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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists Modern Era Pilot Signatures United States D to L  Knight, William |
[UP] - Day, George - DeCarlo, Jeff - Dietz, William - Driscoll, Willie - Ferraro, Jan - Fisher, Bernard - Floyd, Howard - Foster, Hook - Gabreski, Gabby - Gilliland, Robert - Goldfein, Dave - Graham, Richard - Hartmann, Jack - Hearn, Chris - Heller, Edwin - Hunt, Pete - Jerakis, John - Kane, John - Kearns, William - Kittinger, Joe - Knight, William - Lafferty, Daniel - Lane, Mike |
USAF Col William J Pete Knight
Pete Knight was born in NovIesville, Indiana on November 18, 1929. He attended Butler and Purdue Universities, and was commissioned through the Aviation Cadet Program of the USAF in 1952. Following his flight training Pete was assigned to the Air Defense Command as a jet fighter pilot. He won the Allison Jet Trophy at the National Air Show in Dayton in 1954. Pete graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1954 earning a degree in aeronautical engineering. He then transferred to Edwards Air Force Base to attend Experimental Test Pilots School from which he graduated in 1959. He remained at Edwards following graduation as a fighter test pilot. From 1960 - 1963 Pete was involved with the Dyna-Soar program. Following cancellation of that program Pete returned to Edwards and completed Aerospace Research Pilots School. He began work on the X-15 program in 1965. He established the world speed record of 4,520 MPH in the X-15, a record which stands till this day. He earned his astronaut wings on a flight in the X-15 to an altitude of more than 50 miles. He was personally presented the Harmon International Aviators Trophy by President Johnson in 1968, and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988. He served as the Vice Commander of Edwards Air Force Base prior to his retirement from the United States Air Force with the rank of Colonel following thirty-two years of service. Colonel Knight flew more than one hundred different types of aircraft during his career as a test pilot. He also flew 253 combat missions in Vietnam. Following his military career Pete began a career in politics. His first position was as a member of the Palmdale City Council. He then became the first popularly elected Mayor of Palmdale in 1988. From 1992-1996 Pete was an Assemblymen in the California legislature. In 1996 he was elected to the State Senate where he serves on the Senate Education, Revenue and Taxation, Governmental Organization committees. Pete is also Vice-Chairman of the Senates Veterans Affairs Committee. Pete is known throughout his district by his open door policy. He makes a concerted effort to speak with anyone who wants to speak with him. This sense of service has made Senator Knight one of the most popular public figures in the Antelope Valley of California. Pete's numerous military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Medal with ten Oak Leaf Clusters. William Knight passed away on 8th May 2004.
| USAF Col William J Pete Knight - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Faster and Higher by Stan Stokes. In late 1954 requests for proposals went out for a hypersonic aircraft capable of Mach 7 and a ceiling of 50 miles. This was to be the third aircraft in the experimental series (following the X-1 and X-2), and its mission would be to explore the upper ranges of the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. North American won the contract in 1955. The North American X-15 research aircraft, the most successful research aircraft in history, has flown faster and higher than any manned aircraft. Powered by a rocket motor generating 57,000 pounds of thrust by burning a combination of liquid oxygen and anhydrous ammonia, the X-15 was launched from a specially modified B-52 mother ship for each of its flights. Because of the high temperatures which would be encountered in flight, special alloys were incorporated in the design. At extreme altitudes, when in fact the X-15 would technically be in space, the aircraft was controlled by a thruster system using hydrogen peroxide jets. On the aircrafts first non-powered flight on June 8, 1959, North Americans test pilot Scott Crossfield had his hands full trying to land the X-15. Nine days later the X-15 embarked on its first powered flight, and obtained a speed of Mach 2.3. Eventually, Crossfield would take the X-15 to an altitude of 81,200 feet and a speed of Mach 2.97 on November 15, 1960. The aircraft was then turned over to NASA which would put the aircraft through a series of dazzling record-breaking flights over the next few years. NASA test pilot Joe Walker took the X-15 to an altitude of 67 miles, which is 17 miles beyond what is considered to be the outer limits of the Earths atmosphere. This is the highest altitude ever reached by a manned aircraft, not considering the Space Shuttle. One of the X-15s was modified and on October 3, 1967 Major William Pete Knight reached the amazing speed of Mach 6.72. Over nearly a decade of test flights the X-15 was piloted by only twelve men. Included in this exclusive group were Neil Armstrong, and Michael Adams, who was killed in an X-15 accident. William H. Dana was the last pilot to fly the X-15 on its final flight on October 24, 1968. Reaching Mach 5.38 and an altitude of 255,000 feet the flight was successful. After approximately 200 flights, the X-15 program was terminated in late 1968. The information obtained from these flights had numerous benefits to both the American space program, and to the development of high speed fixed wing aircraft. |
| USAF Col William J Pete Knight Aircraft details |
 X-15 | X-15 No profile available |
| USAF Col William J Pete Knight Squadron details |
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