Accident Blackburn Skua II L2957,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 244534

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Date:	Thursday 14 September 1939
Time:	Approx 16:30
Type:	Blackburn Skua II
Owner/operator:	803 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	L2957
MSN:	-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Atlantic Ocean, Merchantman Fanad Head, located at 56-45N 15-21W - Atlantic Ocean
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal
Destination airport:	Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
11 days after Britain and France had declared war on Germany the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was on patrol in the North Atlantic when a report was received that merchantman Fanad Head had been torpedoed 280 miles north west of Ireland. In response, three armed Blackburn Skua's were launched to search for the ship. L2957 "A7K" was the last aircraft to locate the disabled merchantman and found submarine U30 alongside her. An unsuccessful low level attack was carried out on the submarine but the exploding bombs tore the nose and engine off the aircraft which crashed into the sea. The pilot Lt Guy B.K. Griffiths survived the crash and was rescued but observer PO. George Vincent McKay was lost with the aircraft.
All the three Skua's attacked the submarine, the first L2873M "A7M" crashed into the sea under similar circumstances when critically damaged by its own bomb explosions. The second attack by Skua "A7A", crewed by pilot Lt. Cdr. D. R. F. Campbell and observer L. C. E. Hanson was unsuccessful and the aircraft returned safely to the Ark Royal.

Sources:

https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/20.html
http://www.airwar.ru/history/av2ww/allies/skua/skua.html
https://dingeraviation.net//SkuaRoc/blackburn_skua.htm
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpost.php?p=211547&postcount=2
https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-04CV-HMS_Ark_Royal.htm

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

10 April 1940 L2923 803 Sqn FAA RN 2 Bergen Fjord, w/o

12 April 1940 L3037 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 Askoy Island, 10 miles north west of Bergen, w/o

14 April 1940 L???? 803 Sqn FAA RN 2 Bergen Fjord, w/o

20 April 1940 L2999 800 Sqn FAA RN 2 North Sea - en route from Bergen, Norway to Orkney Islands, Scotland w/o

22 April 1940 L???? 803 Sqn FAA RN 1 Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland w/o

25 April 1940 L3048 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 on a beach at Spillum, Namsos in Trøndelag county, non

25 April 1940 L2881 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 Osen, Sør-Trøndelag, w/o

26 April 1940 L2991 803 Sqn FAA RN 1 Alesund Harbour, Møre og Romsdal County, w/o

Ditching

27 April 1940 L2940 800 Sqn FAA RN 0 lake Breidalsvatnet, Grotli, Skjåk municipality, w/o

Gear-up landing

1 May 1940 L???? 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 North Sea, off the Central Norwegian coast, w/o

8 May 1940 L2916 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 the sea at Tovika near Harstad, Vags-fjorden. w/o

9 May 1940 L3055 800 Sqn FAA RN 0 south east of Grøndalsvatnet at Haugfjell, in the Norwegian mountains, w/o

13 May 1940 L3001 800 Sqn FAA RN 0 Sandsoy, 10 miles north of Harstad, w/o

13 May 1940 L2938 800 Sqn FAA RN 0 South of Harstad, off the north Norwegian coast, w/o

14 May 1940 L2925 803 Sqn FAA RN 2 Off Tranoy, west of Narvik w/o

14 May 1940 L2918 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 On the shore of Herjangsfjorden at Breivika 2 miles west of Isfjorden w/o

21 May 1940 L3010 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 Sandsoya 13 miles north of Harstad, unk

28 May 1940 L2878 806 Sqn FAA RN 0 English Channel off the Dunkirk coast, w/o

28 May 1940 L2896 806 Sqn FAA RN 1 RAF Manston, Kent, England sub

Gear-up landing

28 May 1940 ????? L6-? 806 Sqn FAA RN 0 RAF Manston, Kent, England w/o

31 May 1940 L2917 801 Sqn FAA RN 2 North of Dunkirk, w/o

31 May 1940 L???? 801 Sqn FAA RN 0 Near Dunkirk, sub

13 June 1940 L3028 800 Sqn FAA RN 2 Hermstadheia, Rissa Sør-Trøndelag , 20 miles northwest of Trondheim, w/o

13 June 1940 L3047 800 Sqn FAA RN 1 The sea, off Stadsbygd,14 miles northwest of Trondheim. w/o

13 June 1940 L2992 803 Sqn FAA RN 2 On a hillside at Kjøra, 15 miles west of Trondheim w/o

13 June 1940 L2955 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 Vagnillgrenda 34 miles south of Trondheim w/o

13 June 1940 L2963 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 In the sea at Frøsetskjæret Byneset 14 miles west of Trondheim. w/o

13 June 1940 L2896 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 In the sea at Orkdalsfjord Sør-Trøndelag 17 miles west of Trondheim. w/o

