heads up, Eric brown on BBC 2
Capt Eric Brown is to be featured in a BBC2 programme on Sunday at 9pm.
Should be WELL worth watching. |
This is a man with extraordinary talents that gave him a unique role during the War and afterwards. His skill as a fighter pilot helped prove the concept of the escort carrier, a key innovation during the struggle in the Atlantic (and he describes one convoy battle in some detail), then his aptitude in landing on a carrier resulted in him instructing other naval pilots who were needed to fight the war, from which he started test flying.
He played a role in solving the problems encountered by wartime aircraft. Following Germany's surrender, his talent for languages (which had earned him a University scholarship before the war) led to him being involved in exploring German technologies, and interviewing captured Nazis such as the commandant of Belsen. Post war he was involved with test flying, squadron flying as a naval pilot, and development work for Fleet Air Arm aircraft and British carrier innovations. He was involved with Cold War work at the MOD, naval attaché to West Germany and finally Command Officer of RNAS Lossiemouth. He holds the word record for the greatest number of aircraft types flown by a single person. |
Originally Posted by WE Branch Fanatic
(Post 8502549)
He holds the word record for the greatest number of aircraft types flown by a single person.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself :) List of aircraft flown by Eric "Winkle" Brown as Pilot in Command The list includes only the main aircraft types, for example, Brown flew fourteen (14) different Marks of Spitfire/Seafire, but only the basic types are listed. Aeronca Grasshopper Aerospatiale Alouette Aerospatiale Ecureuil Aerospatiale Twin Squirrel Agusta 109 Aichi Val Airspeed Ambassador Airspeed Envoy Airspeed Horsa Airspeed Oxford Arado 96B Arado 196A Arado 199 Arado 232B Arado 234B - Blitz Arado 240 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Auster Aiglet Avro Anson Avro Athena Avro Lancaster Avro Lancastrian Avro Lincoln Avro Manchester Avro Shackleton Avro Tudor Avro Tutor Avro York B.A. Swallow BAe 125 BAe 146 BAe Hawk BAC Lightning Baynes Carrier Wing Beagle B.206 Beagle Pup Beech Baron Beech Bonanza Beech Super King Air Beech Traveller Beechcraft Expediter Bell AH-1 Huey Bell 47 Bell 204 Bell 222 Bell Airacobra Bell Airacomet Bell HTL-5 Bell Jet Ranger Bell King Cobra Bell Long Ranger Blackburn Beverley Blackburn Botha Blackburn Buccaneer Blackburn Firebrand Blackburn Firecrest Blackburn Roc Blackburn Shark Blackburn Skua Blohm & Voss 138 Blohm & Voss 141B Blohm & Voss 222 Wiking Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Boeing B-29 Superfortress Boeing Vertol Chinook Boulton Paul Defiant Boulton Paul P.108 Boulton Paul Sea Balliol Brantly B-2 Breguet Alizé Breguet Atlantic Brewster Buffalo Bristol Beaufighter Bristol Beaufort Bristol Blenheim Bristol Bombay Bristol Brigand Bristol Britannia Bristol Buckingham Bristol Bulldog Bristol Freighter Bristol Sycamore Britten-Norman Islander Bücker Bestmann Bücker Jungmann Bücker Jungmeister Bücker Student Cant Z1007 Caproni Ca.309 Caproni Ca.311 Caproni Ca.135 Cessna 150 Cessna Cardinal Cessna Skymaster Cessna Skywagon Chance-Vought Corsair Chance-Vought Cutlass Chilton D.W.1 Chrislea Ace Comper Swift Consolidated Catalina Consolidated Liberator Consolidated Vultee Privateer Convair 240-5 Curtiss Commando