On 9 April 1940, German forces began Operation Weserübung, an invasion of Denmark and Norway. X Fliegerkorps was allocated to the operation, which was conducted in cooperation with the German Army and the Kriegsmarine. The air corps was commanded by "Generalleutnant" Hans Ferdinand Geisler. Only I./ZG 76 from the wing participated based at airstrips near Westerland. 3. "Staffel" of "Zerstörergeschwader" 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) was attached to it. The immediate objective was to secure airfields in northern Denmark to secure the air space and communications links to the Norwegian capital Oslo from Royal Navy intervention. The German invasion of Denmark was carried out in the space of 24 hours. 1./ZG 76 assisted in the seizure of Aalborg airport on the northern Danish coast granting air superiority over the Skagerrak. Signallers, ground crews, clerks and essential equipment was forwn in by Junkers Ju 52s from KGzbV 1. II./KGzbV 1 flew to Oslo Airport, Fornebu to land soldiers and Fallschirmjäger battalions. Lent and 1./ZG 76 gave air cover. The "staffel" claimed one Royal Norwegian Air Force Gloster Gladiator in combat and two on the ground in exchange for one Ju 52. Commander Hansen and Helmut Lent maintained over claiming an RAF Coastal Command Short Sunderland probing Oslo fjord.