WONZ 244 - Jim Sheddan DFC

[Dave Homewood]

The latest WONZ Show, Episode 244, features my interview with the late RNZAF fighter ace, Squadron Leader Jim Sheddan DFC.

Jim was originally posted to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron on Spitfires but his time there was brief, and he ended up ferrying aircraft in all weathers, before being posted to No. 486 (NZ) Squadron on Typhoons, where he really found his feet. He talks about ditching into the English Channel in his Typhoon, and being rescued: crashing into a grove of trees; bailing out of another aircraft; shooting up trains, losing mates, air to air combat, shooting down V1 flying bombs in his Tempest, and a lot more. Jim was a real character. He rose to become the Commanding Officer of No. 486 (NZ) Squadron by the war’s end. He passed away in December 2010.

Here is the link:
cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2021/09/wonz-244-Jim-Sheddan/

[Dave Homewood]

Some of you may have read Jim's fantastic book, "Tempest Pilot".

[pjw4118]

Good one Dave. I knew Jimmy well and he was a hard case till his last days. We had a common interest in brewing and gunpowder and at the end I took a bottle of dark ale into his ward most days , for medicinal purposes.
Sad we have lost so many of these characters.