Curtiss Helldiver Curtiss Kittyhawk Curtiss Mohawk Curtiss Seamew Curtiss Tomahawk Dassault Étendard Dassault Mirage Dassault Mystère de Havilland 86B de Havilland Beaver de Havilland Chipmunk de Havilland Comet de Havilland Devon de Havilland Don de Havilland Flamingo de Havilland Fox Moth de Havilland Gipsy Moth de Havilland Heron de Havilland Hornet Moth de Havilland Mosquito de Havilland Otter de Havilland Puss Moth de Havilland Rapide de Havilland Sea Hornet de Havilland Sea Mosquito de Havilland Sea Vampire de Havilland Sea Venom de Havilland Sea Vixen de Havilland Swallow de Havilland Tiger Moth de Havilland Vampire Dewoitine 520 DFS 230 DFS Kranich DFS Weihe Dornier 17 Dornier 18 Dornier 24 Dornier 26 Dornier 27 Dornier 217 Dornier 335 - Pfeil Douglas Boston Douglas Dakota Douglas Dauntless Douglas Devastator Douglas Invader Douglas Skymaster Douglas Skyknight Douglas Skyraider Druine Turbulent Elliot Newbury Eon Embraer Bandeirante English Electric Canberra Enstrom F28 Enstrom Shark Erco Ercoupe Fairchild Argus Fairchild Cornell Fairchild XNQ-1 Fairey IIIF Fairey Albacore Fairey Barracuda Fairey Battle Fairey Firefly Fairey Fulmar Fairey Gannet Fairey Gordon Fairey Primer Fairey Spearfish Fairey Swordfish Fiat B.R.20 Fiat C.32 Fiat C.42 Fiat G.50 Fieseler Storch Focke-Wulf 189 - Uhu Focke-Wulf 190 Focke-Wulf 200 - Condor Focke-Wulf 58 Weihe Focke-Wulf Ta.152 Focke-Wulf Ta.154 - Moskito Folland 43/37 Fouga Magister Fournier Milan General Aircraft Cygnet General Aircraft Hamilcar General Aircraft Hotspur General Aircraft L/56 Gloster E.28/39 Gloster Gauntlet Gloster Gladiator Gloster Javelin Gloster Meteor Gloster Sea Meteor Gotha 244 Grumman Ag-Cat Grumman Albatross Grumman Avenger Grumman Bearcat Grumman Cougar Grumman Goose Grumman Guardian Grumman Hellcat Grumman Panther Grumman Tigercat Grumman Widgeon Grumman Wildcat Handley Page Gugnunc Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Hampden Handley Page Hastings Handley Page Hermes Handley Page Marathon Handley Page Sparrow Hawker Fury - biplane Hawker Hart Hawker Hector Hawker Henley Hawker Hunter Hawker Hurricane Hawker Nimrod Hawker Osprey Hawker P.1040 Hawker P.1052 Hawker P.1127 - VTOL Hawker Sea Fury Hawker Sea Hawk Hawker Siddeley 748 Hawker Siddeley Gnat Hawker Tempest Hawker Typhoon Heinkel 111 Heinkel 115 Heinkel 162 - Volksjäger Heinkel 177 - Greif Heinkel 219 - Uhu Henschel 123 Henschel 129 Heston Phoenix Hiller HTE Hitachi T.2 Horten IV Hughes 300 Hughes 500 Hunting Percival Jet Provost Hunting Percival Provost Ilyushin 2 - Shturmovik Ilyushin 4 Jodel Ambassadour Jodel Club Jodel Excellence Jodel Grand Tourisme Jodel Mascaret Jodel Mousqetaire Junkers 52 Junkers 86 Junkers 87 - Stuka Junkers 188 Junkers 290 Junkers 352 Junkers 388 Kamov 26 Kawasaki Tony Klemm 26 Klemm 35D Klemm L25 Klemm L27 Lavochkin 7 Le Vier Cosmic Wind Ling Temco Vought Crusader Lockheed Constellation Lockheed Electra Lockheed Hercules Lockheed Hudson Lockheed Lightning Lockheed Neptune Lockheed Shooting Star Lockheed Starfighter Lockheed Ventura Luton Minor Macchi C.202 Macchi C.205 Martin Baker M.B.5 Martin Baltimore Martin Marauder MBB Bo 105 McDonnell Banshee McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk McDonnell Phantom II Messerschmitt 108 - Taifun Messerschmitt 109 Messerschmitt 110 Messerschmitt 163 - Komet Messerschmitt 262 Messerschmitt 410 - Hornisse MIG-3 MIG-15 Mil-1 Mil-2 Mil-4 Miles 18 Miles 20 Miles 28 Miles 