Boeing B-17D "The Swoose" Resto Update March 2025 NMUSAF

Описание: 🐦 Boeing B-17D "The Swoose" | Oldest Surviving B-17 | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

The Boeing B-17D "The Swoose" is a one-of-a-kind piece of WWII aviation history—the oldest surviving B-17 Flying Fortress and the only B-17D model in existence. Originally named Ole Betsy, this historic aircraft flew in some of the earliest combat missions after Pearl Harbor, striking Japanese forces in the Philippines before being transformed into a high-speed transport for Lt. Gen. George Brett.

✈️ Key Moments in "The Swoose's" Legendary Service:
✅ April 1941 – Delivered to the 19th Bombardment Group and participated in historic long-range flights from the U.S. to Hawaii and then Hawaii to the Philippines
✅ December 7, 1941 – Flew the first U.S. combat mission in the Philippines just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack
✅ January 11, 1942 – Survived a brutal 35-minute air battle against Japanese fighters over Borneo
✅ Spring 1942 – Converted into a transport aircraft and renamed The Swoose, after a popular song about a half-swan, half-goose
✅ Later service: Transported military leaders, set speed records, and even carried future U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson

🏛 Restoration & Conservation at NMUSAF
After decades in storage, The Swoose was transferred to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in 2008. Now undergoing an extensive 7+ year restoration/conservation project, the goal is to preserve its final transport configuration while maintaining as much original artwork and markings as possible.

🔥 Why This Project Matters:
🔹 The ONLY "straight tail" B-17 on exhibit in the world
🔹 A rare survivor from Pearl Harbor through the end of WWII
🔹 A critical piece of American military aviation history

📍 Visit the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, to see The Swoose restoration in progress! Admission is FREE!

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More Info:
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Vis...