Skua: the Royal Navy's Dive-Bomber

Description

The Blackburn Skua was the first monoplane to be designed and built for the Royal Navy in the 1930s. As a result of continued debate, it became a compromise between the Navy's desire for a carrier-based dive-bomber and RAF's preference for a fighter. Despite being the first to shoot down a Luftwaffe aircraft in World War II, early operations in Norway found the type woefully inadequate as a fighter. As a dive-bomber, the Royal Navy put the design to good use from the outset of WWII. It was involved with the hunt for the Graff Spee, sunk the major warship Koln, suffered with great loss in an att.;By the same author; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; List of Tables; FOREWORD; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; 1 -- FORGING THE FIRST-STRIKE WEAPON; The dive-bomber concept revitalised; The debate begins; The specification issued; Alternative designs; 2 -- BUILDING THE CONCEPT; Blackburn of Brough; FDB or DBR?; Longitudinal instability; 3 -- THE SAGA OF THE DIVE-BOMB SIGHT; One step forward, two steps back; 'Simple' dive-bomb sight trials; Further discussions; 4 -- THE SKUA IS HATCHED; Overall view; Fuselage; Alighting gear; The tail unit; The mainplanes; The flying controls.