Episode Details

Guest: Flight Lieutenant Douglas Stanley Peche Smith, DFC (NZ41948)

Host: Dave Homewood

Duration: 54 minutes, 20 seconds

Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 97 year old WWII veteran pilot Flight Lieutenant Doug Smith, DFC, about his vivid and colourful memories from his flying days.

Doug, who now lives in Orewa, tells of his background, joining the RNZAF and training, and then his service in England flying Bristol Blenheims and Douglas Bostons with No. 88 Squadron, his conversion to Vickers Wellingtons and then to Avro Lancasters, and his tour of operations with No. 207 Squadron RAF.

He also flew Avro Yorks with the RAF after WWII, then came home to New Zealand and joined National Airways Corporation. With NAC he flew Douglas DC-3’s, Vickers Viscounts, Fokker Friendships and finally Boeing 737’s.

Doug Smith DFC

By the way the small music clip comes from Danosongs and is called Magic Ghost