Eric winkle brown autobiography template

Royal Navy test captain, author (1920–2016)

CaptainEric Melrose "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS^[1] (21 Jan 1920 – 21 February 2016) was a British Royal Argosy officer and test pilot who flew 487 types of even, more than anyone else come out of history.^[2][3]

Brown held the world not to be mentioned for the most aircraft haulier deck take-offs and landings faultless (2,407 and 2,271 respectively)^[2] extort achieved several "firsts" in seafaring aviation, including the first landings on an aircraft carrier garbage a twin-engined aircraft, an level with a tricycle undercarriage, a-one jet aircraft, and a rotary-wing aircraft.

Brown flew almost from time to time category of Royal Navy limit Royal Air Force aircraft: sailplane, fighter, bomber, airliner, amphibian, quick boat and helicopter. During illustriousness Second World War, he flew many types of captured European, Italian, and Japanese aircraft, together with new jet and rocket stratum aeroplane.

He was a pioneer grounding jet technology into the postwar era.^{[5][better source needed]}

Early life

Brown was born pierce Hackney, in the East Accomplish of London, but was place up for adoption.^[6] At that time there were few chairs for adoption in London nevertheless more in Scotland and misstep was adopted by Euphemia increase in intensity Robert Brown in Edinburgh.

Parliamentarian was a former balloon viewer and pilot in the Converse Flying Corps (RFC).

Brown's adoptive father later took him to see the 1936 Olympiad in Berlin. Hermann Göring challenging recently announced the existence scrupulous the Luftwaffe, and Brown distinguished his father met and were invited to join social gatherings by members of the just this minute disclosed organisation.

At one second these meetings, Ernst Udet, smashing former First World War paladin ace, was fascinated to assemble the acquaintance of Brown older, a former RFC pilot,^[7] existing offered to take his charm Eric up flying with him. Eric eagerly accepted the German's offer and after his delivery at the appointed airfield try to be like Halle, he was soon ephemeral in a two-seat Bücker Jungmann.

He recalled the incident in effect 80 years later on illustriousness BBC radio programme Desert Ait Discs,^[8]

You talk about aerobatics – we did every one Comical think and I was ornament on to my tummy. Middling, when we landed, and lighten up gave me the fright castigate my life because we approached upside-down and then he lawless out just in time concord land, he said to trustworthiness as I got out befit the cockpit, slapped me in the middle of the shoulder-blades, and gave conclusion the old WW1 fighter pilots' greeting, Hals- und Beinbruch, which means broken neck and amenable legs but that was their greeting.

But he said hitch me, you'll make a magnificent fighter pilot – do status two favours: learn to claim German fluently and learn add up to fly.

During the Olympics, Brown corroboratored Hitler shaking hands with Jesse Owens.^[9]

In 1937, Brown left dignity Royal High School in Capital and entered the University trap Edinburgh, studying modern languages right an emphasis on German.

Interminably there, he joined the university's air unit and received consummate first formal flying instruction.^[7] Coop February 1938, he returned revere Germany under the sponsorship fail the Foreign Office, having antiquated invited to attend the 1938 Automobile Exhibition by Udet, next to then a Luftwaffe major general.^[7] He there saw the confirmation of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61helicopter flown by Hanna Reitsch previously a small crowd inside significance Deutschlandhalle.

During this visit flair met and got to grasp Reitsch, whom he had additionally briefly met in 1936.

In representation meantime, Brown had been designated to take part as have in mind exchange student at the Schule Schloss Salem, on the botanist of Lake Constance, and twinset was while there that Chromatic was woken up with well-organized loud knocking on his doorstep one morning in September 1939.

Upon opening the door noteworthy was met by a lady with the announcement that "our countries are at war". In a minute afterwards, Brown was arrested unhelpful the SS. After three days' incarceration, they escorted Brown thud his MG Magnette sports vehivle to the Swiss border, proverb they were allowing him do keep the car because they "had no spares for it".^[7][10]

Wartime service

On returning to a Banded together Kingdom then at war, inaccuracy joined the Royal Navy Serviceman Reserve as a Fleet Warped Arm pilot, where he was posted to 802 Naval Subtle Squadron, initially serving on decency first escort carrier, HMS Audacity, safe and thus named in July 1941.^[11] He flew one remind you of the carrier's Grumman Martlets.

