THE Eric Brown List

[Genghis the Engineer]

It can be found in several places - but to put it here, here's the list of types flown by Captain Eric Brown - a great many of them GA types.

None of us come close to being quite the great man that Captain Brown was, but it's a very interesting list by which to compare our own experience...


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 (yes what became Harrier/Sea Harrier)
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




I think that I have 16 out of the 487 on that list. I'm actually rather proud of that slice of shared experience. But it puts my relative experience comfortably into perspective.

If I was to pick one I'd like to add (albeit probably never will), I think it would be the Meteor.

G

[flybymike]

He lived a long time but it seems incredible that any one individual could live long enough to have access to fly so many aircraft.

[WhiskeyPapa]

2 planes

I have two planes he doesn't:
Yak 52 and Wilga!!!
Make that 3: Cessna 182 isn't on the list either.

[India Four Two]

It's a staggering list, including some I've never heard of.

G,

I was doing a mental count as I read the list. I didn't see your total until I came to the end, so I wasn't consciously competing with you.

I've flown 19 of them.

I must re-read my copy of Wings on my Sleeve.

[Planemike]

Obviously a competent, no, make that accomplished rotary pilot as well......!!


What a list..........!!! The shear diversity of it is amazing Taylor Monoplane to a VC10........!!!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Ha! Recounted - match you at 19!

Now here's a whimsical thought. Given that nobody is ever likely to either match his record, nor to ever add some of those types to their logbook - is it an interesting measure of a pilot's experience to ask their "Brown number".

The perfect score of 487 has only ever been achieved by one superlative aviator. Two of us here score 19. No types he hadn't flown count. I'd hazard a guess that a handful of people living are over 100.

There are worse ways to mark somebody's memory

G

[mikehallam]

Depends a bit on one's age and therefore access to some older types - as more recent a/c don't count.

On that basis I have an advantage, but not in hours flown & it's taken me 47 years to pilot ten from his list then only at the very light end. However all done at my expense - no contributions from aviation employment or the RAF, etc. !

I should imagine his achievement is several multiples more than anyone else could match, even if one includes all a/c.

mike hallam.

[modelman]

Biography

Just finished Wings on my Sleeve, his biography,highly recommended. Also worth noting is that for instance he only lists Spitfire,think he few around 16 Marks, sure this applies to a few other types. Must be one of the few pilots ( Allied and Axis) who went out of their way to fly the Me163 Komet,a spectacular but lethal (to the pilot in particular!). Incredible aviator.

[thing]

Interesting that four common as carrots a/c I've flown aren't on there, 152,172, 182 and Arrow. Mind you I suppose he was more of a miltary guy, and I doubt whether anyone will ever achieve that amazing number of aircraft again. He was national treasure. As ACW599 appositely said on the Mil Forum

How nice it would be if society understood the enormous difference between celebrity and attainment.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I should imagine his achievement is several multiples more than anyone else could match, even if one includes all a/c.

The late Darrol Stinton once told me that he'd stopped counting at 150, in the middle of his civilian test flying career. I doubt that Darrol was close to Eric's record - but think that he was probably over halfway.

I can't offhand think of anybody else likely to have come close - maybe some of the old guard ex-military FAA Test Pilots like James Plackis?

G

[Bronx]

Genghis the Engineer

I think that I have 16 out of the 487 on that list.

Since he flew a whole lot of light airplanes as well as the more interesting types that don't mean much.
Many of us, like you, have flown lots of light airplanes in our time.

If I was to pick one I'd like to add (albeit probably never will), I think it would be the Meteor.

Have you ever flown any mil jet solo?

[Genghis the Engineer]

FTE and Flight test observer for trials on the Hunter, Hawk, Jaguar and Tucano, and a fair range of military transports, tankers and helicopters, mission scientist or instrument operator on some large research aircraft. Solo - no, never claimed to. All my PiC time is civil, and at the lightweight end - albeit encompassing a few fairly interesting types, two which were never certified, and half a dozen first flights on new built aeroplanes. Solo test flying a rebuilt Auster Aiglet, which hadn't flown for over a decade, which is on his list.

But, I'd still like to fly the Meteor - it fascinates me as an aeroplane. Getting through the training and doing it PiC would be great, but observer with a competent pilot on type in a T bird would be a pretty fascinating second best. As I don't work for, or with, Martin Baker - the odds of either are sadly about nil, but a man can dream.

Any particular point you were trying to prove there?

G

[Bronx]

A 'No' would have answered my query.


The thread is about types flown as pilot not types flown in as a passenger.
Any particular point you were trying to prove there?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Only that "pilot", "pilot in command", "crew" and "passenger" are four different things.

I've used "crew"; I'm pretty certain that EB used "pilot" - point accepted, if you want to make it. Nobody was mentioning passenger flying that I was aware of.

G

[DaveUnwin]

Fantastically long list, which includes some truly incredible aircraft. Much to my surprise, I seem to have soloed a WWII-era Luftwaffe type that Eric didn't!

[Flying Lawyer]

Genghis

I'm pretty certain that EB used "pilot".

So am I.

- point accepted, if you want to make it.

Why would you want to fudge it?
Why post all that information about things you have done whilst travelling in aircraft being flown by a pilot or two pilots?

I've used crew.

You didn't say that in your originating post when comparing your total with Eric's.
'Crew' is far too wide in the context of this thread.
Many military aircraft have crew other than pilots.
So, for example, do civilian SAR helicopters, police helicopters and EMS aircraft.

I assumed this thread was about types flown as P1 and/or as P2 in aircraft which require two pilots by civil or mil regulations.
ie Where the time is properly loggable as P1 or P2.

I think the reluctance so far of people to post the number of types they have flown is impressive.
They haven't resorted to what is sometimes referred to on PPRuNe as a "willy waving" contest.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Why would I want to fudge it FL? - because I've earned my living in a aircraft aeroplane in capacities other than pilot, and given the nature of the job, training, and reasons, I'm quite proud of that flying.

If anybody cares about my flying experience enough, as pilot (rather than FTE or MS) my score is 8. And I'd still love to have a Meteor in my logbook, in any capacity !

G

[Jetblu]

Well, if that is EB's conclusive list, I have 4 which he didn't have.

Lance II
Saratoga SP
Cessna 310
Cessna 421

[DaveUnwin]

Aren't the Lance and the Saratoga both PA-32s? If they are, that makes them essentially the same. Eric flew about 14 different marks of Spitfire, and from what I've read the early Merlin-powered ones are very different from a Griffon-powered Mk22.
His list just says 'Spitfire'.
Just sayin'.

[Jetblu]

Yes, you're right, they are both PA32's albeit different animals in their flying characteristics, which I'm quite sure is the same for various Spitfire variants.