Editing Blockade runner (section)

==== Allied blockade runners ====

During World War II, trade between Sweden (which remained neutral throughout the war) and Britain was severely curtailed by the German blockade of the [[Skagerrak]] straits between Norway and the northern tip of Denmark. In order to import vital ''materiel'' from Sweden, such as [[ball bearings]] for the British aircraft industry, five [[Motor Gun Boat]]s, such as the [[HMS Gay Viking|''Gay Viking'']], were converted into blockade runners, using winter darkness and high speed to penetrate the German maritime blockade. Larger Norwegian ships succeeded in escaping through the blockade to Britain in [[Operation Rubble]] but later attempts failed.