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Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased) - Art prints and originals signed by Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)

Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)

Desmond Frederick Burt Sheen was born in Sydney, Australia, on October 2 1917. After school, he received a cadetship in the Royal Australian Air Force and in 1937 sailed for Britain, where he was granted a short service commission in the RAF and was posted to No 72 Squadron. During the Battle of Britain, Desmond got his first victories and was shot down twice during the Battle of Britain, in the course of which he accounted for three enemy aircraft destroyed, one shared, two probably destroyed and two damaged. By the summer of 1940, Sheen, was serving as a Spitfire pilot with No 72 Squadron, based at Acklington, Northumberland. Although well to the north of the main area of the Battle of Britain, on August 15 the squadron was heavily engaged with the enemy. Flying from Denmark and Norway, a Luftwaffe force of more than 60 bombers with a 34-strong fighter escort was making for the RAF's fighter bases in north-east England. With two other Spitfire squadrons, No 72 raced to intercept them. In the ensuing action, beyond the Farne Islands, Sheen accounted for two Me 110 fighters, one of which almost did for him.
Flames and smoke appeared near the inside of the port engine. he said. The enemy aircraft, either with the pilot shot or in a deliberate attempt to ram me, approached head on left wing low. Sheen took evasive action and saved his neck. A fortnight later, on August 31, No 72 was ordered south to No 11 Group fighter sector station at Biggin Hill, Kent - where they landed as the airfield was being heavily bombed. The next morning, having transferred to Croydon, they were scrambled to intercept a large enemy force approaching London. This time Sheen's aircraft was hit. As his cockpit filled with dense smoke, he released his straps, turned the Spitfire on its back, pushed the stick forward and dropped out. It was a sunny day, and as he drifted to the ground he had a grandstand view of the battle Several dogfights were going on and an Me 109 went past me in flames. I think the pilot baled out but his harness broke and he didn't make it.On reaching the ground, Sheen was confronted by a girl and a young Army officer who, suspicious of the darker blue of Sheen's old Australian uniform, brandished a revolver. The misunderstanding cleared up, the girl took Sheen to a nearby house where a party of guests were enjoying pre-lunch drinks on the lawn as they watched the battle in the sky overhead. Four days later, back with his squadron, Sheen was shot down again. As his Spitfire hurtled towards the ground, Sheen, though wounded, managed to release his harness. He was sucked out of the cockpit, but his boots caught on the windscreen and he was left lying on top of the fuselage.
After what seemed an age, he recalled, my feet came free and I pulled the ripcord and my parachute opened with a terrific jerk. I just had time to see treetops underneath when I was in them. These broke my fall and I landed on my feet as light as a feather. A bobby appeared on the proverbial bicycle. He pulled out a flask, bless him, and handed it to me. 'You left it a bit late,' he said.
His first real taste of action came on October 21 1939, when he shot down two of some dozen Heinkel 115 floatplanes that were attacking a North Sea convoy off the Yorkshire coast. In early December, north of Arbroath in Scotland, Sheen shared in the destruction of an He 111 bomber. Flying so low that he opened fire at a level below the top of a nearby lighthouse, he was hit by return fire and wounded in the leg.
I stopped a couple of bullets, Sheen explained. One went through my earphones and the other got me in the thigh. The most serious was a bullet in my fuel tank. The petrol began to stream into the cockpit. I went in again to attack but I was dizzy and decided to turn for home.After a spell in hospital, in April 1940 Sheen was posted to the embryo photographic-reconnaissance unit which had been formed under Sidney Cotton, another intrepid Australian. The two men flew down to the south of France and to Sardinia where, flying unarmed Spitfires, they made photo-recce sorties over Italy. Sheen resumed with No 72 at the end of July 1940 and later, after the Battle of Britain and a second spell in hospital, took part in a night action over the North Sea which he described in a broadcast on the BBC. In bright moonlight, on the night of March 13-14 1941, he intercepted a Ju 88.
As I opened fire I could see my tracer bullets bursting in the Junkers like fireworks . . . when I turned in for my next attack I saw that one of the Hun's engines was beginning to burn but just to make quite sure of him I pumped in a lot more bullets then I had to dive like mad to avoid ramming him.
Not long after this, Sheen received command of No 72. Flying from Biggin Hill, he led the squadron - and sometimes the Spitfire Wing - in offensive sweeps over occupied Europe. Subsequently, he held staff appointments and station commands in Britain and in the Middle East. He was awarded a DFC in 1940 and a Bar to it in 1941. Sheen was released from the RAF in 1947, but in 1949, dropping in rank from wing commander to flight lieutenant, he rejoined with a permanent commission. From 1950 to 1952, he commanded No 502, a Royal Auxiliary Air Force fighter squadron equipped with Spitfires, and later with Vampire jets. In 1954, he was posted to the Central Flying Establishment's air fighting unit, and a year later to RAF Leuchars, in Scotland, as Wing Commander Flying. Subsequent appointments included the command of RAF Odiham (1962-64), and Group Captain Organisation at Transport Command. After retirement in 1971, he joined the BAC/British Aerospace to administer the company's BAC 111 and Concorde marketing teams. He died aged 83 in 2001.

