Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Search Results

Collections Search Center
1 documents - page 1 of 1

John Earl Smerdon, Jr. Papers

Creator:
Smerdon, John Earl, Jr.  Search this
Extent:
0.28 Cubic feet ((2 containers))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Logbooks
Date:
bulk 1945-1963
Scope and Contents:
EThis collection consists of papers relating to John Earl Smerdon, Jr.'s military career including log books, pilot's licenses, photographs, correspondence, military records, and newsclippings. The log books cover the years of 1945-1963. The photographs are almost exclusively black and white and range in size from 3.5 by 2.5 inches up to 8 by 10 inches. The photographs include various views of Smerdon in uniform as well as in the cockpits of various aircraft including the North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury; North American SNJ Texan; Curtiss SB2C Helldiver; Vought (RF-8A) F8U-1P Crusader; Douglas A3D (A-3) Skywarrior (photograph also includes McDonnell F3H-2N (F-3C) Demon, Douglas F4D (F-6) Skyray, North American FJ-4 (F-1E) Fury, Grumman F11F-1 (F-11A) Tiger, and Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk); and the Douglas AD-5N (A-1G) Skyraider.
Biographical / Historical:
John Earl Smerdon, Jr. (1925-2000) was a naval aviator and test pilot who flew numerous aircraft, including the National Air and Space Museum's Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (BuNo 83479). Smerdon enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943 at the age of 17. In 1946, Smerdon was designated as a naval aviator. Smerdon served with the reserves until being transferred to the Regular Navy at the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade) in March 1949. Smerdon later served as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Smerdon retired from the Navy in 1963 as a Commander. During Smerdon's service with the U.S. Navy he flew numerous aircraft including the Stearman (1927) N2S-3 Kaydet (Model B75N1); North American SNJ Texan; Douglas SBD Dauntless; Curtiss SB2C Helldiver; Beech SNB-2C, SNB-3, and SNB-4 Navigator; Douglas R4D Skytrain; Douglas AD (A-1, BT2D) Skyraider; Grumman F6F Hellcat; Vought F4U Corsair; Boeing 767 Tanker Transport (KC-767); North American T-28 Trojan; Grumman S-2 (S2F) Tracker; Martin (Glenn L.) P5M (P-5) Marlin; Douglas F3D (F-10) Skyknight; Grumman TF-1 (C-1A) Trader; Lockheed P2V (P-2) Neptune; Douglas R5D Skymaster; Douglas A3D (A-3) Skywarrior; Martin (Glenn L.) P4M Mercator; McDonnell F2H (F2D, F-2) Banshee; Lockheed WV Super Constellation; Vought F7U Cutlass; Grumman F11F (F-11) Tiger; Grumman F9F Panther (Straight-Wing); Fairchild R4Q-2 (C-119F) Packet; Vought F-8 (F8U) Crusader; Grumman UF-1 (HU-16C) Albatross; Lockheed TV-2 (TO-2, T-33B) Shooting Star; Lockheed T2V Seastar; North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury; Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk; Beech TC-45J Expeditor; and the Piper UO-1 (U-11A).
Provenance:
David Smerdon, Gift, 2013
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Naval aviation  Search this
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Family  Search this
North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury  Search this
Douglas A3D-1 (A-3A) Skywarrior  Search this
Douglas AD-4NA (A-1D) Skyraider  Search this
Vought (RF-8A) F8U-1P Crusader  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Logbooks
Citation:
John Earl Smerdon, Jr. Papers, Accession 2013-0035, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2013.0035
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2f6b1137d-f4a6-4741-89d5-41a88ad077e5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2013-0035

Modify Your Search







or


Narrow By
  • Finding aids
  • Archival materials
  • Collection descriptions
  • Logbooks
  • Photographs
  • Archival materials
  • Collection descriptions
  • Logbooks
  • Photographs
  • Aeronautics
  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Family
  • Douglas A3D-1 (A-3A) Skywarrior
  • Douglas AD-4NA (A-1D) Skyraider
  • Naval aviation
  • North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury
  • Vought (RF-8A) F8U-1P Crusader
  • Aeronautics
  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Family
  • Douglas A3D-1 (A-3A) Skywarrior
  • Douglas AD-4NA (A-1D) Skyraider
  • Naval aviation
  • North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury
  • Vought (RF-8A) F8U-1P Crusader
  • Smerdon, John Earl, Jr.
  • National Air and Space Museum Archives