Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is an exceptional A2 leather flight jacket issued to a member of the crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress GREEN HORNET, operating number 41-24603. It is offered in very good condition in size 36R.

B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS was assigned with a combat crew on 10-Sep-42 at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas then moved to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine 9-Oct-42; Arrived at Molesworth, UK on 22-Oct-42.

Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Three engines were knocked out by flak over the target and then it was shot down by FW-190 fighters. All the crew baled out but the Pilot and Co-Pilot stayed with the aircraft because they only had one usable parachute between them and made a crash landing at Kergolay near Motreff, France The Tail Gunner, SSgt Joseph L. Markiewicz had been wounded but managed to bale out and was captured, but he died of his wounds on 12-Feb-43.

Overall condition of the jacket is very good. The leather is still supple, and while a bit dry, does not have any major cracking or damage. There is some minor wear in places and some paint loss to the Green Hornet logo and painting on the back. The liner is original as are the cuffs, which definitely show some damage due to wear or moth, as they are definitely wool. The zipper is marked on the slider and handle with TALON, a known maker of quality zippers.

The original tag is still intact:

History 303rd Bomb Group

The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New Mexico for advanced flight training until 7-August-1942 when it moved to Biggs Field, Texas to prepare for deployment overseas. The ground echelon moved to Fort Dix, New Jersey on 24-August-1942 and sailed for the UK aboard the Queen Mary on 5-September-1942 arriving at Greenock, UK on 10-September-1942. The air echelon flew to Kellogg Field, Michigan and then on to Dow Field, Maine to begin deployment to England. The Group finally assembled at Molesworth and flew its first combat mission on 17-Nov-1942.

From 17-Nov-1942 until 25-April-1945 the Group flew 364 missions in 10,721 sorties and dropped 24,918 tons of bombs. The Group lost 165 aircraft MIA.
The "Hell's Angels" were named after the B-17 Flying Fortress 41-24577 of the same name, which was the first B-17 in the Eighth Air Force to complete 25 missions. The Group was based solely at Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, between 12 September 1942 and 11 June 1945, flying 364 missions in 10,721 sorties (more than any other B-17 Eighth Air Force Group) and dropped 24,918 tons of bombs (2nd highest in 8AF). 

CLAIMS TO FAME
B-17F 41-24577 'Hell's Angels' first B-17 aircraft to complete 25 missions
B-17F 41-24605 'Knock-Out Dropper' first B-17 aircraft to complete 50 and 75 missions
B-17G 42-38050 'Thunderbird' one of the few B-17s to fly more than 100 missions
First 8th Air Force Bomb Group to complete 300 missions
Flew more missions than any other 8th Air Force Bomb Group.