Sqn Ldr Steve Smith (ex Nimrod)
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Sqn Ldr Steve Smith (ex Nimrod)
After a short battle with cancer, sadly Steve passed away overnight at home in Forres, in the loving care of Glyn & their daughters.
RIP good friend.
RIP good friend.
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Very sad news. Absolutely top chap and pilot leader on 201. Remember propping up the balcony of the Air Commander's house in Gib with him on one particularly memorable weekend.
Bet he still had the pipe in...
RIP Smithy.
Bet he still had the pipe in...
RIP Smithy.
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Very sad news and my sincere condolences. I remember often being in fits of laughter listening to Smithy's somewhat forthright opinions on a wide variety of topics. Last flew with him out of Jacksonville on Rum Punch when he was on the GSU or NSU or whatever we called it that week.
RIP old mate.
RIP old mate.
Steve was a near neighbour of ours and this news has come as a complete shock. We knew he was ill and he was very upbeat about it but we didn't realise just how serious it was. Our sincere condolences to Glyn and the girls at this sad time.
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Very sad news. I will never forget him conducting the choir with his pipe as we sang Bohemian Rhapsody whilst perched on a flaming bar somewhere in Crete circa 1993.
A pleasure to fly with and learn from.
RIP Steve "Bloody" Smith.
A pleasure to fly with and learn from.
RIP Steve "Bloody" Smith.
I knew Steve only from 4FTS days. Too big to fly the Gnat, he and another chap did the course on the Hunter instead. I remember him once asking me about the Hunter T7 intercom system and his exasperation about not being able to find anything about it in the Pilots Notes for the F6....until I asked who he thought he'd be talking to. Then that beaming smile and hearty Yorkshire laugh came out!
I bumped into him again at Leeming a couple of years later when he was on a Jetstream course - it was clear that he'd make a fine ME captain and I'm sure everyone on the Nimrod fleet enjoyed his manner, humour and professionalism....if perhaps not that pipe!
A sad loss. RIP, Steve.
I bumped into him again at Leeming a couple of years later when he was on a Jetstream course - it was clear that he'd make a fine ME captain and I'm sure everyone on the Nimrod fleet enjoyed his manner, humour and professionalism....if perhaps not that pipe!
A sad loss. RIP, Steve.
Last edited by BEagle; 26th Jan 2016 at 07:18.
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Eternal Smiling
Can't think of him without smiling or even laughing out loud...in fact, as I type, I'm recalling him telling us about when they tried to squeeze him into a Gnat - which apparently went well until they tried to, and I quote,"Close t'lid" !!!! One of our all too few true characters who we will all continue to smile about whenever he's talked about - which will be often.
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Very sad news. Both he and Dale, his brother, were/are total characters.
I recall him being extended downwind at Lossie, way out over Spey Bay, and (I believe) forgotten about by a very unsure U/T Air Traffic Director. Up on freq came the familiar Yorkshire tones asking the Director 'Was he to obtain Oceanic Clearance or would Lossie do it?'
Again, sad news.
I recall him being extended downwind at Lossie, way out over Spey Bay, and (I believe) forgotten about by a very unsure U/T Air Traffic Director. Up on freq came the familiar Yorkshire tones asking the Director 'Was he to obtain Oceanic Clearance or would Lossie do it?'
Again, sad news.
Re Steve.....
.....I'd be grateful if you guys have any good dits you could expand on. I intend to gather all the posts on here to give Glyn and daughters Jenny and Katy as a memento of husband and Dad and also for small baby grandson Jack. So that in years to come he too can say "My grandad was top bloke, lots of people said so".
My wife and I went to see him this PM, and I know it's a truism, but he really did look at peace, in comparison with yesterday when his breathing was very laboured.
The funeral director was visiting this PM and when the arrangements are known I'll post them in here.
The Ancient Mariner
My wife and I went to see him this PM, and I know it's a truism, but he really did look at peace, in comparison with yesterday when his breathing was very laboured.
The funeral director was visiting this PM and when the arrangements are known I'll post them in here.
The Ancient Mariner
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Re dits.
He once visited his brother Dale (a farmer 3 miles in the extended centreline of Rwy 34).
He visited at 250' and 230kts, in a Nimrod.
The phones in Leeming Ops rang continually for three days.
Oh Happy Days.
Oh and when he overshot from finals at ??? with a minor technical problem. I understand that Air Traffic put the Crash and Medic crews on full alert. He landing safely after the go around. He revealed to me some months later in the local pub, that he'd dropped his pipe on finals and he thought it may 'bugger up' the movement of the control column.
He once visited his brother Dale (a farmer 3 miles in the extended centreline of Rwy 34).
He visited at 250' and 230kts, in a Nimrod.
The phones in Leeming Ops rang continually for three days.
Oh Happy Days.
Oh and when he overshot from finals at ??? with a minor technical problem. I understand that Air Traffic put the Crash and Medic crews on full alert. He landing safely after the go around. He revealed to me some months later in the local pub, that he'd dropped his pipe on finals and he thought it may 'bugger up' the movement of the control column.
Last edited by taxydual; 16th Sep 2015 at 18:36. Reason: A pipe story
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A true gent! What a great shame he's gone.