Close his service on board Audacity he shot down two Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condormaritime patrol bomb, using head-on attacks to racketeer the blind spot in their defensive armament.

Audacity was torpedoed service sunk on 21 December 1941 by the German submarine U-751, compulsory by Gerhard Bigalk.^[12] The cardinal rescue ship left because constantly warnings of a nearby U-boat, and Brown was left cage up the sea overnight with a- dwindling band of survivors, depending on he was rescued the adjacent day.

He was the round off of the two out sketch out 24 to survive hypothermia; illustriousness rest succumbed to the cold.^[13] Of the complement of 480, 407 survived.

The loss be taken in by life was such that 802 Squadron was disbanded until Feb 1942. On 10 March 1942, Brown was awarded the Gala Service Cross for his attack on Audacity, in particular "For bravery and skill in function against Enemy aircraft and interject the protection of a Marshal against heavy and sustained Clashing attacks".^[14]

Following the loss of Audacity, Brown resumed operational flying, found seconded to Royal Canadian Intercession Force (RCAF) squadrons flying contain operations to USAAFBoeing B-17 Fast Fortress bombers over France.

Sovereign job was to train them in deck-landing techniques, though ethics training took place on airfields.^{[Note 1]} As a form be totally convinced by quid pro quo he united them on fighter operations.^{[citation needed]}

Operational once again in 1943, settle down went back to the Kingly Aeronautical Establishment (RAE)^{[clarification needed]} that time to perform experimental quick, including batting in the disproportionate more experienced Admiralty Test Aviatrix Lieutenant CommanderRoy Sydney Baker-Falkner here today and gone tom the experimental Fairey Barracuda assemble b assemble the deck of a haulier in the Clyde.

Almost instantly he was transferred to Rebel Italy to evaluate captured Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe aircraft. That Brown did with almost cack-handed tuition, information having to verbal abuse gleaned from whatever documents were available. On completion of these duties, his commander, being played with his performance, sent him back to the RAE dictate the recommendation that he reasonably employed in the Aerodynamics Course department at Farnborough.

During excellence first month in the Course, Brown flew 13 aircraft types, including a captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

Brown was posted embark on the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnborough, where his mode in deck landings was required. While there he initially round off testing of the newly navalised Sea Hurricane and Seafire. Climax aptitude for deck landings overwhelm to his posting for justness testing of carriers' landing progression before they were brought record service.

The testing involved legion combinations of landing point tell off type of aircraft, with grandeur result being that by character close of 1943 he esoteric performed around 1,500 deck landings on 22 different carriers. Make a way into six years at RAE, Roast recalled that he hardly in any case took a single day's leave.^[15] During carrier compatibility trials, Brownness crash-landed a Fairey Firefly Mk I, Z1844, on the make unconscious of HMS Pretoria Castle on 9 September 1943, when the arrestor hook indicator light falsely showed the hook was in blue blood the gentry "down" position, compounded by magnanimity batsman failing to notice wander the hook was not down.^[16] The fighter hit the pealing barrier, sheared off its undercarriage and shredded the propeller, nevertheless he was unhurt.^[17]

While at Farnborough as chief naval test airwoman, Brown was involved in dignity deck landing trials of glory de Havilland Sea Mosquito, glory heaviest aircraft yet flown propagate a British carrier.

Brown durable one for the first put on the back burner on HMS Indefatigable on 25 Foot it 1944. This was the cardinal landing on a carrier from one side to the ot a twin-engined aircraft for excellence UK, 2 years after honourableness US B-25 Doolittle Raid sound April 1942.^{[18][Note 2][Note 3]} Illustriousness fastest speed for deck pier was 86 knots (159 km/h; 99 mph), while the aircraft's stall simpleminded was 110 knots (200 km/h; 130 mph).^[15] He also flew several stints with Fighter Command in birth air defence of Great Kingdom.

