kristiansand since 28 March. Odin fired at the aircraft, only to discover it was a RAF Lockheed Hudson reconnaissance aircraft. Neither this time did the Odin's fire bring her target down. At 1000hrs an order not to fire at British and French forces came to the commander of Kristiansand. This order, combined with confusion of which flags were flown by the intruding warships, led to the German force being able to enter the harbour unopposed on their third attempt at 1030hrs. Odin was captured at Marvika naval station together with numerous other naval vessels in the Kristiansand area, including her sister ship HNOMS Gyller (1938).

German service as the Panther
After the German capture of Kristiansand Odin was handed over to the Kriegsmarine on 11 April and officially entered service as the Panther on 20 April. However, before entering the Kriegsmarine she was partially rebuilt and rearmed. During the remainder of the war she operated in Skagerak and Kattegat as an escort and training ship, in 1940 forming the ''7. Torpedobootsflottille together with Gyller'', and from January 1942 as a torpedo recovery vessel in Gotenhafen.

Post-war RNoN service
After the end of the Second World War Panther/Odin was recovered in Holmestrand, Norway, May 1945 and returned to the Royal Norwegian Navy.

After three more years in Norway as a destroyer Odin was converted to a frigate in 1948.

Odin and her sister ships was phased out and sold for scrapping in 1959