Thorp Air Command - T18.net

The Thorp Community lost a great friend and the world lost a perfect gentleman yesterday. Kenny Knowles has Gone West after tough battle with Cancer. He was 97. He led a very healthy, and active, life. His memorial service will be held in Riverside CA at the Riverside National Cemetery. I'll post those details when I get them.

He truly helped create this terrific community we all enjoy. If only there was a way to identify on a globe all of the T-18s in existence that had parts that Kenny had fabricated. There would be a lot of shining lights in the U.S. as well as other parts of the World.

Tony

Very sad news . I only met the man once and that was a Sedona last year . Glad he could see a flight line of T-18's , including mine which was build with many of Ken's parts .

Respectfully ,

Rich Brazell
NX115RX

I attended the Sedona 2016 fly-in, so I must have met Kenny, however, as a new(er) T-18 fan, I didn't get to know him specifically or well.
A pity. I wonder if N883FF, now N18TE has any of his parts...
T-18 is a great aircraft, however, my T-18 friends are the real wonder.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

That's sad news, Tony. He led a long life, and he left something behind for so many in our community of Thorp builders and owners. Having met him in the 70's, I know that he was a major factor in the building of many, many T-18's for a relatively long period of time. God bless him.

_________________
John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

Flying with Ken's skins for 32+ years. Thanks, amego. RIP.

_________________
Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Proud to be flying one of his birds & proud to have met him.

A true gentleman indeed. I met him once in Porterville back in 2008 or 2009, and again in 2015 at the Sedona (no wind) gathering, when the Ginns put on a great tribute lunch to him.

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Aww man. The greatest generation is leaving us too quickly. What a great humble man. He took me aside last year to talk about Thorp Central. What a great conversation. I never would have guessed he produced 27 to 29 aircraft a year for a long time. Wow! I have his parts in at least two of my birds and I still have some on the shelf!
RIP #1.
Cubes

Hi folks

I am brand new to the forum based in Perth, EGPT in Scotland, I am sorry to learn of Kenny Knowles passing.

I have his aircraft it had been registered as KK77, it’s now G-BYBY, it’s a great aircraft and super fun to fly.

Peter - T18

99KK still going strong

That's great Peter. And I see you're non too far from Old Tom's creation. If I'm there again, I'll definitely try to get in touch. Lang may yer lum reek!

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)