Themes
Conflict and Change
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Learning
Naval Aircraft
Page 3 of 4
Article Highlights
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The Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn Skua was the Royal Navy’s first operational monoplane and was conceived as a dual-purpose fighter and dive-bomber, seeing combat in Norway, over Dunkirk and Dakar. It had an enclosed cockpit at a time when most were open. The Fleet Air Arm introduced the Skua in 1938 and although only stayed in front-line service until 1941 it heralded many firsts seen in later aircraft design. During the Second World War on April 10th 1940, an attack by Skuas sunk the German warship Konigsberg in Norway. This was the first major warship ever to be sunk by dive bombing, indeed the first major warship ever sunk in war by air attack.
Related External Links
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Fleet Air Arm Museum
