Eric "Winkle" Brown Britain's Greatest Pilot

Capt Eric Melrose Brown CBE, DSC, AFC, KCVSA, PhD Hon FRAeS, RN. RIP

Paul

 

A remarkable aviator and one who had to test and hone out new technology for others to fly safely....carrier operations most demanding for any pilot.

A career of distinction in his service to the country....a survivor from a loss at sea..... luck was on his side to be wearing the right life jacket.

 

For those who may have missed the programme or for those who would just like to see it again, tonight - 26 February - BBC2 at 19:00.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045pbq2

 

A great programme about a great man and a great pilot.

Such a shame he wasn't given a great send off on behalf of the nation.

Keith

 

Truly an extraordinary life.

The bit where he talks about Jesse Owens (about 5 mins into the doc): http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b045pbq2/britains-greatest-pilot-the-extraordinary-story-of-captain-winkle-brown

And ref'd here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens

"For some time, Mischner's assertion was not confirmed independently of his own account,[23] and Mischner himself admitted in Mail Online that "All my colleagues are dead, Owens is dead. I thought this was the last chance to set the record straight. I have no idea where the photo is or even if it exists still."

However, in 2014, Eric Brown, British fighter pilot and test pilot, the Fleet Air Arm's most decorated living (sic) pilot,[25]independently stated in a BBC documentary "I actually witnessed Hitler shaking hands with Jesse Owens and congratulating him on what he had achieved."

As well as his being told by Udet "you'll make a good fighter pilot" , "learn to speak German and to learn to fly"...

What amazed me slightly was his rank of Royal Navy Captain (I think I'd have made him an honorary Admiral at the very least ), and his fascinating humbleness in his great life, he didn't have a knighthood, or rise to be a "Lord" - perhaps a "great send off on behalf of the nation" just wasn't what he would have wanted?

Perhaps we'll never know?

All the best,

Rm.

 

Pilot Eric 'Winkle' Brown's medals bought by Navy museum

Pilot Eric 'Winkle' Brown's medals bought by Navy museum - BBC News

 

That's great news

 

I was listening to an interview of Paul Beaver about his new book. He said one time when he was receiving one of his Royal Investitures King George VI said to him, "What, you again?"

 

Indeed. In his James Clayton Lecture paper at:
https://rjwagner49.com/Science/Engineering/Propulsion/whittle.pdf
Sir Frank Whittle gives them little mention: "Flight trials with the W1 began on 14th May 1941. The engine had been cleared for ten hours’ flying, and the programme of flight testing laid down was completed in fourteen days without special incident. The test pilot was the late Flight Lieutenant P.E.G. Sayer."

The realities of the times instilled a 'move on' mindset and this can be difficult to shake off.

"There is no doubt that test flying can be very dangerous. In the 1950s test pilots were being killed at a rate of about one a week ..." says a contributor to the RAF Museum blog at: Test pilots - RAF Museum which made me wonder what test pilot losses were during the War as a whole and of those connected with early jet development in particular.

Some of the wartime test pilots are mentioned in their own threads, including Winkle Brown and:

with others (such as Mutt Summers) elsewhere.

Perhaps time for a Test Pilots thread?

 

Tex Johnston barrel rolling the one of a kind 707 prototype on which Boeing had staked its whole future is one of my favorites. If that had gone wrong there would be no more Boeing company.