Boeing
B-17D-BO, 40-3097: Better Known as "The Swoose"
The Boeing
B-17E, F and G models were mass produced during WWII and became famous. The earlier B-17C
and D saw limited action with only fair results, but a few individual aircraft put in some very spectacular
performances.
Before December 7, 1941, a mix of 35 B-17Cs and Ds
were sent to the Philippines to reinforce their air
defenses. After the Japanese attack on Hawaii and the Philippines
only half of the fleet of B-17s was airworthy. One of the
B-17Ds, 40-3097, later known as "The Swoose" is the only known
U.S. military airplane to have flown a combat mission on the
first day of the U.S. entry in WWII, and to remain in continuous military flying service throughout the war. 40-3097 was
transferred from Del Monte in the Philippines to Batchelor Field in Australia on December 17, 1941. It was
transferred from Batchelor Field to Malang, Java, on December 30,
1941. 40-3097 was the only B-17 of the 19th Bomb Group to
survive the Java operation.
Combat damages sustained during missions flown against
the Japanese were repaired with parts scavenged from other B-17s that were no longer flyable. The aircraft got its
name from 19th Bomb Group pilot Captain Weldon Smith, after the tail of 40-3091 was grafted onto 40-3097. It was at this
time 40-3097 became "The Swoose" recalling the Kay Kaiser College of Musical Knowledge
tune
of this time "Alexander the Swoose, neither a swan or a goose it was a
swoose."
Lieutenant General George H. Brett, Deputy Commander
of Allied Forces in Australia, lost his personal Convair
LB-30 in a Japanese air raid at Broome, Australia, on March 3,
1942. "The Swoose" became General Brett’s personal
transport. As a command plane, "The Swoose" remained in service long after it might have been scrapped. Even so, the sturdy
ship continued to log an average of 150 hours a month in the
air. General Brett’s pilot was Captain Frank Kurtz, one-time Olympic champion.
General Brett was relieved of his command in the Pacific
(because of his inability to get along with Gen. MacArthur
and his chief of staff Sutherland). Brett’s new assignment
was the Caribbean Defense Command. He took "The Swoose" with him. Flown by Major Frank Kurtz, "The Swoose" departed
Brisbane, Australia, for Washington, D.C., on August 8,
1942, with General Brett and Brigadier General Perrin. The
elapsed time on the flight to Washington, D.C., was 36 hours, a
record time. After a tour of the U.S., it was assigned patrol
duty in the Caribbean. "The Swoose" returned to the U.S. on
November 17, 1944, and went to Kingman, Ariz., for storage. Major Kurtz and his enduring effort to save the aircraft kept
"The Swoose" from the scrap heap at Kingman. "The Swoose"
was flown to Los Angeles in April 1946 to be displayed as a
war memorial. The city of Los Angeles purchased "The Swoose" for $300. Three years passed and no agreement could be
made where to display the aircraft. Los Angeles donated the
plane to the Smithsonian Air Museum. "The Swoose" was
refurbished at March Field, Calif., for the delivery flight. The plane
was flown by Major Kurtz to a USAF storage facility at . . . .
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Boeing B-17D, 40-3097, "TheSwoose"
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