41-24605 Knock-out Dropper
Uploaded
Object Number - UPL 28378
Assigned to the 359BS/303BG [BN-R] Bangor 22-Sep-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; First 8th Air Force aircraft to complete 50, then 75 missions- 27-Mar-44; with M/Sgt Buford Pafford as crew chief; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 5-Jun-44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Searcy Field 19-Jul-45. The aircraft was sold, in Stillwater, to an oil company and put up on pylons in downtown Oklahoma City and used as part of a gas station. Once the novelty wore off and the downtown development started, the aircraft was bulldozed and buried. The remains of the aircraft are now under a large building constructed in the late 1940s, early 50s in Oklahoma City.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13035538
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-741825
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39168651
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36449559
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-726994
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Base Air Depot Area (BADA) : 1st Base Air Depot (1 BAD)
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 27 March 1944
- Date: 26 March 1944
- Date: 19 March 1944
- Date: 2 March 1944
- Date: 25 February 1944
Revisions
NB: previous source message should read Dennis Beringer, relative of John Beringer
http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-roller.html
Information provided by Martin Beringer, son of John Beringer
Additional crew members associated with this plane added-
http://www.303rdbg.com/pp-kd-50th.html
Missions added, please see both-
http://www.303rdbg.com/pp-kd-50th.html
and
http://www.303rdbg.com/missions.html
Lee Cunningham 19-Dec-2015. Added nickname, converted dates to military-style signification; made connection to Unit and Place per 303BG records, Gary Moncur, Historian http://www.303rdbg.com/
![First Lieutenant John P. Manning, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, watches Sergeant Stanley Jacobs paint mission markings onto his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24605) nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper". Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 17 Nov 1943.' [stamp] and '293243.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S. BOMBERS RAID NORWAY IN 77 DEGREES OF FROST AND "KNOCK-OUT DROPPER" WINS THE MARATHON: Fortresses and Liberators of the U.S.A.A.F. flew](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378960.jpg.webp?itok=VUCgOKhX)
![A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group return to base following their 50th mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24605) nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper". Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 17 Nov 1943.' [stamp] and '293244.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S. BOMBERS RAID NORWAY IN 77 DEGREES OF FROST AND "KNOCK-OUT DROPPER" WINS THE MARATHON." Fortresses and Liberators of the U.S.A.A.F. flew 500 miles to bomb the molybdenum mines](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378961.jpg.webp?itok=X_LbY2Jj)
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (41-24605) nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper" of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group takes off. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 13 Nov 1943.' [stamp] and '292797.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '"Knock-out Dropper" holds the lead in Flying Fortress bombing marathon. Photo shows:- The Flying Fortress "Knock-out Dropper" taking off from an airfield "somewhere in England". Gai. Noverber 13th 1943 PN. ' Handwritten on rever](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378969.jpg.webp?itok=KiPDkz2v)
![Personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group wave at a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper" before take off. On reverse: Planet News Ltd [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407603.jpg.webp?itok=BQMdS_fP)
![Ground crew of the 303rd Bomb Group inspect a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper", whilst a formation of Fortresses fly overhead. On reverse: Planet News Ltd [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407620.jpg.webp?itok=pAOOSvp3)
![A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group shake hands by the nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24605) nicknamed "Knock-Out Dropper". Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp]](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378866.jpg.webp?itok=lz_vPuB4)
