Whitney Straight was six years old when his father died in France of influenza during the great epidemic while serving with the United States Army during the First World War.
16 Facts About Whitney Straight
1.
2.
Whitney Straight competed in more Grands Prix than any American until after the Second World War.
3.
Whitney Straight started competing in 1931 with a Brooklands Riley competing at Shelsley Walsh, Southport and Brooklands circuit.
4.
Whitney Straight was offered a works Auto Union drive for 1935, but he refused as he had promised his fiancee Lady Daphne to retire from driving.
5.
Whitney Straight commissioned an advanced light aircraft, the Hendy Heck, and in 1936 he helped develop the Miles Whitney Straight aircraft, the same year he became a naturalised British citizen.
6.
On 18 October 1938, the Whitney Straight Corporation purchased control of Norman Edgar Ltd.
7.
Whitney Straight was sent to Norway in April 1940 to find frozen lakes suitable for use as airfields.
8.
Whitney Straight was seriously wounded during a German bombing raid in Norway.
9.
Whitney Straight was temporarily deaf, because of this he was grounded and appointed personal air assistant ADC to the Prince George, Duke of Kent.
10.
Whitney Straight then became commanding officer of No 242 Squadron RAF, bringing his total to 3 and 1 shared by late July 1941.
11.
Whitney Straight was shot down by flak over France on 31 July 1941 and initially evaded capture.
12.
Whitney Straight was released from the RAF in late 1945, and he became chairman of the Royal Aero Club.
13.
In 1949, Whitney Straight was appointed deputy chairman of the board.
14.
Whitney Straight decided to sue the Russian government for copyright infringement.
15.
Whitney Straight was handsome, normally of a quiet and courteous disposition, Straight nonetheless had one dislike, he hated allusions to his wealth.
16.
Whitney Straight especially resented the way Newspaper sensationalized him as "Boy Millionaire Race Track Idol".