Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown
12 replies
tigerfish replied on 22/02/2016 09:00
Posted on 22/02/2016 09:00
A truly great man. Not only the finest Royal Navy fleet Air arm Pilot but probably the best Test Pilot we have ever had too.
He flew more different types of aircraft than anyone else including most German types captured after the war. He was our most decorated pilot ever, and was a test Pilot during the important early Jet years and when we were losing test pilots at the rate of nearly one a month.
Remember in those days there were no advanced computers or simulators and the First flight of any new prototype really was a leap into the unknown. In short Eric was one of those men who really did make Great Britain Great.
I can think of no better epitaph than the simple description
Capt Eric "Winkle" Brown - Aviator!
TF
ADP1963 replied on 22/02/2016 10:28
Posted on 22/02/2016 10:28
A truly great man. Not only the finest Royal Navy fleet Air arm Pilot but probably the best Test Pilot we have ever had too.
He flew more different types of aircraft than anyone else including most German types captured after the war. He was our most decorated pilot ever, and was a test Pilot during the important early Jet years and when we were losing test pilots at the rate of nearly one a month.
Remember in those days there were no advanced computers or simulators and the First flight of any new prototype really was a leap into the unknown. In short Eric was one of those men who really did make Great Britain Great.
I can think of no better epitaph than the simple description
Capt Eric "Winkle" Brown - Aviator!
TF
Write your comments here...No doubt there will be a big parade in his honour at RNAS Culdrose, a brilliant man.
Oneputt replied on 22/02/2016 13:11
tigerfish replied on 22/02/2016 15:27
Posted on 22/02/2016 15:27
He actually flew almost every German aircraft captured, and that included about 3 Jets I belive. The ME 262, The Arado 234 and the Heinkle 'Volksjager". He was fluent in German and that probably helped his preparation for such flights.
But his greatest achevements came whilst testing our early Jets like the Supermarine 'Attacker' and the later Sea Hawk. He also helped with the development of shipborne versions of the De Haviland Vampire & Venom.
But despite his fame and the fact that he rapidly became our most decorated flyer, he never became too proud to talk to anyone, he was generally regarded as a true Gentleman.
TF
Oneputt
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