38 Miles 48 Miles Aerovan Miles Falcon Miles Gemini Miles Hawk Miles Hobby Miles Libellula Miles Magister Miles Martinet Miles Master Miles Mentor Miles Mohawk Miles Monarch Miles Monitor Miles Sparrowhawk Mitsubishi Betty Mitsubishi Dinah Mitsubishi Zeke - Zero Mooney M20 Morane-Saulnier 406 Morane-Saulnier Paris Morane-Saulnier Rallye Muntz Youngman-Baynes N.S.F.K. S.G.38 Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank) Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar) Nipper III Noorduyn Norseman Nord 262A Nord Noralpha Nord Pingouin North American Harvard North American Mitchell North American Mustang North American Sabre North American Savage North American Super Sabre North American Texan Northrop Gamma Commercial Northrop Black Widow Northrop F-5 Orlikan Meta Sokol Percival Gull Percival Pembroke Percival Prentice Percival Proctor Percival Q6 Percival Vega Gull Petlyakov PE-2 Piaggio P.136 Piaggio P.166 Piasecki Retriever Piel Emeraude Pilatus Porter Piper Apache Piper Aztec Piper Comanche Piper Cub Piper Cub Special 90 Piper Grasshopper Piper Navajo Piper Pawnee Piper Seneca Piper Supercruiser Piper Tripacer Piper Cherokee Pitts Special Polikarpov I-15 Polikarpov I-16 Portsmouth Aerocar Major Reggiane 2000 Reggiane 2001 Reid & Sigrist Desford Republic Seabee Republic Lancer Republic Thunderbolt Republic Thunderjet Republic Thunderstreak Robin Royale Robinson R-22 Rollason Condor Ryan Fireball Saab 21 Saab 29 Saab 105 Saab Lansen Saab Safir Saunders-Roe P.531 Saunders-Roe Skeeter Saunders-Roe S.R./A.1 Savoia Marchetti SM79 - Sparviero Savoia Marchetti SM82 Savoia Marchetti SM95 Scheibe Motorspatz Schmetz Olympia-Meise Schneider Baby Grunau Scottish Aviation Bulldog Scottish Aviation Pioneer Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Short S.31 Short Sealand Short Skyvan Short Stirling Short Sturgeon SIAI-Marchetti S.F.260 Siebel Si 204 Sikorsky HRS Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly Sikorsky R-6A Hoverfly II Sikorsky S-58T Sikorsky S-61 Sikorsky S-76 Sipa S.903 Slingsby Capstan Slingsby Kirby Cadet Slingsby Motor Tutor Slingsby Prefect Slingsby Swallow Slingsby T.21 Slingsby T.31 Socata Diplomate Stampe et Vertongen SV-4 Stearman Caydet - (sic) Stinson Junior R Stinson Reliant Stinson Sentinel Sud-Aviation Djinn Supermarine Attacker Supermarine S.24/37 DUMBO Supermarine Scimitar Supermarine Sea Otter Supermarine Seafang Supermarine Seafire Supermarine Seagull Supermarine Spiteful Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Walrus SZD Bocian Taylorcraft Auster Taylor J.T.1 Monoplane Taylor J.T.2 Titch Thruxton Jackaroo Tipsy S.2 Tipsy Trainer Tipsy Type B Vertol 107 Vickers Valiant Vickers Vanguard Vickers VC10 Vickers Viking Vickers Viscount Vickers Warwick Vickers Wellington (Wellington VI) Vickers Windsor Vought-Sikorsky Chesapeake Vought-Sikorsky Kingfisher Vultee Vengeance Waco CG-3 Waco Hadrian Westland Aérospatiale Gazelle Westland Aerospatiale Lynx Westland Lysander Westland Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly Westland Sikorsky S-55 Whirlwind Westland Wasp Westland Welkin Westland Wessex Westland Whirlwind Westland Wyvern (Eagle engine) Winter Zaunkönig - Wren Yakovlev-1 Yakovlev-9 Yakovlev-11 Youngman-Baynes High Lift Zlin Akrobat |
That is some record. had the pleasure of meeting him at Duxford, an outstanding gentle man
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Wot no Gazelle? He hasn't lived!
