25 January] 1917 – 7 August 1987) was a fighter pilot and flying ace of the Soviet Air Forces during the Second World War.

From February to March 1940 he participated in the Winter War as a senior pilot flying the I-153 in the 153rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.

[2][3][4] By the time Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Smirnov had been promoted to the position of flight commander in the 153rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.

On 23 July 1942 Smirnov and five others flew a mission to protect Soviet troops in the Semiluksky district of Voronezh from German bombing attacks.

During the mission he shot down a Ju 88 and Bf 109, but was subsequently shot down; he was badly burned from the fire inside his plane, but after he parachuted out personnel from the 27th Tank Brigade rescued him; people from the brigade had also witnessed the shootdowns of the enemy planes and captured a German pilot.

[2][5] He was first nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 6 August 1943 for flying 297 sorties and gaining 13 solo aerial victories; he was a deputy squadron commander at the time.

[6] On 5 September 1944 he was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union again for flying 296 sorties and gaining 31 solo victories.

[6][8][9] Smirnov remained as the deputy commander of the 28th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment until March 1947; he then entered training at the Lipetsk Senior Officers Flight Tactical Courses, which he graduated from in November that year.