the mark 1 version of reginald mitchell 's famous design was among the first built in march 1940 but spitfire p9374 , once flown by an airman involved in the great escape .
the fighter plane , dubbed the ballerina because of its grace in the skies , was being piloted by flying officer peter cazenove over dunkirk when it was hit by a single bullet from a german dornier bomber .
before it was lost , spitfire p9374 was at one point almost certainly flown by squadron leader roger bushell , later ` big x ' , who was part of german prisoner of war camp stalag luft iii .