Blackburn Skua Orkdalsfjord Sør-Trøndelag

803.Squadron Fleet Air Arm carrier "Ark Royal" L2896 13.06 1940

Eight of the Fifteen Skuas from 800 and 803 Squadron,were shot down during their attack on the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in Trondheim harbour. Two of them were shot down by Messerschmitts here. Skua 7A (probably L2896) ditched into the Orkdalsfjord at Kjøra. Lieutenant Peter Evelyn Fanshawe and Lt/Cdr. John Casson were rescued by locals and spent the rest of the war as PoW at Stalag Luft III. They were shot down (possibly) by Ofw.E. Sawallisch of II./JG 77.

Another Skua: 7L:L2992, crashed into a hillside in the vicinity of this crash site. The two pilots were brought to Orkdal hospital, but Sub Lieutenant John Anthony Harris died just after arrival. Naval Airman Stuart Rex Douglas Stevenson died at the hospital a year later 31.5 1941

L3028 went down at Hermstadheia. L2963 at Frøsetskjæret. L2955 Vagnilgrenda. L3000 shot down at Fagerlia. L2995 Stallvika. L3047 ditched off Statsbygd.

The Skua was found 23.04 2007, at a dept of 240 meters. On 08.04 2008 it was brought to the surface again. The aircraft will be brought to the National Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø.
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08.04 2008 © kjell sørensen
09.04 2008 © morten moe
Trondheim the next day.