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Robert T Smith - Pilot Profile - Robert Smith

Robert T Smith

No Photo Available

Victories : 8.67
-----------------------------
Country : US
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Allied
Died : 21st August 1995

R T Smith was a flight instructor in the US Army Air Corps when he resigned his commission in July 1941 to join the AVG. Flying first as a wingman and then as a Flight Leader he took part in the great air battles over Rangoon on 23rd and 25th December 1941, and was credited with 8.66 air victories with the Flying Tigers. Recommissioned into the USAAF he flew a further combat tour in P-51s and commanded a squadron of B-52s. After the war he became Vice-President of the Flying Tigers Line in the Far East. Robert T Smith passed away on 21st August 1995.

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.

Robert T Smith

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

American Volunteer Group


Country : US
(AVG) Financially backed by China to defend against Japanese attack, prior to American entering the war. Pilots awarded $500 bounty for each aircraft destroyed.

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American Volunteer Group

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

Mustang




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Manufacturer : North American

Mustang

The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace.

Stratofortress


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Stratofortress

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has played a major role in Americas defense for nearly forty years. In his dramatic painting appropriately entitled B-52s: They Keep On Ticking, aviation artist Stan Stokes depicts an early big-tailed B-52B and a more contemporary B-52G which saw service during Operation Desert Storm. The origins of the development of the B-52 begins way back in the early 1940s. All major aircraft companies were interested in developing the first truly intercontinental bomber. Shortly after WW II the Convair XB-36 and the Northrop XB-35 were developed, and both had intercontinental range. However, neither of these aircraft were capable of penetrating deep into Soviet airspace, and defense planners in the early 1950s presumed that the Soviets would be our prime adversaries for years to come. In 1946 the Air Force issued a requirement for its next generation of strategic bombers. Required was a range of at least 5,000 miles with a minimum 10,000 pound bomb load, a top speed in excess of 450 MPH and an operational ceiling of at least 40,000 feet. Boeing entered this competition with the XB-52 which incorporated six turboprop engines. Part way into prototype development, Boeings designers decided to scrap this design in favor of a swept wing jet powered aircraft. The first XB-52 was rolled out in November of 1951. One major change in the prototype was a complete redesign of the forward fuselage to allow the pilots to sit side-by-side. The B-52B was the first true production model of the Stratofortress. It became operational in 1955 with the Strategic Air Command. On January 16, 1957 SAC demonstrated the amazing capabilities of the B-52 with a non-stop around the world flight covering over 24,000 miles in 45 hours and 19 minutes. The B-52B was phased out in the mid 1960s. The B-52C was the first of these aircraft to be painted gloss white on its entire underside to reflect the heat from nuclear blasts. The C remained in service until 1971. The B-52D saw significant service in Vietnam. Many of these models were modified to carry up to as many as 108 conventional bombs. During a major offensive strike at Hanoi in December 1972 a total of 729 B-52 sorties were flown. Only 15 aircraft were lost, despite the fact that Hanoi was heavily protected with SAMs and anti-aircraft batteries. The B-52G was the first of the short tail models. The manned rear gun turret was removed on these models, and the fuel capacity was significantly increased. The G model was the first of the B-52s to carry cruise missiles, a development which significantly lengthened the useful service life of this aircraft. The B-52G is, like its predecessors, a very large aircraft with a wingspan in excess of 185 feet, and a maximum take off weight of 488,000 pounds. With a range in excess of 7,000 miles and a maximum speed of 634 MPH, the Gs were successfully utilized in the Gulf War, and no doubt will continue to see service for many more years into the future. The B-52 is clearly one of the most unique of all post-WW II military aircraft, and it is interesting to note that it is one of only a very few aircraft designs which is older than most of the pilots who fly it.

Warhawk




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Manufacturer : Curtiss
Production Began : 1938
Retired : 1958
Number Built : 13738

Warhawk

P-40

Everything we obtain for this site is shown on the site, we do not have any more photos, crew lists or further information on any of the ships.

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