 Johnson took part in the 9 August 1941 mission in which Bader was lost over France . During the sortie , he destroyed a solitary Messerschmitt Bf 109 . Johnson flew as wingman to Dundas in Bader 's section . As the Wing crossed the coast , around 70 Bf 109s were reported in the area , the Luftwaffe aircraft outnumbering Bader 's Wing by 3 : 1 . Spotting a group of Bf 109s 1 @,@ 000 feet below them , Bader led a bounce on a lower group . The formations fell apart and the air battle became a mass of twisting aircraft ; 