Always put young co-pilots (me) at ease on their GSU/NSU check by "raaaaaawght Betty, tell me abaaaaawt the blooooody air conditioning system!!", then hunkered back in his chair, pipe in mouth, and gave you that look....the over the glasses look with no glasses on...
RIP.
Always put young co-pilots (me) at ease on their GSU/NSU check by "raaaaaawght Betty, tell me abaaaaawt the blooooody air conditioning system!!", then hunkered back in his chair, pipe in mouth, and gave you that look....the over the glasses look with no glasses on...
RIP.
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RIP...didn't know him as well as some, but I knew him well enough to know he was a mighty fine, highly regarded bloke.
Last edited by The Old Fat One; 17th Sep 2015 at 06:07.
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What a great bloke
On April 20th 1990 he took the Virginia Airshow by storm and beat the 'Blue Angels'. 120 Sqn those were the days!! A true gent RIP 'Smithy'
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One of the all-time Maritime characters and a great pilot. Always a smile and a humorous story.
When he went for his initial RAF careers office interview he was smoking a pipe prior to being called in. Once called he tapped the tobacco out of the pipe and put it in his jacket breast pocket. Part way through the interview the interviewer pointed out that his jacket was on fire!
The further story was that once back home he took the jacket to his tailor to see if anything could be done and left it with the tailor. On collecting the jacket the breast pocket was repaired but protruding just a little from the rest of the jacket. On asking the tailor about this he was told, 'I've sewn in the lining of an oven glove so this won't happen again!'
RIP Smithy. Raconteur and true gentleman.
When he went for his initial RAF careers office interview he was smoking a pipe prior to being called in. Once called he tapped the tobacco out of the pipe and put it in his jacket breast pocket. Part way through the interview the interviewer pointed out that his jacket was on fire!
The further story was that once back home he took the jacket to his tailor to see if anything could be done and left it with the tailor. On collecting the jacket the breast pocket was repaired but protruding just a little from the rest of the jacket. On asking the tailor about this he was told, 'I've sewn in the lining of an oven glove so this won't happen again!'
RIP Smithy. Raconteur and true gentleman.
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Eh up!
An outstanding and rock solid guy in every way. Known him well for decades and, thankfully, managed to see him for a beer and a bun 3 months ago when I was back in the UK. We knew about his ailment then but he was as stoic and pragmatic as ever about it.
Referring back to Taxydual's post, I may have been in the other seat with Steve when we visited Dale, or he may have visited him more than once of course. I can't remember if he was doing my IRT or I his.
Steve was a larger than life character and calming influence who was always a pleasure to be with whether it was in the air or on the ground both in the RAF and out of it. A great guy and pilot, who was also passionate about his classic cars, he could always be relied upon to give wise counsel and was well respected by all who knew him throughout the ranks from the SAC to AOC.
Just 4 months ago, I was having a beer in Alaska, of all places, with a colleague who was ex-RAAF (Steve did an exchange tour on P3s with the Aussies) and he was trying to recall the name of this Brit he remembered who smoked a pipe. "Smithy", I replied. "Yep, that's him'" came the retort, "bloody good Pom."
It is an unjust world we live in and Steve will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure to be associated with him and our heartfelt condolences go to his wife and family at this sad time. RIP mate.
Referring back to Taxydual's post, I may have been in the other seat with Steve when we visited Dale, or he may have visited him more than once of course. I can't remember if he was doing my IRT or I his.
Steve was a larger than life character and calming influence who was always a pleasure to be with whether it was in the air or on the ground both in the RAF and out of it. A great guy and pilot, who was also passionate about his classic cars, he could always be relied upon to give wise counsel and was well respected by all who knew him throughout the ranks from the SAC to AOC.
Just 4 months ago, I was having a beer in Alaska, of all places, with a colleague who was ex-RAAF (Steve did an exchange tour on P3s with the Aussies) and he was trying to recall the name of this Brit he remembered who smoked a pipe. "Smithy", I replied. "Yep, that's him'" came the retort, "bloody good Pom."
It is an unjust world we live in and Steve will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure to be associated with him and our heartfelt condolences go to his wife and family at this sad time. RIP mate.
I had the pleasure of flying a P3 with Steve a few times. I remember him introducing himself as, 'Smiffy, wiv two f's'. Sad news.
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... the famous story of setting the bin on fire at OASC while being interviewed to join the RAF. While waiting to be called in, became desperate for a puff and lit up only to be summoned for the interview. Pipe in pocket, supposedly extinguished, interview started then paused while the smoke emanating from his jacket pocket was dealt with in the round green filing cabinet, then paused again to put out the paper fire in the bin. "Perfect Mr Smith, you're just the sort of chap we're looking for!" As told by him in between tears and gales of laughter from the rest of us in the bar....
..flying round the circuit doing SCT hoping he'd get intercom and r/t mixed up..
Oops!already been told but worth retelling again and again....
..flying round the circuit doing SCT hoping he'd get intercom and r/t mixed up..
Oops!already been told but worth retelling again and again....
Last edited by thunderbird7; 17th Sep 2015 at 09:28. Reason: Duplication!!