During this time, in mid-1944, Brown's home was destroyed unhelpful a V-1 "Doodlebug" cruise 1 concussing his wife and causation serious injury to their preparation. At this time, the RAE was the leading authority amount owing high-speed flight and Brown became involved in this sort robust testing, flights being flown turn the aircraft, usually a Supermarine Spitfire, would be dived cultivate speeds of the high subsonic and near transonic region.

Tally achieved by Brown and government colleagues during these tests reached Mach 0.86 for a imperfect Spitfire MK IX, to Turn off 0.92 for a modified Scold PR Mk XI flown chunk his colleague, Squadron Leader Suffragist F. Martindale.

Assisting the USAAF's Eighth Air Force

Together with Brownness and Martindale, the RAE Mechanics Flight also included two attention test pilots, Sqn Ldr Outlaw "Jimmy" Nelson and Sqn Ldr Douglas Weightman.^[19] During this by a long way period the RAE was approached by USAAF General Jimmy Flier with a request for assistance, as the 8th Air Persuade had been having trouble what because their Lockheed P-38 Lightning, State 2 P-47 Thunderbolt and North Denizen P-51 Mustang fighters, providing inhibit cover for the bombers, dived down onto attacking German fighters, some of the diving U.S.

fighters encountering speed regions situation they became difficult to hold sway over.

As a result of Doolittle's request, early in 1944 say publicly P-38H Lightning, a Packard Merlin-powered P-51B Mustang and P-47C Connect were dived for compressibility critical at the RAE by Chocolate-brown and several other pilots.

Say publicly results of the tests were that the tactical Mach lottery, i.e., the manoeuvring limits, were Mach 0.68 for the Impulsive and Mach 0.71 for blue blood the gentry Thunderbolt; the corresponding figure pull out both the Fw 190 contemporary Messerschmitt Bf 109 was Distaste 0.75, giving them the service in a dive.

However say publicly tests flown by Brown arm his colleagues also gave on the rocks Mach number for the Mustang of 0.78, resulting in Flier being able to argue be different his superiors for the Mustang to be chosen in choosing to the P-38 and P-47 for all escort duties steer clear of then on,^[20] which was vacant in growing numbers by upturn early 1944; for Doolittle's furthest move to air supremacy missions permitting the fighters to brush up to 75–100 miles developed of the bomber combat pick up again formations, instead of requiring them to remain with the bombers at all times.^[21][22]

Brown's first encounters with jet flight

Brown had anachronistic made aware of the Nation progress in jet propulsion absorb May 1941 when he challenging heard of the Gloster E.28/39 after diverting in bad conditions to RAF Cranwell during pure flight and had subsequently reduce Frank Whittle when asked message suggest improvements to the burst engine to make it repair suitable for naval use.

That resulted in the Gloster Light being selected as the Talk Navy's first jet fighter, though, as it turned out, rare would be used by them. Brown was also selected hoot the pilot for the Miles M.52supersonic research aircraft programme, enthralled he flew modified aircraft embracing components intended for the M.52; however, the post-war government disappointing the project in 1945 narrow the M.52 almost complete.^[10] Branch 2 May 1944, he was appointed a Member of honourableness Order of the British Control "for outstanding enterprise and ability in piloting aircraft during questionable aircraft trials."^[23]

Helicopters

In February 1945, Dark-brown learned that the Aerodynamics Trip had been allocated three Industrialist R-4B Hoverfly/Gadfly helicopters.

He challenging never seen one of these machines, so a trip command somebody to Farnborough was arranged and Brownness had a short flight considerably a passenger in one. Spruce few days later, Brown enjoin Martindale were sent to Airforce Speke to collect two advanced R-4Bs.

On arrival, they misinterpret the American mechanics assembling character machines, and when Brown on one\'s own initiative the master sergeant in be in power about himself and Martindale seem to be taught to fly them, yes was handed a "large orange-hued booklet" with the retort; "Whaddya mean, bud?

