Supermarine Spitfire MkXII
RAF Serial: EN223
91 Squadron
Crew: F/O. Harold Heninger (killed)
Date: 6th January 1944
Place: Mesnil-Durdent, France

On 6 January 1944, F/O. Harold Frederick Heninger of 91 Squadron was posted missing after a bomber escort operation in the Rouen area while flying Spitfire XII EN223. Reports indicate that he turned back to escort another pilot who was experiencing engine trouble back to base. After flying abreast for a period at 4,000 ft, Heninger was seen by the other pilot to drop back, with black puffs of smoke coming from his engine, and he then radioed to say that he was bailing out.

Although the Canadian pilot did bail out, his parachute failed and he fell close to the site where his Spitfire crashed. The wreck was excavated in 2012 for the BBC TV series Dig 1940, presented by Dan Snow. Regular team member Jeff Carless discovered that the experimental Rolls-Royce Griffon engine had failed when a connecting rod broke and burst through the crankcase.