London's Revenge Nose Art

No. 427 [Lion] Squadron was formed at Croft, England, on 7 November 1942, flying the Wellington, Halifax and Lancaster Bombers. The RCAF squadron flew under No. 4 Group, R.A.F. Bomber Command until 31 December 1942.

On 1 January 1943, No. 427 Squadron became part of the newly formed No. 6 [RCAF] Group, Croft, Yorkshire, England. On 5 May 1943, the unit moved to R.A.F. station Leeming, Yorkshire, England, which became No. 63 [RCAF] Base.

On 27 May 1943, a special presentation was made, the Canadian unit was adopted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Hollywood, California, USA. For this event, Mr. Samuel Eckman Jr. Managing Director of M.G.M. [England], attended and the 427 Commanding Officer, Dudley Burnside [RAF] accepted MGM’s kind offer to adopt the Lion Squadron.

For the event a Halifax B. Mk. V. serial DK186, ZL-L, was painted with Nose Art featuring the M.G.M. [Winged] Lion flying while holding a bomb between the paws. The bomber was named “London’s Revenge” and after the adoption, squadron artist Sgt. E. A. Johnson chalk-marked the name “Lana Turner”, [L for Lana]. This area was later painted in white with the name “Lana”.

The Halifax bomber flew the first operation on 29/30 May 1943, when 63 aircraft attacked the target at Wuppertal, Germany.  On this operation the Halifax was flown by the Commanding Officer, Wing/Commander D.H. Burnside, [Royal Air Force] DFC and Bar, C.O. from 7 November 1942 until 5 September 1943.

Date: May 29/30, 1943

Target: Wuppertal

Pilot: W/Cdr D. Burnside

Flt/engineer: Sgt. E. Solman

Navigator: F/O A. Stockdale

Bomb Aimer: F/O R. Hayhurst

Wireless Operator: F/O R. Vollum

Mid upper gunner: F/Lt. J. Durocher

Rear gunner: P/O D. Ross

The Halifax completed 26 operations the last on 25/26 November 1943, when 73 aircraft attacked Frankfurt, Germany.

Date: November 25/26, 1943

Target: Frankfurt

Pilot: P/O J. Dickenson

Flt/engineer: Sgt. W. Blake

Navigator: Sgt. A. Deane

Bomb Aimer: P/O C. Lambert

Wireless Operator: Sgt. J. Pratt

Mid upper gunner: Sgt. A. Martin

Rear gunner: Sgt. R. Bechtold

Transferred to No. 1664 and then 1667 Heavy Conversion Units, DK186 was damaged when it taxied into a ditch on 22 April 1944, and later scrapped.

The original Commanding Officer and first pilot Dudley Burnside is still alive and well at 92 years of age. Living just eight miles from Heathrow airport, central Windsor, England.

Reproduction by "Mr. Nose Art" Simonsen