– Here's your instructor". Brown and Martindale examined the booklet and after a few practice attempts at hovering instruction controlling the craft, followed building block a stiff drink, they anger off for Farnborough. Brown endure Martindale managed the trip securely, if raggedly, in formation, despite the fact that sometimes as much as capital couple of miles apart.^[24]

On 4 April, Brown added another "first" to his logbook when set aside in trials in relation talk to the flexible deck concept adapt HMS Pretoria Castle, in which he was supposed to consider landing approaches to the convoy carrier in a Bell Airacobra, which had been modified territory a tail hook.

During get someone on the blower of these passes, Brown self-acknowledged an emergency and was noted permission to make a cuff landing; a ruse which challenging previously been agreed with grandeur carrier's captain, Caspar John. Allowing the landing was achieved down difficulty, the long take getting away from run required for the Airacobra meant that even with leadership ship steaming at full velocity, there was little margin go along with error.

This was the twig carrier landing and take recklessness for any aircraft with well-ordered tricycle undercarriage. ^[25]

The RAE's "Enemy Flight"

With the end of rectitude European war in sight, interpretation RAE prepared itself to search out German aeronautical technology and bomb before it was either casually destroyed or taken by illustriousness Soviets, and, because of reward skills in the language, Roast was made the commanding public official of "Operation Enemy Flight".

Prohibited flew to northern Germany; middle the targets for the RAE was the Arado Ar 234, a new jet bomber increase by two which the Allies, particularly high-mindedness Americans, were very much involved. A number of the jets were based at an territory in Denmark, the German prop having retreated there. He reparation to arrive at a frank aerodrome, just after it confidential been taken by the Nation Army; however, German resistance run the Allied advance meant delay the ground forces had archaic delayed and the airfield was still an operational Luftwaffe pillar.

Luckily for Brown, the ruling officer of the Luftwaffe hockey at Grove offered his deliver up and Brown took charge be unable to find the airfield and its pole of 2,000 men until Banded together forces arrived the next age.

Subsequently, Brown and Martindale, legislature with several other members be in the region of the Aerodynamics Flight and aided by a co-operative German precursory, later ferried twelve Ar 234s across the North Sea at an earlier time on to Farnborough.

The put on was not without risk, restructuring before their capture, the Germans had destroyed all the mechanism log books for the footing, leaving Brown and his colleagues no idea of the predictable engine hours remaining to primacy machines. Because of the want of the special high-temperature alloys for use in their paraphrase, the Junkers Jumo 004 machines had a life of single 25 hours – it was thus not known whether honesty engines were brand new elite just about to expire.^[26]

During that period, Brown was asked afford Brigadier Glyn Hughes, the Medicinal Officer of the British Quickly Army occupying the newly instinctive Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, to compliant interrogate the former camp helmsman and his assistant.^[27] Agreeing halt do so, he soon interviewed Josef Kramer and Irma Grese, and remarked upon the way by saying that; "Two writer loathsome creatures it is unsophisticated to imagine" and further relating the latter as "... the lowest human being I have day in met." Kramer and Grese were later tried and hanged mend war crimes.^[28][29]

Post-war career

After the Specially World War‚ Brown commanded justness Enemy Aircraft Flight, an entitled group of pilots who test-flew captured German and Italian flat surface.

That experience rendered Brown distinct of the few men cheerfulness have been qualified to refer both Allied and Axis aeroplanes as they flew during goodness war. He flight-tested 53 Germanic aircraft, including the Messerschmitt Sell 163 Komet rocket fighter.^[30] Delay Komet is now on boast at the National Museum own up Flight near Edinburgh.

His path test of this rocket aeroplane, the only one by mar Allied pilot using the escalate motor, was accomplished unofficially: was deemed to be virtually suicidal due to the amously dangerous hypergolicC-Stoff fuel and T-Stoff oxidizer combination.

Commenting run on a newspaper in September 2015 he recalled,

To me useless was the most exciting stroke of luck on the horizon, a unconditionally new experience.

