In November 1942, French Lieutenant Bernard Scheidhauer was participating in a strike mission over Normandy when his Spitfire Mk. Vb was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Disoriented by damage to his instruments, he mistakenly landed on the Island of Jersey—which was under German occupation—believing he was on the Isle of Wight (British territory), and was taken prisoner.
In March 1944, he took part in the escape from the Stalag Luft III camp, accompanying the escape organizer, Roger Bushell. They managed to reach the Saarbrücken railway station disguised as French laborers but were captured. As a reprisal for the mass escape, Scheidhauer was one of the 50 prisoners executed by Hitler’s direct order.
Lieutenant Scheidhauer’s Spitfire, EN830, was dismantled and sent to the Daimler-Benz testing facilities. One month after its capture, it received the code CJ-ZY and was painted yellow and green. Several modifications were made to the Spitfire: first, its 12-volt electrical system was replaced with the Luftwaffe’s 24-volt system. The Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 engine was also removed and replaced with a Daimler-Benz DB 605A engine, and it received a propeller and a carburetor air intake from a Messerschmitt Bf 109G.
On August 14, 1944, a formation of American B-17 bombers attacked the town of Echterdingen, destroying nine aircraft on the ground, including the EN830.
ESPECIFICATIONS
Engine: Daimler-Benz DB 605A 1475 PS
Max. Speed: 610 km/h
Climb rate: 21 m/s
Weight: 2730 kg
Guns: 4x Browning 7.7 mm (1400 rounds) 2x 20 mm Hispano MK. II (120 rounds)
