World War Two hero Douglas Bader’s former three-bed London home has been listed on sale for £2.95m.

Sir Douglas Bader, who died while still living at the house in 1982 is remembered as one of Britain’s greatest RAF fighter pilots.

The South Kensington property features three bedrooms and a blue plaque to honor the flying double-amputee.

Sir Douglas joined RAF in 1928, but was injured in a crash in 1931 and was forced to retire from service.

Sir Douglas was captured by the German forces and held in prison until 1945, but he reenlisted when war broke out again in 1939. 

After extensive renovations, his former home is now available for sale. Lurot Brand is the listing agent.

The English Heritage emblem is located at the front of this house. It reads: Sir Douglas Bader 1910-1982 RAF Fighter Pilot lived there 1955-1982. 

Sir Douglas Bader, who passed away while still living in the house (pictured) in 1982, is considered one of Britain's one of Britain's greatest ever RAF fighter pilots

Sir Douglas Bader (pictured) died while still living at the house in 1982. He is widely considered to be one of Britain’s greatest RAF fighter pilots.

The kitchen has a large skylight to allow in plenty of natural light. The spacious open plan living and dining room also features a kitchen island and plenty of storage space

The large skylight in the kitchen allows for plenty of natural light. The large open-plan living and dining area features a kitchen island as well as plenty of storage space.

In the hallway a contemporary style staircase leads the occupier seamlessly between storeys, with a set of French doors offering a view out onto the street below

A contemporary-style staircase leads the occupier from one storey to the next. A set of French doors opens onto the street below.

The living room is spacious enough to fit multiple large sofas and a set of doors make the space feel light and airy

The living room has enough space to fit multiple large sofas. There are also doors that make the space feel light. 

The master bedroom sits on the top floor by itself and has an en-suite bathroom. Built in storage units also offer plenty of space for possessions

The master bedroom, which is on the top floor, has an en-suite bath and sits on its own. You will also find plenty of storage space in the built-in storage units.

Sir Douglas joined the RAF in 1928 but, following a crash in 1931, lost both his legs and was retired from service

Sir Douglas joined RAF as a pilot in 1928. He was killed in a crash on 1931. He was then retired from service.

The historic property features a large, open-plan reception room and kitchen located on the ground floor. Large windows open onto the mews and there is a conveniently placed lightwell that allows natural light to flood in.

The master bedroom, which is located on its own level, has ample storage and plenty of windows to let in lots of natural light.

Two additional bedrooms are available on the first floor, both with en suites. There is also a charming terrace.

Petersham Mews can be found close to High Street Kensington (Notting Hill) and Chelsea (both bustling areas with bars, restaurants, and shops).

Easy transport links are available from Gloucester Road Station, which can be reached in a short distance. There are also open spaces at Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens.

It comes after a historian suggested Sir Douglas could have been shot down by his own side before he was captured by the Germans.

The RAF Wing Commander had been brought down and taken prisoner in France on August 9, 1941, as fighter squadrons escorted bomber on raiding runs into the continent. 

Sir Douglas, a double amputee lost both legs in a prewar flying stunt. However, he went on to become famous in the Battle of Britain and earned a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Distinguished Flying Cross.

The house features a terrace that sits on top of a skylight, allowing guests to see into the room below

The house boasts a terrace, which is situated on top a skylight. This allows guests to see below the room.

Another of the house's three bedrooms has enough space for a double bed

Another bedroom in the house is large enough to accommodate a second bed.

The entire house is decorated in neutral tones, allowing a buyer to add their own personalised touch once they move in

The entire house is decorated with neutral tones. Buyers can add their personal touches once they move in.

A beige hallway leads out onto the terrace where the home's owners could sit out on a sunny day

The beige hallway leads to the terrace, where the owners of the home could relax on a sunny day.

Another of the home's three bedrooms had an ensuite bathroom and plenty of storage surrounding the bed

One of the three bedrooms in the home had an ensuite bathroom, and there was plenty of storage around the bed.

The stylish three-bedroom mews property in South Kensington features a blue plaque to honour the double-amputee flying ace

The South Kensington property features a blue plaque to honor the flying ace, a stylish three-bedroom mews home

While the 1856 film Reach For The Sky, based on Paul Brickhill’s best-selling 1954 account of Sir Douglas’ exploits, depicts the pilot clashing with a German fighter over France, questions have been raised over whether this was really what happened. 

Military historian Andy Saunders, editor of German military history magazine Iron Cross, wrote in the Express: ‘With no legs to propel himself, one of his prosthetic limbs became trapped. Bader fell only when the straps gave way.

“And the only Messerschmitt that day?” Its deep-buried wreck was only recently discovered. Its tail was intact. During the heat of battle, pilots were often subject to ‘friendly fire’. 

‘They had only nanoseconds to decide: kill or be murdered. And against bright sky, the rear view from a Messerschmitt 109 appears very similar to a Spitfire.