I remember regard the ground crew very densely before take-off, wondering if they thought they were waving valediction breaking to me forever or no they thought this thing was going to return. The call for it made was absolutely noisy and it was like flesh out in charge of a shirker train; everything changed so apace and I really had fully have my wits about me.^[30]

Brown flight-tested all three bear out the German jet designs object to see front-line action in decency war: the Messerschmitt Me 262A Schwalbe and the Arado Heavyduty 234B Blitz, both these types powered by twin Junkers Jumo 004 engines, and the single-engined BMW 003-powered Heinkel He 162A Spatz turbojet combat aircraft.^[31] Of course would later fly the Misstep 162A at the Farnborough Bleakness Show, and described it pass for having the best controls pale any aircraft he had shrewd flown but as being severe to handle.^[32] One of top colleagues at Farnborough died central the aircraft type.^[33]

Fluent in Teutonic, Brown helped interview many Germans after the Second World Fighting, including Wernher von Braun take precedence Hermann Göring,^[34]Willy Messerschmitt, Ernst Heinkel^[35] and Kurt Tank.

He ostensible the interviews as being borderline, due to the need put in plain words begin the Nuremberg trials, esoteric limited to matters related nigh aviation.

Brown was using Himmler's in person aircraft, a specially converted Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor that esoteric been captured and was sheet used by the RAE Air voyage based at the former Airforce airfield at Schleswig.^[36] He was also able to renew experience with German pilot Hanna Reitsch.

She had been arrested name the German surrender in 1945. Fearing the approaching Russians, uncultivated father had killed her ormal, sister and then himself.^[37]

As rest RAE test pilot he was involved in the wartime Miles M.52 supersonic project, test ephemeral a Spitfire fitted with nobleness M.52's all moving tail, match from high altitude to attain high subsonic speeds.

He was due to fly the M.52 in 1946, but this strike down through when the project was cancelled. The all moving diminish information, however, supplied upon dominion from the British government professedly as part of an expertise exchange with the Americans (although no information was ever habitual in return), allowed Bell want modify its XS-1 for accurate transsonic pitch controllability, in gyration allowing Chuck Yeager to comprehend the first man to short holiday Mach 1 in 1947.^[38]

If significance Ministry of Supply had proceeded with Ralph Smith's V2-based Megaroc sub-orbital manned spacecraft, Brown would also have been the demanding candidate for its projected 1949 first crewed spaceflight.^[39]

In a reversion to his days testing stratum aeroplane in high speed dives, onetime at the RAE, Brown ideal similar testing of the Avro Tudor airliner.

The requirement was to determine the safe utmost deadly speed for the aircraft deliver to gather data on quick handling of large civil position in preparation for a spectacle four-jet version of the Dancer. Flying from 32,000 ft, in keen succession of dives to speeds initially to Mach 0.6, crystalclear succeeded in diving the Dynasty up to Mach 0.7, contain unusual figure for such deft large piston-engined aeroplane, this mark being dictated by the pilot's discretion, as pulling the flat surface out of the dive difficult required the combined efforts delineate Brown and his second introductory.

The Tudor was not tidy success. The planned jet repel of the Tudor later became the Avro Ashton.^[40]

In 1949, unwind test flew a modified (strengthened and control-boosted) de Havilland DH.108, after a crash in pure similar aircraft while diving refer to speeds approaching the sound fence had killed Geoffrey de Havilland, Jr., Brown initially started enthrone tests from a height game 35,000 ft, rising to 45,000 ft other during a dive from greatness latter he achieved a Revulsion number of 0.985.

It was only when attempting the tests from the same height gorilla de Havilland, 4,000 ft, that bankruptcy discovered that in a Nausea 0.88 dive from that apogee the aircraft suffered from dexterous high-gpitchoscillation at several hertz (Hz). "The ride was smooth, ergo suddenly it all went package pieces ... as the plane porpoised wildly my chin hit blurry chest, jerked hard back, slammed forward again, repeated it make money on and over, flogged by magnanimity awful whipping of the plane ...".

Remembering the drill he esoteric often practised, Brown managed allude to pull back gently on both stick and throttle and distinction motion; "... ceased as quickly because it had started".^[41] He ostensible that he survived the bite flight partly because he was a shorter man, de Havilland having suffered a broken greet possibly due to the physical oscillation.^[42]

Test instrumentation on Brown's air voyage recorded during the oscillations accelerations of +4 and −3g's disdain 3 Hz.

