Gear-up landing Incident Blackburn Skua II L2940,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 244893

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Date:	Saturday 27 April 1940
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Blackburn Skua II
Owner/operator:	800 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	L2940
MSN:	-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	lake Breidalsvatnet, Grotli, Skjåk municipality, - Norway
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Ark Royal
Destination airport:	HMS Ark Royal

Narrative:
The aircraft was one of three 800 Sqn FAA RN Skua's on patrol from HMS Ark Royal, over the Andalsnes area of Norway on 27th April. During the patrol Skua L2940, "6A" shot down Heinkel 111 1H+CT which force landed beside lake Heillstuguvatnet 58 miles South East of Aalesund. One of the Heinkel crew was killed during the combat, with the other three surviving the crash landing. L2940, having sustained combat damage, suffered engine failure following the attack and was forced to carry out a belly landed on frozen lake Breiddalsvatnet near Grotli, Norway. Pilot, Captain R. T. Partridge and Observer, Lieutenant, Robert S. Bostock escaped without injury and set fire to the aircraft which sank into the lake during the spring thaw. The two crew eventually made their way to Andalsnes 60 miles to the north, where they were shipped back to the UK.
Skua L2940 was recovered from Lake Breiddalsvatnet in 1974 by divers from Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Sub Aqua Club and the remains shipped to the UK where they are displayed in the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, UK.
Lake Breiddalsvatnet and Lake Heillstuguvatnet where the Skua and Heinkel force landed are located within 2 miles of each other. Subsequently the British and German aircrews met each other in a local hunters cabin. A film loosely based upon the the combat, meeting and fates of the two crews called "Into the White" was released in 2012.

Sources:

https://www.fleetairarmoa.org/news/on-this-day-27-april-1940
http://www.airwar.ru/history/av2ww/allies/skua/skua.html
http://skua.no/page3.html
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Skua
http://skua.no/Operation%20Skua%20story%202.txt
http://www.goodall.com.au/warbirds-directory-v6/blackburn-hawker-siddeley.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_White

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

14 September 1939 L2873 803 Sqn FAA RN 1 North Atlantic Ocean, Merchantman Fanad Head, located at 56-45M 15-21W w/o

14 September 1939 L2957 803 Sqn FAA RN 1 North Atlantic Ocean, Merchantman Fanad Head, located at 56-45N 15-21W w/o

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

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

14-Nov-2020 18:32 Peter Clarke Added

15-Nov-2020 03:25 Peter Clarke Updated [Narrative]

21-Nov-2020 10:31 Jixon Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator]

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Nov-2020 18:32	Peter Clarke	Added
15-Nov-2020 03:25	Peter Clarke	Updated [Narrative]
21-Nov-2020 10:31	Jixon	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator]

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14 September 1939	L2873	803 Sqn FAA RN	1	North Atlantic Ocean, Merchantman Fanad Head, located at 56-45M 15-21W	w/o
14 September 1939	L2957	803 Sqn FAA RN	1	North Atlantic Ocean, Merchantman Fanad Head, located at 56-45N 15-21W	w/o
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
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