| 26" x 20" | "The Red Knight" Don Connolly Countersigned Edition Size: 850 |
$125.00 (Cdn) |
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"During the period 1958-68 the feature solo performer at many North American air shows was the Red Knight, shown here doing a pass in front of the grandstand at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The "Knight" was actually 17 different pilots, but one of the best remembered is Roy Windover, who was not only the first Red Knight, but also the driving force who conceived and developed this famous airshow demonstration. Later, the "Knight" was based at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. The Canadair-built T33, with its striking red paint job, dazzled the crowds when flown through a flamboyant, high speed, low-level routine. The Knight often shared billing with the Golden Hawks, a combination guaranteed to give audiences a spectacular demonstration of precision flying. Over his ten year career, the Red Knight was actually many different pilots; in fact, 17 in all (three of whom died in unfortunate accidents). One who stands out strongly in memory was Roy Windover, the first to perform. It was he who first conceived the idea and then lobbied the R.C.A.F. 'brass' enthusiastically until he was finally cut loose in his own bright red machine. He campaigned for the idea at a handful of appearances in the summer of 1958 - and the legend was born. In the original painting, a later version of the Knight is shown flashing by the grandstand at the Canadian National Exhibition where he became a standard attraction each year.  And what happened to Roy Windover? Quite a bit! He later rose to the rank of Wing Commander in the RCAF, accumulating many flying hours in the process (he now has almost 18,000). At the same time he became an expert sailplane pilot and later applied these skills to setting a still-standing altitude record in a light plane category, when he soared to over 30,000 feet above Pike's Peak in 1972. Now he is organizing a sailplane sightseeing operation in the Lake Placid region. But that's just for starters. His main pre-occupation these days is the management of his private air force, a fleet of over two dozen crop-dusting aircraft which he owns and operates from his own airport in Eastern Ontario.Roy is now in his early sixties and flying as regularly and as low as he ever wished; and with great enthusiasm. Even the Red Knight might be envious.
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