Serial numbers are not available prior to 1948 due to a fire at Schwinn warehouse. Only way to date it would be pulling a crank(missing) and look for the year that would of been cast on it.
or find some reference that looks like it.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1893_1940/index.html

Schwinn Frame but not a Schwinn fork.
I don't think the fork is bent. I believe Rollfast used to us a fork like that.