1941 (withdrawn from front line) March 1945 (withdrawn from other duties)[1]
Primary user
Fleet Air Arm
Number built
192
Developed into
Blackburn Roc
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft. It was the first Royal Navy carrier-borne all-metal cantilever monoplane aircraft, as well as the first dive bomber in Fleet Air Arm (FAA) service.[2] The aircraft took its name from the sea bird which 'divebombs' any potential predators that come too close to its nest.
The Skua was designed during the mid-1930s to Specification O.27/34, and was a radical design for the era, combining the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. Its enclosed cockpit and monoplane configuration were obvious shifts from preceding FAA aircraft such as the Hawker Nimrod and Hawker Osprey biplanes. On 9 February 1937, the first prototype performed its maiden flight; it was ordered straight off the drawing board to accelerate its development. In November 1938, the Skua was introduced to FAA service; 33 aircraft were operational by the outbreak of the Second World War.
During the early half of the conflict, the Skua was heavily involved in the Norwegian campaign and sank the German cruiser Königsberg, the first major warship sunk in war by air attack and by dive-bombers. It was present during the Battles of Narvik, the Dunkirk evacuation and also the early stages of the Mediterranean theatre. While a capable dive bomber, its poor top speed and rate of climb meant it was severely limited as a fighter aircraft. Despite this, Fleet Air Arm pilots achieved moderate success with the Skua, scoring numerous aerial victories during the Norwegian and Mediterranean campaigns, with at least one pilot making ace status with five victories. In 1941, the Skua was relegated from frontline operations, but continued to be operated in secondary roles, typically training and target tug duties, as late as March 1945.
^"Blackburn Skua aircraft profile". fleetairarmarchive.net. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft. It...
O.30/35 and was derived from the BlackburnSkua dive-bomber/fighter and developed in parallel to it. Unlike the Skua, the Roc had its armament in a turret...
Heinkel He 111 bomber (1H+CT) is pursued near Grotli by a Fleet Air Arm BlackburnSkua (L2940) fighter. Three of the four German crew survive the crash: pilot...
World War II in service at the beginning alongside the BlackburnSkua. BlackburnSkua The Skua was a fighter and a dive bomber; one of two fighter aircraft...
example for carrier landing by RN. Blackburn Roc (FAA) naval turret fighter retired from combat by 1941 BlackburnSkua (FAA) naval fighter/dive bomber retired...
began to receive the Fairey Swordfish from 1936 and BlackburnSkuas from November 1938. The Skua had a secondary function of intercepting attacks by unescorted...
Gloster Sea Gladiator fighters, Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers, and BlackburnSkua fighter-bombers were also inferior compared to the land-based German...
one of the most powerful engines in the world. Note: Blackburn Botha Blackburn Roc BlackburnSkua Bristol Bulldog Bristol Type 148 Cunliffe-Owen Flying...
on the upper fuselage. The forward fuselage was reminiscent of the BlackburnSkua, and had a flush-rivetted Alclad plated covering, while the rear portion...
Desmond Vincent-Jones as the Senior Observer and using eight BlackburnSkuas and four Blackburn Rocs. However, another source gives the date and location...
deliver fourteen aircraft, twelve Hawker Hurricane fighters and two BlackburnSkua dive bombers, to Malta from the aircraft carrier HMS Argus. White was...
The squadron re-equipped with the BlackburnSkua in November 1938 and took these aboard HMS Ark Royal. The Skua was a dive bomber with a secondary fighter...
Nimrods were retired in 1936. The squadron was re-equipped with the BlackburnSkua and Gloster Gladiator in 1939 just before the squadron was transferred...
The Blackburn Firebrand was a British single-engine strike fighter for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy designed during World War II by Blackburn Aircraft...
Type Origin Introduced Total Operators Blackburn Roc United Kingdom 1939 136 BlackburnSkua United Kingdom 1938 192 Boulton Paul Defiant United Kingdom...
Schopis's bomber was shot down at Grotli by a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm BlackburnSkua, which then crash-landed. The several German and British crew members...
The Blackburn Buccaneer is a British carrier-capable attack aircraft designed in the 1950s for the Royal Navy (RN). Designed and initially produced by...
the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier (retired). British Aircraft Corporation Sea Skua: Anti-ship missile, carried by the Lynx (retired). Thales Air Defence Lightweight...
to Gibraltar, launching their aircraft (two BlackburnSkuas and 12 Hawker Hurricanes) prematurely. One Skua and eight Hurricanes were lost at sea, as they...
Maryland/Baltimore, Fairey Swordfish, Lockheed Hudson, Douglas Boston, BlackburnSkua and Bristol Beaufort. It was also used as a turret gun in various Boulton...
portal Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Aichi D3A BlackburnSkua Breda Ba.65 Brewster SBA Douglas SBD Dauntless Junkers Ju 87 Loire-Nieuport...
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