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Westland Aerospatiale Gazelle, 16th from bottom. He HAS lived :)
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Westland? Since when? I remember the garage door handle at my parents house coming off in my hand when I was a boy....if I'd have known that the same manufacturer would play a part in making my aircraft I might have chosen a different career!
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Weeeeeeel!....
.....I thought it was a curiously "unsatisfying" programme with too many whizzy graphics and pregnant pauses and somehow missing the man himself. Hmmmmmm!
The Ancient Mariner |
Very good, and very well done.
If you made up a story of all the things he's done, people would say it was unbelievable. It was built up nicely by the programme I thought. A bit more on the different and more exotic types - and maybe a bit more on the post war test flying - would be good, but everything there deserved its place and was very interesting. Anyone know what his car in Munich was? Amazing times. |
Well made programme,
Some nice historical footage and a nice narrative from the man himself. Having read the book, I think he's definitely a British Flying Hero, despite that dark blue uniform. Smudge := |
I am reminded of the story about Montgomery inspecting troops and stopping in front of a man who had a single ribbon, the Territorial Efficiency Medal. Monty said to him "You are the only man on this parade who has a medal I haven't got!" I have a total of two aircraft in my logbook as PIC - Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 - neither of which figure in Captain Brown's list!
Seriously - fantastically interesting man - he has probably forgotten more about aviation than I will ever know. Respect! |
[quoteAnyone know what his car in Munich was?][/quote]
MG Magnette - according to the book "Wings on my Sleeve". Apart from some camera techniques I'm not fond of, I thought it was a very interesting programme but in an hour, it could only skim over a few of his accomplishments. A true gentleman in my book. Some years back, the flying log books of Stanford-Tuck were made into a facsimile copy and sold by (I believe) the RAF Museum. Now if the logs of Captain Brown were given this treatment, I would happily pay a decent sum for a copy. |
An excellent programme. As ever, I am simply lost in admiration of him.
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What a lovely, modest man. I had no idea what he'd been through prior to this documentary. I just thought he was a guy that had flown a lot of types! There was so much more.
BBC at their best. Thanks for the steer. |
Mega respect. What a life not just flying, but all the other stuff.
Programme only skimmed over the surface. Why no knighthood? I can not think of anyone more worthy. |
Anyone know what his car in Munich was? In the meantime, Brown had been selected to take part as an exchange student at the Salem International College, located on the banks of Lake Constance, and it was while there in Germany that Brown was woken up with a loud knocking on his door one morning in September 1939. Upon opening the door he was met by a woman with the announcement that "our countries are at war". Soon after, Brown was arrested by the SS. Fortunately, they merely escorted Brown in his MG Magnette sports car to the Swiss border, saying they were allowing him to keep the car because they "had no spares for it". |
My only complaint is that this programme just skimmed the surface as there is enough material on this man for a series rather than a one-off.
Come on BBC, commission a series! And come on David Cameron; give this man a Knighthood! |
I enjoyed the Programme. Great respect for the man :D
It did amuse me at the beginning of the Programme when the presenter/narrator referenced the fact that Eric Brown was a Royal Navy Test Pilot ... but then showed on two occasions a picture of him in RAF uniform ... :) This pic in fact ... http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pseb9f0139.png Image Credit : Flyoperativt Forum del 2 This image was also shown on the Programme ... http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...g_2924187b.jpg ... I thought RN Wings were worn on the uniform sleeve :8 |
Coff, he joined the FAA when it was the "Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force", before the Admiralty wrestled it back under their control and put members of the FAA back into the proper coloured uniform.
When wearing Battle Dress, the rank is worn on the shoulders rather than the sleeve, therefore the Wings are worn on the chest as there is no rank for the Wings to sit above on the sleeve. |
heads up, Eric brown on BBC 2
I was expecting interviews from many of his friends and colleagues explaining what a fab bloke he was ..... And yet, there was something sadly missing.
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