Date:	Thursday 13 June 1940
Time:	c.
Type:	Blackburn Skua II
Owner/operator:	803 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	L2992
MSN:	-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	On a hillside at Kjøra, 15 miles west of Trondheim -   Norway
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Ark Royal
Destination airport:	HMS Ark Royal

Narrative:
Following the bombing of the German Battleship Scharnhorst in Trondheim Harbour, early morning of 13th June 1940, The 803 Sqn. Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, Blackburn Skua, L2992 "A7-L", was shot down by Messerschmitt Bf.109's. The aircraft crashed on a hillside at Kjøra, 15 miles west of Trondheim seriously injuring Pilot, Sub-Lieutenant, John Anthony Harris and Air Gunner, Naval Airman, Stuart Rex Douglas Stevenson. Both wounded aircrew were rescued from the crash site but subsequently died later in hospital. Pictures of the crashed aircraft are shown on " https://tihlde.org/~ktsorens/flyvrak/geitastrand.html ".

Fifteen Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy Blackburn Skuas took off from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal at 00:05 hrs. on 13th June 1940, (six, 800 Sqn. and nine, 803 Sqn.), to bomb the German Battleship Scharnhorst anchored in Trondheim Harbour. Eight were shot by down Messerschmitt Bf 109's & Bf 110's during the mission with only seven, (two, 800 Sqn. and five, 803 Sqn.) aircraft returning to land back on HMS Ark Royal by 03:45 hrs.
53% of the attacking aircraft were lost during the raid, inflicting only minimal damage on the Battleship Scharnhorst.

Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Flying Personnel 1939 - 1947 (aircrewremembered.com)
Black Thursday – a disastrous Fleet Air Arm raid | Naval Air History
World War 2 - FAA No. 803 Squadron, January/June 1940 (epibreren.com)
Roll of Honour.jpg (1125×1113) (skua.no)
English Channel sea battles, June 1940 (naval-history.net)
Blackburn Skua (2) (valka.cz)
Skua!: The Royal Navy's Dive-Bomber - Peter C. Smith - Google Books
Боевые применение Blackburn Skua и Roc (airwar.ru)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-Dec-2020 17:02	Peter Clarke	Added