 Johnson returned to operational flying in early 1941 in 616 Squadron , which was forming part of the Tangmere Wing . Johnson often found himself flying alongside Wing Commander Douglas Bader and Australian ace Tony Gaze . On 15 January 1941 , Johnson , the recently appointed Squadron Leader Burton and Pilot Officer Hugh Dundas , who arrived back at the squadron on 13 September 1940 , took off to offer cover for a convoy off North Coates . The controller vectored the pair onto an enemy aircraft , a Dornier Do 17 . Both attacked the bomber and lost sight of it and each other . Although the controllers intercepted distress signals from the bomber Johnson did not see it crash . They were credited with one enemy aircraft damaged . It was the only time Johnson was to engage a German bomber . By the end of January , Johnson had added another 16 @.@ 35 flying hours on Spitfires . 
