9 4 2 , ▁having ▁converted ▁to ▁P - 4 0 ▁K itt y h aw ks , ▁No . ▁ 3 ▁Squadron ▁attacked ▁six teen ▁J unk ers ▁Ju ▁ 8 7 ▁Stu ka ▁d ive ▁bom bers ▁and ▁their ▁esc ort ▁of ▁six ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁B f ▁ 1 0 9 ▁f igh ters ▁near ▁A ged ab ia ▁in ▁Cy ren a ica ; ▁Sp ence ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁shooting ▁down ▁a ▁Ju ▁ 8 7 . ▁He ▁land ed ▁his ▁single - se at ▁f ighter ▁in ▁the ▁desert ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁another ▁No . ▁ 3 ▁Squadron ▁pilot , ▁Serge ant ▁Walter ▁Ma iley , ▁whose ▁K itt y h awk ▁had ▁been ▁forced ▁down . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁February , ▁No . ▁ 3 ▁Squadron ▁and ▁No . ▁ 1 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁R AF ▁intercept ed ▁over ▁thirty ▁Italian ▁and ▁German ▁aircraft ▁attempting ▁to ▁ra id ▁Tob ru k . ▁The ▁Al lied ▁pil ots ▁claimed ▁twenty ▁enemy ▁aircraft ▁destroyed , ▁one ▁of ▁which , ▁a ▁B f ▁ 1 0 9 , ▁was ▁cred ited ▁to ▁Sp ence . ▁He ▁claimed ▁a ▁probable ▁B f ▁ 1 0 9 ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁March , ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁flight ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁ 1   A pril . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁his ▁five ▁sort ies ▁in ▁the ▁Bir ▁H ache im ▁area ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁June , ▁Sp ence , ▁along ▁with ▁Nick y ▁Bar