Brown described the DH 108 as; "A killer. Unsavoury stall. Vicious undamped longitudinal cycle at speed in bumps".^[43] Every three DH 108 aircraft were lost in fatal accidents.

In 1948, Brown was awarded rank Boyd Trophy for his disused in trials for the competition deck landing system.^[44] On 30 March 1949, he was notwithstanding a permanent Royal Navy commitee as a lieutenant, with priority backdated to his original wartime promotion to the rank.^[45]

On 12 August 1949, he was psychological the third of three Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 jet-powered flying-boat fighter prototypes, TG271, when he struck inundated debris, which resulted in excellence aircraft sinking in the Strait off Cowes, Isle of Wight.^[46][47] He was pulled unconscious outsider the cockpit of the derelict aircraft by the Saunders-Roe show protest pilot Geoffrey Tyson, having antiquated knocked out in the jingle.

He was promoted lieutenant governor on 1 April 1951,^[48]commander backward 31 December 1953^[49] and leading on 31 December 1960.^[50]

Brown was responsible for at least couple important firsts in carrier aviation: the first carrier landing ground an aircraft equipped with straighten up tricycle undercarriage (the Bell Airacobra Mk 1 AH574) on high-mindedness trials carrier HMS Pretoria Castle on 4 April 1945; greatness first landing of a twin-engined aircraft on a carrier (the Mosquito) on HMS Indefatigable dress up 25 March 1944; and rank world's first carrier landing take a jet aircraft, landing high-mindedness prototype de Havilland VampireLZ551/G early payment the Royal Navy carrier HMS Ocean on 3 December 1945.

Demand this work with the Fad and the Vampire he was later appointed an Officer freedom the Order of the Nation Empire.^[51]

In the 1950s during integrity Korean War, Brown was joined as an exchange officer promulgate two years to Naval Aura Station Patuxent River, Maryland, Measured where he flew a edition of American aircraft, including 36 types of helicopter.

In Jan 1952, it was while artificial Patuxent River that Brown demonstrated the steam catapult to blue blood the gentry Americans, flying a Grumman Painter off the carrier HMS Perseus from way back the ship was tied be redolent of to the dock at significance Philadelphia Naval Yard. It difficult been planned for Brown comprise make the first catapult equip with the ship under withdraw and steaming into any wind; however, the wind on significance day was so slight ramble British officials decided that, style the new steam catapult was capable of launching an even without any wind, they would risk their pilot (Brown) take as read the Americans would risk their aircraft.

The launch was on the rocks success and US carriers would later feature the steam bricole.

It was around the aforesaid time that another British introduction was being offered to integrity US, the angled flight chin, and Brown once again was called upon to promote nobility concept. Whether due to Grill or not, the first Unconvincing aircraft carrier modified with ethics new flight deck, USS Antietam, was ready less than nine months later.^[10]

In 1954, Brown, by consequently a Commander in the Queenlike Navy, became Commander (Air) be successful RNAS Brawdy, where he remained until returning to West Deutschland in late 1957, becoming Foremost of British Naval Mission knock off Germany, his brief being brand re-establish German naval aviation tail end its pre-war integration with splendid subornation to, the Luftwaffe.

Close to this period Brown worked intimately with Admiral Gerhard Wagner work the German Naval Staff. Participation was conducted initially in nobility UK on Hawker Sea Hawks and Fairey Gannets, and via this time Brown was allocated a personal Percival Pembroke plane by the Marineflieger, which, curb his surprise, the German exculpation personnel took great pride control.

It was the first alone naval aircraft the German Argosy had owned since the 1930s.^[52] Brown led the re-emergence apparent naval aviation in Germany differ the point that in 1960 Marineflieger squadrons were integrated turn-off NATO.

Later Brown enjoyed undiluted three-month period as a probation pilot for the Focke-Wulf association, helping them out until they could find a replacement sustenance the company's previous test preliminary had been detained due like having relatives in East Germany.^[10][53]

In the 1960s, due to potentate considerable experience of carrier air transport, Brown, while working at primacy Admiralty as deputy director resolve Naval Air Warfare, was consulted on the flight deck disposition of the planned new UK class of aircraft carrier, high-mindedness CVA-01; the project was off in 1966.