13 June 1940 L2995 800 Sqn FAA RN 1 Stallvika, Bjugn, 28 northwest of Trondheim, w/o

13 June 1940 L3000 800 Sqn FAA RN 1 Mollebakken, western suberb of Trondheim, w/o

18 June 1940 L---- "F" 801 Sqn FAA RN 0 Between Boulogne and Calais sub

19 June 1940 L---- "P" 801 Sqn FAA RN 0 Between Boulogne and Calais sub

3 July 1940 L2915 803 Sqn FAA RN 2 Mediterranean Sea off Oran City, w/o

3 July 1940 L2891 803 Sqn FAA RN 0 Mediterranean Sea off Oran City, w/o

22 September 1940 L2942 801 Sqn FAA RN 0 river Faxälven, Ramsele, Västernorrland County, 70 km north-west of So w/o

Revision history:

Date/time Contributor Updates

31-Oct-2020 02:38 Peter Clarke Added

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-Oct-2020 02:38	Peter Clarke	Added

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10 April 1940	L2923	803 Sqn FAA RN	2	Bergen Fjord,	w/o
12 April 1940	L3037	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	Askoy Island, 10 miles north west of Bergen,	w/o
14 April 1940	L????	803 Sqn FAA RN	2	Bergen Fjord,	w/o
20 April 1940	L2999	800 Sqn FAA RN	2	North Sea - en route from Bergen, Norway to Orkney Islands, Scotland	w/o
22 April 1940	L????	803 Sqn FAA RN	1	Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland	w/o
25 April 1940	L3048	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	on a beach at Spillum, Namsos in Trøndelag county,	non
25 April 1940	L2881	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	Osen, Sør-Trøndelag,	w/o
26 April 1940	L2991	803 Sqn FAA RN	1	Alesund Harbour, Møre og Romsdal County,	w/o
Ditching
27 April 1940	L2940	800 Sqn FAA RN	0	lake Breidalsvatnet, Grotli, Skjåk municipality,	w/o
Gear-up landing
1 May 1940	L????	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	North Sea, off the Central Norwegian coast,	w/o
8 May 1940	L2916	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	the sea at Tovika near Harstad, Vags-fjorden.	w/o
9 May 1940	L3055	800 Sqn FAA RN	0	south east of Grøndalsvatnet at Haugfjell, in the Norwegian mountains,	w/o
13 May 1940	L3001	800 Sqn FAA RN	0	Sandsoy, 10 miles north of Harstad,	w/o
13 May 1940	L2938	800 Sqn FAA RN	0	South of Harstad, off the north Norwegian coast,	w/o
14 May 1940	L2925	803 Sqn FAA RN	2	Off Tranoy, west of Narvik	w/o
14 May 1940	L2918	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	On the shore of Herjangsfjorden at Breivika 2 miles west of Isfjorden	w/o
21 May 1940	L3010	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	Sandsoya 13 miles north of Harstad,	unk
28 May 1940	L2878	806 Sqn FAA RN	0	English Channel off the Dunkirk coast,	w/o
28 May 1940	L2896	806 Sqn FAA RN	1	RAF Manston, Kent, England	sub
Gear-up landing
28 May 1940	????? L6-?	806 Sqn FAA RN	0	RAF Manston, Kent, England	w/o
31 May 1940	L2917	801 Sqn FAA RN	2	North of Dunkirk,	w/o
31 May 1940	L????	801 Sqn FAA RN	0	Near Dunkirk,	sub
13 June 1940	L3028	800 Sqn FAA RN	2	Hermstadheia, Rissa Sør-Trøndelag , 20 miles northwest of Trondheim,	w/o
13 June 1940	L3047	800 Sqn FAA RN	1	The sea, off Stadsbygd,14 miles northwest of Trondheim.	w/o
13 June 1940	L2992	803 Sqn FAA RN	2	On a hillside at Kjøra, 15 miles west of Trondheim	w/o
13 June 1940	L2955	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	Vagnillgrenda 34 miles south of Trondheim	w/o
13 June 1940	L2963	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	In the sea at Frøsetskjæret Byneset 14 miles west of Trondheim.	w/o
13 June 1940	L2896	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	In the sea at Orkdalsfjord Sør-Trøndelag 17 miles west of Trondheim.	w/o
13 June 1940	L2995	800 Sqn FAA RN	1	Stallvika, Bjugn, 28 northwest of Trondheim,	w/o
13 June 1940	L3000	800 Sqn FAA RN	1	Mollebakken, western suberb of Trondheim,	w/o
18 June 1940	L---- "F"	801 Sqn FAA RN	0	Between Boulogne and Calais	sub
19 June 1940	L---- "P"	801 Sqn FAA RN	0	Between Boulogne and Calais	sub
3 July 1940	L2915	803 Sqn FAA RN	2	Mediterranean Sea off Oran City,	w/o
3 July 1940	L2891	803 Sqn FAA RN	0	Mediterranean Sea off Oran City,	w/o
22 September 1940	L2942	801 Sqn FAA RN	0	river Faxälven, Ramsele, Västernorrland County, 70 km north-west of So	w/o