Clayton Knight
|
Clayton Knight OBE |
|
|---|---|
| Born |
March 30, 1891 Rochester, New York |
| Died | July 17, 1969 (aged 78) Danbury, Connecticut |
| Allegiance | American |
| Service/branch | U.S. Army Signal Corps |
| Years of service | 1917–1918 |
| Spouse(s) | Katherine Sturges Dodge |
| Other work | Founder of the Clayton Knight Committee; artist, illustrator, and writer |
Clayton Knight OBE (March 30, 1891 – July 17, 1969) was an American aviator during World War I. He was also an aviation artist and illustrator, and is known for being one of the founders of the Clayton Knight Committee and the illustrator of the comic strip Ace Drummond.
Rochester, New York was Knight's birthplace. He went to school at the Art Institute of Chicago under famous artists, Robert Henri and George Bellows, from 1910 to 1913. In early 1917, Knight's career as an artist in New York City was flourishing.
In 1917, Knight volunteered for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was most interested in becoming an aviator. Along with 150 other American pilots, Knight was shipped off to England for training during 1917. In total, 2,500 pilots-in-training were transported to France and England. This was done to accelerate the pace of training. He started his training with the No.44 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, which was formed in Essex on July 24, 1917. This particular squadron achieved its first triumph on January 28, 1918. Knight also flew with the 206 squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, and subsequently, the Royal Air Force. He served with the British Second Army in France.
On October 5, 1918, Oberleutnant Harald Auffarth fired at Knight's plane causing it to crash. Knight was flying a British Havilland 9 at the time and, although hurt, he survived the crash landing on German territory. By the time the war ended, Knight was a prisoner of war at a German clinic. He was able to recuperate in a British ward.
After his recovery, Knight continued his career as an aviation artist. He exhibited his artwork at Associated American Artists. It is possible that his acquisition of airplane art, which he started acquiring in 1928, may be the most extensive collection of airplane art. Knight became known for his illustrations in aviation books. He also illustrated for The New Yorker.
...
Wikipedia