Eric Brown talk

[mustpost]

Not too sure if I can do this, but it's non-commercial and should be of interest to this forum.
Mods please delete, advise me by PM if it's not allowed,
cheers
mp

Captain Eric Brown Talk (http://www.scottishglidingcentre.com/eric_brown.htm)

edit;
Delighted to be able to inform one and all - thanks Mods

[JEM60]

I urge any body with an interest in Aviation to go if you can. You will have to travel far and wide to find a better evening than this, speaking from experience of his wonderful talk.

[brokenlink]

Wholeheartedly agree that one of this gentlemens talks are a must! Took some ATC Cadets and staff to see his presentation at North Weald last year during the Vampire Open day. He was absoloutly brilliant, mind like a scapel. I have never seen so many people listening so avidly to one person in years. He covered his test flying and also the work at the end of the war in trying to collect as many examples of Luftwaffe aircraft as possible from Europe. The real stunner was in relating his involvement in liberating one of the concentration camps and his part in capturing one of the top Nazi officials. I will not spoil it for others by saying more. If you can go please do, its an education.

Regards BL.

[treadigraph]

A "must see" from me as well - thanks to PPRuNe Pop's organising Eric as after dinner speaker at the Gat Bash a few years ago. Wonderful speaker and a very nice man too.

[Wander00]

Met Eric Brown at an air show and bought his autobiography. A fantastic pilot and a real gentleman:a pleasure and an honour to meet him and speak with him.

[Flying Lawyer]

I agree with what others have already said. If you get the opportunity to hear Captain Brown give a lecture, don't miss it. He gave GAPAN's annual Cobham Lecture a few years ago and kept the capacity audience of about 240 enthralled for what turned out to be 1½ hours - but no-one noticed time passing.

CO of the Enemy Aircraft Flight at Farnborough at the end of WWII, one of the first British servicemen to enter the Nazi death camps and, fluent in German, involved in the interrogation of Willy Messerschmitt, Kurt Tank, Ernst Heinkel, Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch.
One of the most interesting lectures I've ever heard. Only later did it sink in that the elderly gentleman describing events was relating things he'd seen and done by the age of 26!

First carrier landing of a tricycle undercarriage aircraft, first jet landing on an aircraft carrier, world record for the most carrier landings (2407), world record for the greatest number of different types 487 (basic types only, not including variants.) What a career!

Although he's now 91, Captain Brown remains as sharp as ever. I spent a fascinating afternoon at his home last summer and couldn't resist recording the occasion for my scrap-book.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Aviation/P1000960e500.jpg



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[Double Zero]

I was lucky enough to attend a talk by E.B. a little while ago at the Hawker Association.

I'd think it worth mentioning that as far as I know he's the only allied pilot to fly the Me163 with full rocket power ( others perhaps wisely decided to test the thing just gliding, but Eric realised he'd be unlikely to get an authorised flight, so did it quickly before anyone could say no) !

His landing a Vampire on a floating rubber mat was also something I suspect would have today's Test Pilots reaching for their insurance & pension details !

The only thing which struck me as a little odd was when I asked him why the Hurricane, with it's wide track gear & lower landing speed wasn't used more at sea.

My father was a Leading Air Mechanic on Seafires at Salerno, and even on the medium sized carrier Unicorn, the squadrons were down to 6 aircraft after 2 days, all the casualties being landing accidents as there was no wind, even with the carriers steaming flat out it wasn't sufficient...

Eric replied that the Hurricane couldn't deal with FW190's, maybe but it had a better chance than a tangled heap on the deck...

He's a great guy of course, but a research pilot mainly interested in performance above all else ( ie MR52, I agree a shame & scandal ); I'd have thought after daft ideas like landing on a rubber mat he'd be more interested in V/STOL aircraft, but is quite opposed to them.

Before anyone says it, yes, what do I know compared with such a legendary figure...

As it was the Hawker Association, someone asked him if he was being polite in not mentioning the Typhoon ( obviously not Europhoon ) - his reply was a wry smile !

[microlightgary]

Wholeheartedly agree that one of this gentlemens talks are a must! Took some ATC Cadets and staff to see his presentation at North Weald last year during the Vampire Open day.

Yup, I was there too! An absolute legend and inspiration. Unfortuantely this talk's a bit far from rural Norfolk but I'll be there the next time he's anywhere near this neck of the woods.
Incidentally, I'd recommend that you beg, borrow or steal a copy of Wings on my sleeve too, it makes fascinating reading. I managed to buy a copy from the great man himself, had it signed and managed a piccie too.
If I was half the pilot Winkle Brown was, I'd easily be ten times the pilot I am! :ok:

[Scott Diamond]

What a terrific night this was. Regards to Captain Brown and all the organisers!

Room could have done with an air cooler, though :}

[Brian Abraham]

A shame that talks by such illustrious folk are not available to we far removed as some sort of sound file. What I would give. :{

[Chimbu chuckles]

The next question is did Joe Engle get a Spitfire flight?