Mr Saunders wrote that no pilot could be ‘identified as victor’ in shooting down Sir Douglas, despite ‘fastidious combat reports’.

The lonely one The loss of Messerschmitt is attributed to another Bader’s pilots. The circumstances and location are perfectly in line with that pilot’s account of events.   

The home is surrounded by quaint buildings close to the bustle of shopping districts such as High Street Kensington

The home is surrounded with charming buildings near the bustle of shopping districts like High Street Kensington

The modern kitchen's darker wooden panelling contrasts with the rest of the home's plain decoration

The darker wood panelling in this modern kitchen contrasts with its plain surroundings.

A large bathroom features a standing bath in the centre, with colourful his and hers sinks either side

A large bathroom features a bathtub in the middle and colorful his and hers sinks on either side.

In the hallway there is another bathroom located under the stairs for the convenience of any guests

A second bathroom is located under the stairs in the hallway. This is for guests who may need it.

The master bed is separated from the ensuite bathroom by a partition that stands in the centre of the room

A partition in the middle of the room separates the master bedroom from the ensuite bathroom.

Sir Douglas at Biggin Hill Airshow in 1966

1966 Sir Douglas at Bigginhill Airshow

“But, if Bader didn’t collide avec a Messerschmitt, or if the Germans didn’t shoot him down? Mr Saunders writes:  

The Spitfire’s quick demise was catastrophic. 

Adolf Galland was a German fighter ace who wrote his account in 1953’s The First And The Last. He claimed that Sir Douglas had been killed in a dogfight at Pas de Calais. However, it was not confirmed who shot him.

He also said that Sir Douglas wanted to know who took him down after he was captured, and that it was an intolerable thought’ that he might have been defeated by a German NCO. 

Mr Saunders writes that while the account in Reach For The Sky ‘cannot be relied upon for historical accuracy’, it does tell of Sir Douglas’s diving attack on a squad of Messerschmitts, setting one ‘well ablaze’ and damaging another before two fighters turns to attack from the left. 

On 9th August 1941 Douglas Bader was shot down over Le Tourquet. He was captured by German forces and sent to the Colditz prison. He remained there until the end of the war (Picture from the 1956 film Reach for the Sky)

Douglas Bader, a pilot of the German forces, was shot down over Le Tourquet on the 9th of August 1941. He was captured by German forces, and sent to Colditz prison. He remained there till the end of the war. (Photo from the 1956 film Reach for the Sky).

He then broke free but was hit by something that ‘held his aeroplane’. When he looked back in horror to see the entire rear of his plane’sheared away’, it appeared the second 109 he had ‘probably run into him’ and ‘cut it off with his propeller.

Sir Douglas wrote to Flight Lieutenant Buck Casson, describing the events just before the war was over. 

Casson responded that he had seen Sir Douglas attack and then break, he then left two 109s flying together, but then he left them for one aircraft flying inland. 

He wrote that he had fired upon “this boy” at about 6,000 feet, having lost most of his tail unit. This is an eerily close match to what happened with Sir Douglas.  

SIR DOUGLAS BADER: THE WAR HERO and THORN IN GERMANS’ SIDE 

Sir Douglas is pictured in 1957

Sir Douglas is pictured in 1957 

Sir Douglas Bader’s plane crashed into a tree in 1931. It appeared that he would not be able to fly again.

While trying low-flying aerobatics his aircraft crashed when the tip of the left wing touched the ground and both his legs were amputated – one above and one below the knee. 

But he refused to be discouraged. He was able to fly Spitfires and join the RAF during World War II.

Bader, a hero to many of his men was, flew with 222 Squadron in advance of the Dunkirk evacuation. 

He was then given command of 242 Squadron, which was a Hurricane unit that had suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of France.

In 1941, he was captured in France and taken prisoner. Bader was treated with great respect by the German forces. 

After he bailed out, he lost his prosthetic leg and the Germans allowed the British to drop in a new one.

His escapes began. He tried so many that the Germans threatened his legs.

Bader managed to escape from a hospital by tying together several sheets, but was trampled by a worker at the hospital. 

The French authorities sentenced the female informer to 20 years imprisonment after the war.

In 1942, he fled with three others from Stalag III. They were found a few hours later. The Germans were so concerned about his efforts that they created a poster to describe him and show how he moved so that the public could find him if he fled once more.

He was finally sent to Colditz, where he remained until the end. However, he had done his best to escape before that.

The mass break-out occurred in a German prison camp near Warburg. The officer, who was always joking about his disability and refused even to use a stick, was involved in the incident that predated the 1944 break-out, which was immortalised in The Great Escape starring Richard Attenborough.

His story was also told in Paul Brickell’s book Reach for the Sky (1954), made into a hit film in 1956.

Bader returned to the oil industry after the war. He was knighted and died in 1982 at the age of 72.