MODS:

Perhaps this thread should be combined with the similar one in the MIL forum?


MJ:ok:

Eric “Winkle” Brown.
 

………or in “Where are they now ?” :confused:

Where is the Book of Remembrance? - and where should we pile all the floral tributes (and teddybears)?

Indeed, quite a few more than 1100.

Rumour has it the USAF tasked a pilot with the sole purpose of beating the record and he lost his bottle at somewhere around 1600 and had to stop.

Many lives packed in to one, Farewell Captain Brown.

Winkle Brown funeral
 

We all need to know when and where his funeral will be so we can attend. Please post any news soonest.

A U.S. Air Force pilot trying to break the record for carrier landings? I would suggest that tale might be somewhat apocryphal. Might fool a Marine though... ;)

I believe VADM Ted Carter over at Boat School holds the U.S. record for carrier landings at just over 2000.

Fair winds and following seas Captain Winkle Brown! :ok:

One might hope that someone with the wherewithal might provide a suitable aerial tribute on that occasion. A Sea Fury would be ideal, or perhaps the Vixen might lay down a boom...that would be fitting tribute indeed.

However that sort of thing is up to the family, not us to decide as appropriate or not.

Reference lack of news coverage of Winkle's passing - his death made the I read his book years ago. The best aviation read possible.


I was particularly impressed with how they would fly aircraft such as Spitfires directly into dirty thunderstorms to see how the aircraft would cope.

Lack of news coverage?
Try putting 'Winkle Brown" into google and searching under news. You'll find about 120 links to news items.

WageslaveWe don't know, but I doubt if those of us who knew him would consider it even a possibility that he would have declined.
He was, entirely justifiably, very proud of his many achievements and was neither shy nor given to inappropriate false modesty.


A life well lived, and a source of fascinating stories, both in public and at home.

When it comes to funeral arrangements I would like to think that the Royal Navy would play a significant part, if the family would like that.

Airbubba,

RADM Carter was an NFO, watched over 2,000 traps from a short remove--the back seat of a Tomcat. Not quite the same as Winkle Brown.

GF

Thanks for the correction! Didn't realize he was a 'FO. I got some bad gouge on the subject from one of those Academy ring knockers and overstated VADM Carter's achievement tremendously.

I still don't believe the one about the Air Force pilot getting 1600 traps before 'he lost his bottle [sic]'. :)

Agreed - 1600 does seem a bit high:p

just jokin':E

also, a massive difference doing carrier landings in a operational, production aircraft like the F-14/F18 etc onto a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier than taking a totally untested aircraft and landing it for the first time on a cobbled together Aircraft Carrier in a time of war.

RIP
 

Doesn't matter how old he was, it's still sad that he has passed away (in response to some earier comments).
Nice tribute here:
Vulcan To The Sky - Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown.

Seems my dad may have met him when he was doing his National Service, on "Lusty" shortly after WW2

Both my father and mother met Winkle when Dad was on exchange with the RAN and went to England in 1956, taking the whole family with him. They met Winkle when both were at the Joint Services Staff College, near Latimer.

Dad always remembered Winkle very fondly, and for many years afterwards told a hilarious story about Winkle's pet dog, which suffered from epileptic fits and the only cure was to pour brandy down the dog's throat.

I was a little too young to meet Winkle myself, which is my loss.

RIP, Eric "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFR, Hon FRAeS, RN.

Twinkle, twinkle.......

RIP Sir, and thank you for your contributions to this band of brothers.

Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Extraordinary Story of Captain Winkle Brown
 

BBC2 (except Wales) HD at 7pm this Friday 26th.
James Holland's documentary "Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Extraordinary Story of Captain Winkle Brown" is being repeated :
BBC Two - Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Extraordinary Story of Captain Winkle Brown
Will probably also be available on iPlayer again.
It can also be found on youtube if you do a search.

A cut down version is on Netlflix USA called "Memories of a WWII Hero: Captain Brown's Story" no James Holland or ‘Hals-und Beinbruch’
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/80021875

James Holland has posted a transcript from an interview which has extra details here and there.
James Holland's Griffon Merlin | Captain Eric ?Winkle? Brown

Eric's Desert Island Discs episode can be listened to here:
BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust has posted a tribute to Eric.
http://www.airsciences.org.uk/Captai...tice_Feb16.pdf

More:
Eric 'Winkle' Brown: Town pays tribute to former Farnborough pilot - Get Hampshire

Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Extraordinary Story of Captain Winkle Brown
Now on iPlayer
BBC iPlayer - Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Extraordinary Story of Captain Winkle Brown