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Smith, Paul Richard, Col.
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Contact Info
Home Town Derry, NH
Last Address Manchester NH
Date of Passing Feb 09, 2011
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
MANCHESTER — Col. Paul Richard Smith, 91, of Derry died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, after a period of declining health.
Col. Smith was born Aug. 5, 1919, and was a son of the late James H. and Annie F. (Martin) Smith. He was a graduate of Pinkerton High School, and a lifelong resident of Derry.
He served on active duty with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Col. Smith began flying right after high school, and joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. As a member of the Air Cadets, he received his pilot rating on March 18, 1942. He later served as an instructor pilot in many airfields in Texas including Randolph Air Force Base. He later served as a combat fighter pilot in Europe during 1944 and 45 (P-47s). He was an air cover pilot during many missions in France including the invasion of Normandy. He would later receive the "Croix de Guerre" (Cross of War) from the French Government.
After World War II, he became one of the first U.S. pilots to fly jet fighters. and was in the second training of P-80 pilots. In 1947, he joined the N.H. Air National Guard, eventually becoming commander of the 133rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron.
Col. Smith served as Air Attaché to Gov. Lane Dwinell in the 1950s and later became Chief of Staff of the N.H. Air Guard and commanded the 157th Air Transport Group. During his long and distinguished career, he was among the earliest pilots to be trained for instrument flight. Prior to his retirement in 1977, Col. Smith flew many different aircraft, including the F-51H, F-94B, F-86L, C-97, C-124, C-130 and KC-135 and retired as a Command Pilot having logged more than 14,000 flight hours.
As a testament to his legacy, Col. Smith and his late brother Myron Smith, inspired seven of their immediate family members to become pilots, in military, commercial and private applications. He made his last flight in 2009 at the age of 90, with his grandson Christopher.
Members of the family include his wife of 65 years, Ruth M. (Farrell) Smith of Derry, two sons and their wives, Paul R., Jr. and Jennifer Smith of Hubbardston, Mass., and Maj. Dale C. and Sharon Smith of Rochester, N.H.,; a daughter and her husband, Debra A. and Col. John Ladieu of Newport News, Va.; and four grandchildren, Amy and Sarah Ladieu, Andrea and Christopher Smith.
Calling hours are Sunday, Feb. 13, from 12 to 3 p.m., at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St. Derry, N.H., with a funeral service following immediately after at 3 p.m. A spring interment with military honors is planned for the Cemetery on the Hill in Windham.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The National Kidney Foundation , 30 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.
Aircraft/Missile Information
General characteristics
* Crew: 1 * Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m) * Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m) * Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) * Wing area: 235 ft� (21.83 m�) * Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg) * Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg) * Powerplant: 1� Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,695 hp (1,265 kW) * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163 * Drag area: 3.80 ft� (0.35 m�) * Aspect ratio: 5.83
Performance
* Maximum speed: 437 mph (703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m) * Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h) * Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h) * Range: 1,650 mi (2,755 km) with external tanks * Service ceiling 41,900 ft (12,770 m) * Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s) * Wing loading: 39 lb/ft� (192 kg/m�) * Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg) * Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6 * Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament
* 6 � 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; 400 rounds per gun for the two inboard guns; 270 per outboard gun * 2 hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) * 10 � 5 in (127 mm) rockets
Specifications
* A-36A Apache - Dive bomber (US Army) * F-6 - US Army offshoots model * F-6A - US Army offshoots model * F-6C - Reconnaissance variant * P-51A - More powerful powerplant; 4 x machine guns. * P-51B - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51C - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51D - Classic variant; most produced. * P-51H - Lighter airframe version * P-51K - Featuring an Aeroproducts propeller. * F-51 - Redesignated to "Fighter" in the new jet fighter age. * F-6K - Reconnaissance version of P-51K