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Armistead B Smith Jr - Pilot Profile - Armistead Smith

Armistead B Smith Jr

Victories : 10.5
-----------------------------
Country : US
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Allied
Died : July 2006

Armistead Burwell Smith Jr. was born March 15, 1921, in Gastonia, North Carolina. He left the University of North Carolina after two years to join the Navy and was commissioned as an ensign in February 1942. In November 1942 in North Africa, he flew an F4F Wildcat off the carrier USS Ranger. Capt. Chick Smith over the course of the war, shot down 11 enemy aircraft during 87 combat missions. The first seven of the downed planes were during a 15-month period flying off the aircraft carrier Essex. Captain Smith flew F6F Hellcats with 9 squadron known as “the Ace maker” for its high success rate against Zeros. In the battle for Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, Capt. Smith's aircraft was shot down. After landing in the water, he was rescued by a destroyer. During the invasion of the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Capt. Smith operated from the US Carrier USS Randolph shooting down four Japanese aircraft. His decorations include four Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Silver Star, eight Air Medals, two Legions of Merit and a Navy Commendation Medal. After World War II, Capt. Smith commanded two fighter squadrons, a carrier air wing and the seaplane tender Pine Island. From 1967 to 1969, he commanded what was then the Miramar Naval Air Station he would continue in service and finally retire as Commander Fleet Fighter Squadrons in 1972. Sadly He passed away in July 2006

Click here for artwork signed by this Ace!


Latest Allied Aviation Artwork !
A Fairey Albacore of 826 Naval Air Squadron releases its torpedo at the Battle of Cape Matapan, 28th March 1941. With intelligence from deciphered Italian communications aiding them, the British fleet had a distinct advantage from the outset of this battle. However, gaining a torpedo hit on the well protected battleship Vittorio Veneto came at a price - Lt Com Dalyell-Stead and the crew of his Fairey Albacore got close enough to launch their torpedo and damage the battleship, but were killed when their aircraft was brought down by the hail of anti-aircraft fire returned. Ultimately, the battle was a massive British victory with several Italian capital ships sunk, but it was a notable victory for innovation and intelligence, with British ship-borne radar decisive in a night action, and code-breaking by Bletchley Park aiding the British fleet.

Albacore at Cape Matapan by Ivan Berryman.		A prominent aviator in the Battle of the Atlantic, Terry Bulloch flew B-24 Liberators with No.120 Sqn in an anti-submarine role. Already awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down two German aircraft in a No.206 Sqn Lockheed Hudson over Dunkirk, he was awarded a Bar to this when he sunk U-boat U-597 in October 1942. After another attack, this time sinking U-132 and damaging U-89, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and gained a Bar to this on leaving No.120 Sqn at the end of 1942. Bulloch is seen here on 8th July 1943 in Liberator GR Mk.V BZ721 of No.224 Sqn having completed his hat-trick of U-boat kills, this time sinking U-514 in the Bay of Biscay. This type had been modified by RAF Coastal Command to carry rockets, which Bulloch had used to attack the submarine, finishing it off with depth charges. After the war, Bulloch became an airline pilot, crossing the Atlantic on more than 1,000 occasions. He died in 2014.

Tribute to Terry Bulloch by Ivan Berryman.		 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command. These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy. On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck. At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles. The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship. The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape. As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941. Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.		 Painted with the black and white markings of the D-Day invasion, P-51 Mustang 43-24823 B6-S 'Old Crow' is the personal aircraft of 'Bud' Anderson. He flew two tours with the 363rd Fighter Squadron and is credited with 16.25 victories in 116 missions from February to December 1944. After the war he became a test pilot, flying over 100 different aircraft types before retiring in 1972, often speaking at aviation history events ever since. As of the time of writing in 2023, he is 101 years old and has just been promoted to the honorary rank of Brigadier General.

Tribute to Clarence 'Bud' Anderson by Ivan Berryman.

Armistead B Smith Jr

Squadrons for : Armistead B Smith Jr
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Armistead B Smith Jr. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

Flying Squadron 9


Country : US
Yoxford Boys

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of Flying Squadron 9		Flying Squadron 9

Full profile not yet available.
Aircraft for : Armistead B Smith Jr
A list of all aircraft associated with Armistead B Smith Jr. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Hellcat


Click the name above to see prints featuring Hellcat aircraft.

Manufacturer : Grumman
Number Built : 12000

Hellcat

The Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat was to become the US Navys primary carrier borne fighter plane during World War II. Over 12,000 Hellcats were produced, and the Hellcat was credited with 4,947 of the 6,477 kills of enemy planes downed by carrier pilots during the War. The Hellcat had a top speed of 375 MPH, a range of 1,089 miles and was armed with six machine guns. The aircraft was powered by an 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney, air-cooled, radial engine which generated 2,000 horsepower.

Wildcat




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Wildcat

F4F

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