As promised some pictures of the finished Mustang. Read the build thread here http://www.scale-models.co.uk/community/threads/1-72-italeri-p-51d-mustang.29141/ for the full story of the near-disaster that was this build.
The pilot, Major (later Brigadier General) Grant R. Smith was born in San Francisco in 1920. He was posted to the Pacific in July 1942, serving with the 18th FG at Guadalcanal and completed a combat tour of duty in the P-40. In January 1944 he returned to the US; in April 1944 he was posted to Europe where he completed a combat tour of duty in the P-51 with the 318th FS, 325th FG. He was credited with destroying two Japanese Zeros and one German Bf109 in aerial combat. His aircraf 'Double Nuthin'' is depicted in the model here and was one of the famous 'Checker Tail Clan'.
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Released in 1946, he was recalled to active duty in August 1951. Smith later oversaw procurement and production of the F-105, then transferred to Okinawa, where he commanded the 44th TFS until May 1964 when he became deputy commander of operations of the 18th TFW. From April 1965 to August 1965, he was on a temporary tour of duty in Southeast Asia as director of operations of the 6234th TFW and flew 51 missions over North Vietnam in the F-105.
General Smith was then posted back to the US and held various specialist postings and commands. After graduating from the National War College in December 1969, he completed an F-111 operational training course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. In January 1970 he was transferred to Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England, and assumed duties as commander, 20th TFW. He delivered the first F-111E to US Air Forces in Europe in September 1970.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon.
Brigadier General Grant R. Smith died on 9th May 2001.
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The pilot, Major (later Brigadier General) Grant R. Smith was born in San Francisco in 1920. He was posted to the Pacific in July 1942, serving with the 18th FG at Guadalcanal and completed a combat tour of duty in the P-40. In January 1944 he returned to the US; in April 1944 he was posted to Europe where he completed a combat tour of duty in the P-51 with the 318th FS, 325th FG. He was credited with destroying two Japanese Zeros and one German Bf109 in aerial combat. His aircraf 'Double Nuthin'' is depicted in the model here and was one of the famous 'Checker Tail Clan'.
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Released in 1946, he was recalled to active duty in August 1951. Smith later oversaw procurement and production of the F-105, then transferred to Okinawa, where he commanded the 44th TFS until May 1964 when he became deputy commander of operations of the 18th TFW. From April 1965 to August 1965, he was on a temporary tour of duty in Southeast Asia as director of operations of the 6234th TFW and flew 51 missions over North Vietnam in the F-105.
General Smith was then posted back to the US and held various specialist postings and commands. After graduating from the National War College in December 1969, he completed an F-111 operational training course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. In January 1970 he was transferred to Royal Air Force Station Upper Heyford, England, and assumed duties as commander, 20th TFW. He delivered the first F-111E to US Air Forces in Europe in September 1970.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon.
Brigadier General Grant R. Smith died on 9th May 2001.
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