Canada’s Greatest Nose Artist

Matthew Cecil Ferguson from Calgary, Alberta, stands under the nose of Halifax LV951, QB-A, “The A Train”, which he has just painted in No. 424 Tiger Squadron, March 1944.	Panel reproduced by "Mr. Nose Art" Simonsen on loan to the Nanton Lancaster Museum.

Ground crew in front of  “Gerty” showing 28 operations flown.	Gallopin' Gertie reproduced by Clarence Simonsen.

When the little “Pink Elephant” was shot down on 9/10 October 1944, Ferguson went back to work and painted a second Halifax with almost the same Nose Art. Halifax Mk. III, serial NR206, was built in the first few days of November 1944, delivered to No. 424 [Tiger] Squadron on 3 November. She became the second aircraft to wear the Ferguson “Pink Elephant” artwork and the fourth to use code letter “G”. Her new crew named her “Fi-Fi” from the Walt Disney female Gremlin titled “Fifinella”, which was the only good-luck Gremlin. After just four weeks, Fi-Fi was involved in a serious accident and after repairs, was transferred to No. 415 [Swordfish] Squadron on 3 February 1945. After completing 21 operations NR206 was sent to No. 41 Group for disposal on 28 May 1945.