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Thalbitzer escaped Denmark in late 1940, and volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He commenced flying training at 18 EFTS at Fairoaks in Surrey on 26 May 1941. In the beginning of July, he continued training at 5 SFTS (No 64 Flying Course) at Tern Hill in Shropshire. He got his wings and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 28 October 1941. Following operational training at 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge, Thalbitzer was posted to 32 Sqn on 10 December 1941 - operating Hurricanes out of Manston. He carried out nineteen operations while at the squadron.
In October 1941, the Danish Council had established a Spitfire Fund. On 9 April 1942—the second anniversary of the German occupation of Denmark—a check of £38,300 was presented to Prime Minister Winston Churchill at 10 Downing Street. Thalbitzer was part of the delegation representing the Danes in Royal Air Force. Later that day, during BBC’s broadcast to Denmark, Thalbitzer spoke to his fellow countrymen. The following day, at a ceremony at RAF Station Ibsley, three Spitfires were presented to 234 (Madras Presidency) Squadron as a gift from the Free Danes. The Spitfires bore the names ‘Skagen Ind.’ (BL924/AZ-G), ‘Niels Ebbesen’ BL855/AZ-U), and ’Valdemar Atterdag’ (BL831/AZ-K). A few days before, on 5 April 1942, Thalbitzer and Svendsen had been posted to the squadron, and, following the ceremony, they took two of the Spitfires to the air. (The third Spitfire was flown by a British squadron leader. - NK.) On 17 April 1942, Thalbitzer was on ops with eight other pilots: a 'Rodeo'—a fighter sweep—over the Cherbourg peninsular, acting as top cover for 118 and 501 Squadrons.
On 24 April 1942 Thalbitzer took off from Portreath at 1520 hrs in Spitfire Vb, AB864. The squadron was carrying out a low-level attack on a number of targets between Plouescat and Guisseny in Brittany (a ‘Rhubarb’ operation). Radio masts, high tension cables and masts, goods trucks, a signal box and a water tower were attacked. German fighter opposition was encountered as the squadron was leaving the target area as well as light flak and machine-gun fire from Landerneau. Thalbitzer’s Spitfire was hit and his engine cut. He was forced to crash-land hitting overhead electric cables. The Spitfire flipped, lost one wing, and Thalbitzer landed head down but unhurt. Thalbitzer was one of four pilots lost in the operation.
He managed to evade capture and for the next two weeks he walked south trying to reach the Spanish border. One day, however, he was disclosed by a French farmer and taken prisoner by the Germans. However, Thalbitzer escaped from Oflag XXI-B in March 1943, but died in the attempt to get to Sweden later that month.
