COLD WAR HERO

Air Classics, Mar 2005 by Pahl, Gerard

Smoe had a special place in his heart for Williams AFB and "Willie" had a special place in its heart for Smoe. Though he had passed away, he too continued to serve - through his Shooting Star. His P-80, now designated as an F-80, had been retired too and became a monument to the Acrojets. Though 485152 was not t used in the team's performances, it was Mike's jet for training purposes and after he left the base was used in the "Captivair" program. The restored aircraft was dedicated on 16 September 1987 and stood at attention for years at Williams, continuing to serve and continuing to represent Smoe. The dedication plaque read: "DEDICATED TO THE ACROJETS. JET AGE PIONEERS WHOSE AVIATION PROWESS AND DEDICATION TO COUNTRY EMBODY THE TRUE DAEDALIAN SPIRIT AND SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US. GOODBYE TO COL. MIKE SMOLEN. A SPECIAL FRIEND TO WILLIE FLIGHT, 16 SEPT 1987."

In 1991, Williams AFB closed and the plane came to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on long-term loan where it could continue to serve for a whole new generation of young people.

Somewhere along the way, though, Lt. Smolen's name was painted over from the frame of the jet's canopy where it had originally heen placed in honor of the first Acrojets. There is the possibility that since 1987, the canopy had been broken and in replacing it, Smoe's name was inadvertently left off but, for whatever reason, his name was no longer on the plane.

This past winter, Mrs. Vicki Wilson, Mike's daughter, tracked down the location of her father's P-80 through records at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. She had a burning desire to get her father's name back on the aircraft. Such is not an easy task. However, Wilson was able to supply the Air Zoo with mounds of evidence showing that its Shooting Star was indeed the one flown by her father and should rightly have his name painted on it. Through the efforts of Air Zoo Executive Director Robert Ellis, the Air Force Museum - which owns the aircraft - gave the Museum permission to paint 1st Lt. Smolen's name hack on the plane.

On 2 August 2004 Vicki Wilson, Mike's widow Marian, and other family memhcrs flew to Michigan. Cameras flashed and tears rolled as the ladies took turns returning Smoe's name to its rightful place. After many light passes of the paint can, the stencil was removed - 1st Lt. Michael Smolen and his plane had been re-united.

Vicki inherited her father's artistic gift and presented the Air Zoo with a copy of her tribute to her father and the Acrojcts, a graphite pencil rendering of Mike's F-80 and his team. It is not often that one gets the chance to correct a hit of history, especially one honoring your own father.

The Air Zoo is located in southwest Michigan and has over 80 aircraft in its collection from a replica of the Wright Flyer to the only SR-71R Blackhird in existence. Though known nationally for its impressive collection of WWH aircraft, the Air Zoo has an equally impressive collection of jet aircraft, including Smoe's P-80 Shooting Star. In May 2004, the Air Zoo opened its new museum which features numerous simulators to put its guests in the pilot's seat. The new Air Zoo is located in Portage, Michigan, right across the street from the original Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can visit the Museum's wehsite at www.airzoo.org or you can obtain information hy calling 269-382-6555 or writing the Air Zoo, 6151 Portage Rd., Portage MI49002.