Air Operations, Aleutians

4 P-38s of the 343rd Fighter Group bomb Kiska.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s and 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount numerous individual anti-shipping strikes around New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• 19 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack rail facilities at Thazi.
• 51st Fighter Group P-40s attack Japanese Army troop positions near Sarenghkyet.

Air Operations, Europe

• 12 Venturas are sent to attack a railway target at St Brieuc but turn back because of cloud cover.

• 160 aircraft - 58 Halifaxes, 46 Lancasters, 31 Wellingtons and 25 Stirlings - are involved in a large mine-laying operation. 458 mines are dropped off the Biscay and Brittany ports and in the Frisians. 123 planes carry out their mission successfully.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.
• 4 OTU Wellingtons make leaflet flights over France without a loss.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s and 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount numerous individual anti-shipping strikes.
• V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s attack Japanese Army ground forces in the Mubo-Green Hill area.

Air Operations, Solomons

XIII Bomber Command B-17s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and B-24s attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara and the airfield at Balalle.

Axis Diplomacy

Hitler receives Pavelić, head of the Croatian puppet government, at his headquarters. This is one of a long series of meetings Hitler has had with leaders of Germany's allies, commencing with Mussolini on April 7. As a result of these meetings, Axis propaganda increasingly stresses the importance of an anti-Bolshevik crusade to save European civilization, rather that the earlier emphasis on the 'New Order'. At the same time Hitler demands even more men and materials from his allies.

Heinz Guderian Visiting Tiger Company of SS Leibstandarte at Kharkov 27 April 1943. (Photo - Kriegsberichter Wiesebach)

Heinz Guderian Visiting SS Leibstandarte

Battle of the Atlantic

The German submarine U-174 is sunk by naval land-based aircraft (VB-125) in the North Atlantic area.

Diplomatic Relations

Premier Antonio Salazar restates that Portugal will not act to damage British interests.

North Africa

The British take Djebel Bou Aoukaz after a vicious battle, but Panzers push the British from Sidi Abdallah. The Americans storm 'Sugar Loaf Hill' (Jebel Azag), near Mateur.

The US II Corps continues its offensive with 4 divisions in the assault, its major objective now being the Jefna position, Hill 609 (Djebel Tahent), and Mateur. A column of the 39th Infantry, 9th Div, reaches Hill 382, northwest of Djebel Azag, where it is stalled for 4 days by firmly entrenched enemy.

This Tiger has all those characteristic field-modifications – tailored mud-guards and lowered headlights – which were so typical for Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501 Tigers in Tunisia. (Photo - Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung 27 April 1943 – p.3)

Field-Modified Tiger Tank

The 34th Div begins a drive on Hill 609. The 168th Regimental Combat Team on the right, reaches the slopes of Djebel el Hara. The 135th Regimental Combat Team, to the right, drives to Hill 490, just west of 609, but is forced to withdraw. 1st Div patrols reach Djebel el Ang. The 1st Armored Div begins an attack on the southern flank of the corps, Combat Command A making the main effort. The attack fails to gain immediate objectives, Hills 299 and 315, northeast of Djebel el Ang, and some elements are forced back from Hill 312, from which the attack on Hill 315 was made.

In the British 1st Army area, the V Corps' advance is checked by a seried of determined enemy counterattacks. The 4th Div is forced to withdraw its left flank at Ksar Tyr.

Men of the 2nd Sherwood Foresters firing a captured German MG42 machine gun, Tunisia, 27 April 1943.

2nd Sherwood Foresters in Tunisia

A 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun in use in the field artillery role in the Medjez-el-Bab sector, 27 April 1943.

3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun