WWII War Artist - Frank Woottons version:
"Bader Bale Out" by Frank Wootton.
The following quote is from Frank Wootton and is printed in his book, "Frank Wootton - 50 Years of Aviation Art", published in 1992. Sadly, Frank is now deceased, but this excellent book carries on his legend of aviation art.
About "Bader Bale Out": "Douglas was a legendary figure, colourful and controversial. He was a distinguished fighter leader of Worlod War II and one of England's greatest heroes. I painted the picture entitled "Bader Bale Out" at the suggestion of a mutual friend, Wing Commander Bob Stanford Tuck. It was 9 August 1941. A number of things had gone wrong; the incident has been covered by many writers, but controversy still remains as to how it happended. Bader always thought he was hit by an Me109 in a collision, the only feasible explanation as the whole rear portion of his Spitfire has been torn away.
Galland told me, 'There was no collision. He was shot down.' One is reminded of the controversy which still surrounds the mystery as to how Baron von Richthofen was shot down in World War I. On reflection, two good things mitigated the unhappy day. Douglas survived and returned after the war, and the painting was sold for 6,000 pounds by the RAF Benevolent Fund to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the proceeds being used to support the funding of the Duke of Kent Scheool near Ewhurst, Surrey, where priority is given to children whose fathers have died or been killed while serving in the Royal Air Force." (Note: the painting was given to the Benevolent Fund by Wootton).
One could argue that you do not need bullets to shoot an aeroplane down and that in conflict, the one that flies away to fight another day 'shot down' the one that did not; however the end result was achieved.