Hobby Master Archive

On August 31, 1940 Sqn Ldr P W Townsend of the RAF No. 85 Squadron was flying Hurricane Mk.I P3166 when he shot down a Do-17 named Gustav Marie and was hit by return fire damaging the Hurricane making it necessary to ditch in the English Channel. After some time recuperating Townsend returned to the No. 85 Squadron on September 21, 1940 and was assigned Hurricane Mk.I P3854. After the war Townsend became friends with the German bomber gunner who shot him down and wanted to marry the sister of the woman who would become Queen of England.