Page 25; Black and White and Color Photographs of U.S. Air Force and Predecessor Agencies Activities, Facilities, and Personnel - World War II

No, Jersey Bounce was not 41-24515, and not 91st Bomb Group . . . the aircraft shown is 41-24539 from the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, and the battle damage was received on the December 12, 1942 Rouen mission. The B-17F 41-24515 was a 91st Bomb Group aircraft named Mary Jane - she was shot down with Lt Philip S. Fischer and his crew on May 21, 1943. I see no reason to believe that she flew 25 missions before Memphis Belle did.

Review of 91st BG's squadron daily reports (which list tail numbers of ships participating in each mission) are the easiest way to verify any discrepancy. William Wyler, in making the wartime documentary, "Memphis Belle," readily admitted he was tracking more than one aircraft as a number of them approached the 25-mission mark. The decision to chooose the "Belle" to claim that prize was as much based on 'politics' as it was any actual mission compilation. The 303rd BG's "Hell's Angels" completed 25 before "Memphis Belle" did. This particular photo may be the result of some confusion if one assumes there was only one "Jersey Bounce" in the 8th AF. You are correct there was a similarly named ship at Molesworth - but comparison of the two noses side-by-side shows noticeable differences in the font application. According to Ray Bowden's book, Plane Names & Fancy Noses," the 91st's "Jersey Bounce" was later named "Marie Jean" (not "Mary Jane"), and you are correct to not that she was lost 21 May over Wilhelmshaven.

You're right about 41-24515 beating Memphis Belle to the 25-mission mark. On checking, I had the name of that B-17 as Marie Jane in some 91st wartime records but relied on a faulty memory in my comment. I've never seen a photo showing that name. However, the B-17 in the photo is definitely Lt Robert J. Nolan's 41-24539 Jersey Bounce of the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. That damage was received on the December 12, 1942 Rouen mission.

For a comparative photo, see http://www.303rdbg.com/c-358-nolan.html

The plot thickens - this is the photo of the 303rd's "Jersey Bounce" that I was going by (that made me decide this photo was the 91st's ship): http://www.buddyfeyne.com/f303.html

Thanks, for setting the record straight - I have removed my annotation stating it as a 91st BG ship after seeing your reference. The search continues for photos of the 91st's "Jersey Bounce..."