This essential preservation work is being carried out as we speak.

From speaking more to the team that raised the aircraft, it is becoming apparent just how difficult the task they faced was. The aircraft was on a ledge between a 200m trench on one side, and a cliff at the rear that prevented access. Given that without very careful handling, the aircraft could have fallen down the trench or swung into the cliff, the fact that they raised this important aircraft substantially intact is highly praiseworthy. In addition, a further search will be made for any other items lying on the fjord floor.

which designs would have come into service in 1941? am just curious, i agree with the romantic notions of saving britain etc that distort the spit & hurricane stories, but what would have gone into service in 1941?

Hurricanes at near development end, Spits at the start etc, but I’m at work and not switched on enough to think this through, but for conversations sake, what would you say could have gone into service in 1941 if no Spits?

…Er, OK, this is where the argument falls down a bit. But it’s all in fun right? The Mustang was available to RAF squadrons at the tail end of ’41, and Typhoons were about too. Both led to designs that surpassed the Spit, but not in every regard and not in their ’41 guises. What did Britain need in ’41? Long range escort fighters and fighter bombers – neither of which the Spit did as well as others, but hey. I think it was partly as a result of the lack of suitable replacements (mainly the failure of the Tiffie as an air superiority fighter) that led to the Spit having to soldier on for so long.

Interesting developments for me were Boulton Paul’s 4-Hispano armed single seat Defiant development that reputedly have been good for 360mph and much easier to build and service than the Spitfire. The Miles M20 is another good one – somewhere between Spit and Hurri in terms of out and out performance, but much better range than either and could carry twice as much ammo. Again, easy and quick to build and service with its ‘power egg’ Merlin installation. The Spit was not the only game in town.

To be honest, I’m shocked…

There have been 36 posts on this thread so far…and Yak11fan hasn’t yet appeared to suggest the Spitfire. Either he’s seriously slacking, or asleep:D

Regards;
Steve

…Then allow me. The Spitfire was a massive waste of resources at a time when we could ill-afford to expend them – took three times the man-hours to build than a 109 and more than double the Hurricane, was uneccessarily complex, hard to service, re-arm and repair and that ‘beautiful’ wing had the torsional stiffness of a wet lettuce. And all for an aircraft that in 1940 was only incrementally better than the Hurricane. Verdict – we didn’t need them in 1940 and by 1941 we had better designs coming through – in the bin for Mitchell’s ‘finest’.

Don’t even get me started on the Seafire – that was just a waste of lives.

Has there been any other confirmation that the serial is L2896

As someone points out, this does not tie in with the FAA serial book as this one appeared to survive until 1943

‘L2896’ has been found on the pilot’s seat and one of the fuel tanks – I got an email late last night apparently confirming that this is indeed the aircraft’s ID so they may have found it on a fuselage frame as well. Hopefully we will hear more today. Bear in mind that the serial book identified this aircraft as L2991, which we knew to be untrue.

The team at Bodo told me a couple of years ago that they already had approximately 70% of a Skua, including a restored Perseus. They have a fully restored front cockpit which is very impressive. I don’t know what their plans are for the aircraft, but I believe they could effectively now reconstruct a full Skua. I hope that this will be done with as much retention of original materials, including the paint, which is still apparently bright.

Now positively identified as L2899 – thanks to Oyvind Lamo and Andrew Lynsley.

Oops, I may have spoken too soon! The fuel tank apparently has L2986 pencilled on it…

Now positively identified as L2899 – thanks to Oyvind Lamo and Andrew Lynsley.

The other Skua… I could get used to that! L2940 was found in Lake Grotli, I believe fresh water but stand to be corrected. Over 30 years ago now – about time we had another one to play with.

Now… a Roc would be nice.

PM and XN923, many thanks for the info and really glad I posted that last sentence now. Must admit I’m not well up with the details of the event which was told to me (by non military enthusiasts), but I was sure it was 1938-39. However your knowledge and info does prove this to be wrong.
It was indeed during the work up manouvres in Bermuda Harbour, the chap was killed as a result of a deck accident (suspected a Skua, even more so now), apparently when hook came off and debris hit deck party. Like I say I don’t know events well enough, but I think he died in hospital after the event. I’ve been told that there is a website about either this event, or Illustrious’ work up. He is definatly buried in Bermuda though, thats why the story caused much interest within the family.
I will catch up with the family soon and reaffirm details.
Thanks again

There are details of the incident on John Dell’s website (in an above post), Peter C. Smith’s book (Skua! The RN’s Dive Bomber, Pen and Sword 2007) and my book (The Blackburn Skua and Roc, Mushroom Model Publications 2007), also David Wragg’s book Swordfish (about Taranto).

I have a theory that the Skua hooks broke because of the amount of use they had had – not just on Skuas. Blackburn was asked to use the same design as the Shark because the RN was withdrawing all these torpedo bombers from frontline use and converting them as land based target tugs, so there were a lot of Shark hooks going spare. The Fulmars, despite being rather heavier than the Skuas, had brand new hooks and these were enough to survive the landing.

One aircraft force landed on the Bermuda golf course. The engine fell off and was presented to the golf club.

On a tangent, my inlaws are doing a family tree at the moment, and someone in their past was killed aboard HMS Illustrious in 1938 during a deck landing accident, he is buried in Bermuda.

IIRC Illustrious wasn’t commissioned until 1940. There was an incident known as ‘Black Sunday’ in June or July 1940 when Illustrious was in harbour at Bermuda during work-up and had flown off a number of Skuas and Fulmars of 806 Squadron as there was a strong enough wind. Unfortunately, the wind dropped away to nothing while the fighters were up and they had to try and land on the stationary carrier with no headwind. The Fulmars were OK as they were new aircraft and had strong hooks, but several Skuas went over the side, one collided with the island and another broke its back on landing. Was this the incident in which your relative was killed? I didn’t think there any casualties, but seems a bit much of a coincidence otherwise?