LW207 “Willie the Wolf from the West – tail art “Ol’ Daid Eye” (PDF version)

Another Clarence Simonsen’s research

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LW207 Willie the Wolf from the West

P/O Jack Ryan (Collection Réal St-Amour)

Excerpt

This Halifax bomber was air tested by S/L Bedford Donald Chase Patterson J10296, from Calgary, Alberta, on 17 June 1944, and then became his aircraft. Patterson was the Officer Commanding “B” Flight in No. 426 Thunderbird Squadron, and thus he could pick the bomber he wanted to fly. The nose art of pilot Willie the Wolf was also picked by Patterson, his name￾sake and the nose art name “Willie the Wolf from the West” in reference to his place of birth Calgary, Alberta. S/L Patterson would fly Halifax MZ674 on seven operations dated – 19 May, 24 May, 5 June, 9 June, 12 June, and 15 June 1944. Transferred to No. 425 Squadron and the crew of P/O Jack Ryan from Toronto, the pilot Wolf nose art remained but the named changed to “Nobody’s Baby” above image. Halifax MZ674 was shot down over Duisburg, Germany, 14 October 1945. The following log book pages from S/L Patterson records his operations flown in MZ674, 19 May to 15 June 1944.