Supermarine Spitfire Mk1 RN-J, 72 Sqn,
Leconfield, July 1940, Flg Off Desmond Sheen
Thousands of miles from home, Flg Off Des Sheen left little doubt as to his origins by decorating his Spitfire with a distinctive boomerang emblem on the fuselage sides. He was flying this aircraft when he shot down a He115 on 21st October 1938 and claimed a 3rd of a kill against a Heinkel He111 on 7th December that same year. The attack on the Heinkel almost cost him dearly. As he carried out his attack, a gunner in a second Heinkel to his left opened up with an accurate burst. He was struck in the ear with one round, and the backside with another. A third round ruptured his petrol tank. He broke off his attack and landed at Leuchars, his cockpit filling with fuel. Sheen spent Christmas convalescing in the hospital in Edinburgh Castle which he said he found most pleasant!
The groundcrew at Leuchars who had temporarily patched up his fighter found an incediary round buried in his petrol tank that had failed to ignite...so Sheen had a lucky escape indeed!
This aircraft (reputedly K9959) left 72 Sqn in mid-August 1940 for a Civilian Repair Unit where it was converted in to a photo-reconnaisance platform and issued to No1 PRU. It was written off in a froced landing following engine failure at Long Marston, Hertfordshire on 22nd January 1941.
