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Herbert S. Brownstein
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The Swoose : Odyssey of a B-17 Hardcover – April 17, 1993

by Herbert S. Brownstein (Author)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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The story of a famous Flying Fortress, The Swoose recounts the history of the oldest surviving B-17 aircraft not only to have flown in combat during World War II but also to have fought from the very first day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It continued to fly as General George Brett's command ship in Australia and Central and South America until the end of the war and afterward. Like its namesake from a popular l94Os song ("Alexander the Swoose, Half Swan-Half Goose"), the Swoose was a hybrid, with a tail structure, rudder, and elevators from another aircraft and, later, with wings, wheels, and brakes from still other B-17s.
Herbert S. Brownstein highlights the Swoose's pioneering flights across the Pacific from the United States, its round-trip flight between Australia and Hawaii that broke speed records, and its celebrity passengers, including Lyndon B. Johnson, General George Brett, and Lowell Thomas. The Swoose recalls the dark days shortly after Pearl Harbor, when a handful of men in their early-model B-17s fought vainly to halt the advance of the invading Japanese forces in the "backyard war" in the Philippines. During the first forty-four days of the war, the Swoose and its counterparts in the 19th Bombardment Group shot down fifty fighters and sank or damaged sixty ships.
Drawing on historic photographs and firsthand accounts of pilots, crew members, and passengers, Brownstein chronologically follows the Swoose from its maiden flight in April 1941 to its last, almost thirteen years later, on December 5, 1953, and then to its permanent home in the collection of the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Smithsonian
  4. Publication date
    April 17, 1993
  5. Dimensions
    6.75 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1560981962
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1560981961
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Smithsonian; First Edition (April 17, 1993)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1560981962
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1560981961
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.21 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

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Herbert S. Brownstein

Herbert S. Brownstein

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
6 global ratings
Didn't know how else to get in touch with you. I hope someone will see and relate this to you.
5 out of 5 stars
Didn't know how else to get in touch with you. I hope someone will see and relate this to you.
Forgot many years to let you know I am a ham as well.Hope all is well.W3RKIRichard Isaacs
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Top reviews from the United States

Donald Burleson
5.0 out of 5 stars An important book about an important aircraft!
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2010
Verified Purchase
Growing-up watching "Twelve O'clock High" on TV in the 1960's (and because my Dad flew over 50 combat missions in B-17's), I've come to think that the B-17 is one of the most amazing aircraft ever built.

This book documents the history of the US Air Corp in the desperate days following Pearl Harbor and the horrendous damage to the Air Corp at Clark Field in the Philippines.

The story about corrupt coward turned general Douglas MacArthur ("Dugout Doug") dissing the Swoose is alone worth the price of this book . . .

The Swoose is one of the most famous aircraft of WWII has been moved from the Smithsonian to a permanent hone at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright Patterson in Dayton Ohio.
3 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, amazing people
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
Great story, amazing people, would be and interesting movie. Hopefully in my lifetime they will finish restoring the Swoose an I'll get to see it.
One person found this helpful
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Jim John
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2016
Verified Purchase
Awesome book! Well written history of a significant B-17.
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Jersey Kid
4.0 out of 5 stars The only fault is the need for an updated edition.
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016
The story of the only US combat aircraft to remain in use for the entirety of WW2. This early model B-17 was accepted into service in early 1941. From the photos in the book, you can see just how early: no power gun turrets and no tail gun position at all. In fact, the aircraft loloks more like an airliner - ironic because it finished the war as a transport!

Author Brownstein makes a very smart move in telling the story of this aircraft. He sets a basic standard for information given and adheres to it even when it's obvious more data are available. His baseline was a synthesis of personal; accounts, flight logs and after the fact reconstructions of r3ecords lost during the evacuation of the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies in 1941/42. Doing this allows a structured story to be told that holds the reader's interest all the way to the end. Unfortunately, that end is 1993 and this fact - the lack of an update - is the only fault I have with the book. This is because using the word Odyssey in the title is incredibly apt. The aircraft nicknamed The Swoose is a composite of at least three different B-17s and a couple of very extensive overhauls/modifications. After serving as a bomber on combat missions, the aircraft was converted into an executive transport for senior officers. This work, along with a post-war labor of love to save the aircraft from scrapping is as much part of its story as the missions flown.

The book as it is has a happy ending with the plane safe in storage at Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum awaiting restoration. It's the 1993 to present period that I wish could be addressed in an updat5ed edition by author Herbert Brownstein. The Swoose is no longer at The Smithsonian. It is now at The National Museum of the US Air Force where a battle of sorts is under way over which aircraft - the bomber or transport - should be the model for restoration.

In addition to the story and excellent photographs, the author has included several appendices listing missions and crew and an excellent write up on the markings and colors.
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Richard K. Isaacs
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't know how else to get in touch with you. I hope someone will see and relate this to you.
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2019
Forgot many years to let you know I am a ham as well.
Hope all is well.
W3RKI
Richard Isaacs
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Richard K. Isaacs
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't know how else to get in touch with you. I hope someone will see and relate this to you.
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2019
Forgot many years to let you know I am a ham as well.
Hope all is well.
W3RKI
Richard Isaacs
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Robert T. Hubbard
4.0 out of 5 stars The Swoose is truly an amazing aircraft
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2000
This is the very interesting story of the only aircraft to fly from the beginning to the end of the Second World War and is still in existance. It is also the only early model B-17 still in existance, it is currently in storage at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Garber Facility.
I didn't expect much when I first picked up this book because I knew that the Swoose didn't fly combat for very long, but was surprised to find how interesting of a history it had after becoming a transport plane. And the story didn't become any less interesting after the war ended. It is truly amazing that this aircraft survived the first several months of the war much less the post war era. This book is a must read for any B-17 enthusiast.
5 people found this helpful
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