Warbird Information Exchange

Greetings
I am sadden each and every time that I see a Picture of the Swoose in her current state . I ask for a weigh in on this ? from the forum. Will she ever be restored ? or is she destine to be a hanger queen ? Is the Museum even interested in restoring her ?

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Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

Lookie Capt Jim! Wham! Wham! ...............................Termights

This has been a topic of conversation here on the WIX many times over the years. The answer is it will not be restored until a new restoration shop is built alongside NASM/Udvar Hazy in Virginia. That I understand is many, many years away.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I'm sure it will be restored....long after the Japanese sub-launched float plane and a host of others are done and hung in the annex.
(by then I wonder if' they'll have room or it on display or just disassemble it and put it back into storage for another 60 years? )

Too bad all the WWII vets, the generation that designed and built it (and possibly us as well) won't be around to see it.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I have a bad taste in my mouth from the Swoose issue. The NASM has that very historic B-17 in storage, and another G model fort as well, but actually asked the NMUSAF for the Shoo Shoo Baby when they thought we were going to get rid of it once the Belle was complete. When the Gen. told them the plans to keep both, and his thoughts on them rebuilding the Swoose, there was no reply. If they were able to restore the Enola Gay in their current place, then the Swoose should not have to wait.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Well look on the bright side...at least they're stored indoors and out of the elements.

I'm definately no expert but would assume there are numerous different criteria requirements they consider when selecting the next treasure for restoration (available space, available parts, history of the plane, popularity and interest, etc.)

I for one would love to see the Horton HO 229 flying wing and the B-26 "Flak Bait" fully restored. I'm sure it will happen...when I have many more gray hairs on my head.

John

I think the people at NASM take the "long view", and don't feel any rush to restore all their artifacts at once. That's OK with me, but I agree that the Japanese floatplane was an odd choice.

I took these pictures at Silver Hill in 1980. I think they were moving her to a different warehouse.

I would like to see it restored too, but I will disagree on the floatplane comment. How many B-17s are there in the world and how many Japanese float planes are there? No contest, IMO.

There is only one early straight tailed B-17 in existence and that is the Swoose. I personally would like to see it restored sometime in my lifetime or even just assembled.

No doubt, but for the general public, there are still plenty of B-17s.

YUP! Me also.

I agree that this particular B-17 is unique and in a class by itself. You cannot really group it with the B-17E/F/G's.

Restore the "Swoose" ASAP!
At the going rate, Frank Kurtz' daughter, actress Swoosie Kurtz, will be dead and buried before the plane she was named after gets restored!!!!
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Well I am a big fan of the Swoose, but have to disagree with the restore it now crowd.

The plane remains at least in the configuration of its 1945 overhaul.

What configuration should it be restored in?

Personally to me the plane should be as it was at the beginning of 1942, Combat modified, and in that color scheme. When I met some NASM people at Reno a year or two ago, their thing was to "restore" it to a factory fresh standard. To me that would be an irrevocable tragedy, and would remove one of the few artifacts from a difficult time in the war forever.

Lets wait until the NASM sees the history of the plane in a different and more nationally relevant viewpoint.

In my opinion the aircraft is in rough shape. That is not what it looked like at the end of it's career. I agree with preserving it's history, but clean it up and put it together and on display. Same goes with "Flack Bait".

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

The reason the floatplane was done was it was a donation from a model company, same reason as the P-61 was put on display, it took money from a outside source.

Now if Boeing will kick in the $ to get the Swoose restored, I just don't want them flying it unless someone else checks the fuel.