PropertyValue
rdf:type
rdfs:label
  • Willie McKnight
rdfs:comment
  • William Lidstone "Willie" McKnight DFC & Bar of 242 Squadron was the first Canadian ace and that country's fifth-highest scoring ace of the Second World War. McKnight joined the RAF in early 1939 and served in No. 242 Squadron RAF during the final phase of the Battle of France, covering the Allied retreat from Brittany, and later the Battle of Britain. McKnight's aircraft wore a distinct cartoon of a jackboot kicking Hitler on the port side of the engine cowling. His Hurricane also carried a human skeleton image which held a sickle in its hand under the cockpit, on both sides of the aircraft. McKnight scored 17 victories, as well as two shared and three unconfirmed kills. McKnight was shot down and killed on 12 January 1941 during a fighter sweep over Calais.
owl:sameAs
Unit
dcterms:subject
dbkwik:military/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
serviceyears
  • 1939
Birth Date
  • 1918-11-18
death place
  • English Channel
Nickname
  • "Willie"
Name
  • William "Willie" McKnight
Birth Place
  • Edmonton, Alberta
Awards
death date
  • 1941-01-12
Rank
Allegiance
  • /
Battles
abstract
  • William Lidstone "Willie" McKnight DFC & Bar of 242 Squadron was the first Canadian ace and that country's fifth-highest scoring ace of the Second World War. McKnight joined the RAF in early 1939 and served in No. 242 Squadron RAF during the final phase of the Battle of France, covering the Allied retreat from Brittany, and later the Battle of Britain. McKnight's aircraft wore a distinct cartoon of a jackboot kicking Hitler on the port side of the engine cowling. His Hurricane also carried a human skeleton image which held a sickle in its hand under the cockpit, on both sides of the aircraft. McKnight scored 17 victories, as well as two shared and three unconfirmed kills. McKnight was shot down and killed on 12 January 1941 during a fighter sweep over Calais.