Des Sheen signing the print - Fighting Lady - by Graeme Lothian.

Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)

Items Signed by Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)

A solo Spitfire on patrol off the coast of Dover during the Battle of Britain.......
Fighting Lady by Graeme Lothian (B)
Price : £480.00
A solo Spitfire on patrol off the coast of Dover during the Battle of Britain.......

Quantity:
 Just after midday on 27 September 1940 one of the bitterest engagements of the Battle of Britain took place in the skies over Kent when the Spitfires of 19 Squadron took on the Bf109s of JG54.  In the huge dogfight that ensued, 19 Squadron claimed 8......
Bitter Engagement by Robert Taylor. (B)
SOLD OUT
Just after midday on 27 September 1940 one of the bitterest engagements of the Battle of Britain took place in the skies over Kent when the Spitfires of 19 Squadron took on the Bf109s of JG54. In the huge dogfight that ensued, 19 Squadron claimed 8......NOT
AVAILABLE
 All through the long hot summer of 1940 they crossed the Channel from stolen bases in northern France, coming in mighty swarms to deliver their deadly cargo.  Bombers and dive-bombers, single-seat fighters and fast twin-engined attack aircraft, thei......
Fight for the Sky by Robert Taylor. (B)
SOLD OUT
All through the long hot summer of 1940 they crossed the Channel from stolen bases in northern France, coming in mighty swarms to deliver their deadly cargo. Bombers and dive-bombers, single-seat fighters and fast twin-engined attack aircraft, thei......NOT
AVAILABLE
During the early part of World War II the coastline of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea.  As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5s att......
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson.
Price : £220.00
During the early part of World War II the coastline of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea. As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5s att......

Quantity:
 During the early part of World War II the coastline of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea.  As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5s at......
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson. (Y)
Price : £200.00
During the early part of World War II the coastline of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea. As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5s at......

Quantity:
A solo Spitfire flies high over the aerial battlefield of the Battle of Britain.......
High in the Sunlit Silence by Michael Rondot (AP)
SOLD OUT
A solo Spitfire flies high over the aerial battlefield of the Battle of Britain.......NOT
AVAILABLE
A solo Spitfire flies high over the aerial battlefield of the Battle of Britain.......
High in the Sunlit Silence by Michael Rondot (B)
SOLD OUT
A solo Spitfire flies high over the aerial battlefield of the Battle of Britain.......NOT
AVAILABLE
RST0004B. After the Battle by Robert Taylor. ......
After the Battle by Robert Taylor. (B)
SOLD OUT
RST0004B. After the Battle by Robert Taylor. ......NOT
AVAILABLE

Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)



Gerald Coulson Trade Discount Spitfire Pint Pack.
Pack Price : £470.00
Saving : £484
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Dawn Sortie by Gerald Coulson.
First Light by Gerald Coulson.
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson.
Scramble by Gerald Coulson.
Where Thoroughbreds Play by Ivan Berryman.

Quantity:

Battle of Britain Spitfire Prints
Pack Price : £380.00
Saving : £154
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Dawn Sortie by Gerald Coulson.
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson.
Where Thoroughbreds Play by Ivan Berryman.

Quantity:

RAF Spitfire Fighter Aviation Art.
Pack Price : £340.00
Saving : £184
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

First Light by Gerald Coulson.
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson.
Where Thoroughbreds Play by Ivan Berryman.

Quantity:
Harbourne Stephen RAF Ace Signed Aviation Art by Graeme Lothian and Gerald Coulson.
Pack Price : £280.00
Saving : £290
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

The Right of the Line by Graeme Lothian. (AP)
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson.

Quantity:

Squadrons for : Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased). A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

No.72 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 28th June 1917
Fate : Disbanded 12th November 1981
Basutoland

Swift

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.72 Sqn RAF

No.72 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.
Aircraft for : Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased)
A list of all aircraft associated with Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased). A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Spitfire




Click the name above to see prints featuring Spitfire aircraft.

Manufacturer : Supermarine
Production Began : 1936
Retired : 1948
Number Built : 20351

Spitfire

Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954.

No victories listed for this signature

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