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Spitfire XII EN223, 91 Squadron,F/O Harold Heninger
Crashed 6 January 1944
Mesnil-Durdent, France
Spitfire XII EN223, 91 Squadron,F/O Harold Heninger
Crashed 6 January 1944
Mesnil-Durdent, France
On 6th January 1944 F/O Harold Frederick Heninger of 91 Squadron was posted missing after a bomber escort operation in the Rouen area flying Spitfire Xll EN223. Reports indicate that he turned back to escort another pilot, who had engine trouble, back to base. After flying abreast for a while at 4,000ft Heninger was seen by his charge to drop back with black puffs of smoke coming from his engine and Heninger then called to say that he was bailing out.
Although the Canadian pilot bailed out, his parachute failed and fell close to where his Spitfire crashed in the hamlet of Mesnil-Durdent.
A dig led by Dan Snow of the BBC uncovered the aircraft and it was found that the experimental ‘Griffon’ engine used by Harold Henningers aircraft had failed resulting in the fatal crash.
Just finished watching the BBC program that covered the dig and felt the need to post this.
Crashed 6 January 1944
Mesnil-Durdent, France
Spitfire XII EN223, 91 Squadron,F/O Harold Heninger
Crashed 6 January 1944
Mesnil-Durdent, France
On 6th January 1944 F/O Harold Frederick Heninger of 91 Squadron was posted missing after a bomber escort operation in the Rouen area flying Spitfire Xll EN223. Reports indicate that he turned back to escort another pilot, who had engine trouble, back to base. After flying abreast for a while at 4,000ft Heninger was seen by his charge to drop back with black puffs of smoke coming from his engine and Heninger then called to say that he was bailing out.
Although the Canadian pilot bailed out, his parachute failed and fell close to where his Spitfire crashed in the hamlet of Mesnil-Durdent.
A dig led by Dan Snow of the BBC uncovered the aircraft and it was found that the experimental ‘Griffon’ engine used by Harold Henningers aircraft had failed resulting in the fatal crash.
Just finished watching the BBC program that covered the dig and felt the need to post this.
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