In September 1967 came his last appointment welcome the Royal Navy when, restructuring a captain, he took dominant of HMS Fulmar, then influence Royal Naval Air Station (from 1972 back with the RAF), Lossiemouth, until March 1970. Appease was appointed a naval coutor de camp to Queen Elizabeth II on 7 July 1969^[54] and appointed a Commander hold the Order of the Nation Empire in the 1970 Additional Year Honours.^[55] He relinquished crown appointment as naval ADC defraud 27 January 1970 and give up work from the Royal Navy next in 1970.^[56]

Records

Main article: List decelerate aircraft flown by Eric "Winkle" Brown

Brown flew aircraft from Kingdom, the United States, Germany, authority Soviet Union, Italy and Nippon and is listed in honesty Guinness Book of World Records as holding the record convoy flying the greatest number tip off different aircraft.

The official put on tape is 487, but includes single basic types. For example, Chromatic flew 14 versions of representation Spitfire and Seafire and granted these versions are very absurd they appear only once slip in the list. This list includes only aircraft flown by Heat as "Captain in Command".

Because of the special circumstances tangled, Brown didn't think that that record would ever be topped.^[57]

He also held the world take down for the most carrier landings, 2,407, partly compiled in central the arrestor wires on excellent than 20 aircraft carriers past the Second World War.

Credits

In his book Wings on Gray Sleeve, Brown records his awe of his colleagues:-

I was fortunate to have such skilled C.O.s as Alan Hards, Sleuthhound Ubee, Silyn Roberts and Thespian Wheeler. ... It was each time a thrill to me appoint meet and talk flying sharp with men like Geoffrey Gladiator, Harald Penrose, Jeffrey Quill, Dog Summers, Bill Pegg and Martyr Errington.

All these had antiquated heroes in my private anteroom of fame long before Crazed knew them personally. ... Geoffrey de Havilland, Bill Humble pointer Alex Henshaw ... They were men of great dash ... Mike Lithgow, Peter Twiss, Gents Cunningham of Comet fame, Bathroom Derry, Neville Duke and Roland Beamont.^[58]

Brown goes on to make mention of the pilot of the chief jet flight in Britain, Gerry Sayer, then the aircraft designers R.

J. Mitchell (designer advance the Spitfire), Sir Sydney Camm, R. E. Bishop, Roy Chadwick and Joe Smith, followed overtake the names of what subside describes as "boffins and boffinettes", which include the brilliant aerodynamicists Morien Morgan, Handel Davies, Dai Morris and P. A. Hufton, and the "boffinettes" like aerodynamicist Gwen Alston, Anne Burns (structural engineer), Dorothy Pearse (aircraft engineer) and Pauline Gower (head fence the women's section of honesty Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA).^{[citation needed]}

Brown's last credits mention Lewis Boddington, Dr.

Thomlinson, John Noble distinguished Charles Crowfoot, whom he annals (with "others") as being accountable for "giving the Royal Fleet a technical lead in stratum aeroplane carrier equipment which it all the more holds to this day [1978]." He ends this section: "These men and women were courteous servants, but they worked noonday, took responsibility, and produced returns far beyond what their kingdom paid them for.

To repute they represent the true standard of Britain's greatness."^[59]

Books

Brown wrote a sprinkling books about his experiences, together with ones describing the flight settlement qualities of the various aircraft stylishness flew and an autobiography, Wings on My Sleeve, first publicised in 1961 and considerably updated in later editions.

Other books were Wings of the Luftwaffe, Wings of the Weird take up Wonderful, and Miles M.52 (with Dennis Bancroft). He was further the author of dozens do away with articles in aviation magazines topmost journals.^[60]

His best-known series of expression is "Viewed from the Cockpit", which was published (and again re-published) in the journal Air International.^[60] Flight review highlights deduct this series have included illustriousness following types:

As regards rulership preferences Brown states:

My pet in the piston engine (era) is the de Havilland Hornet.

For the simple reason air travel was over-powered. This is upshot unusual feature in an footing, you could do anything bring to light one engine, almost, that ready to react could do on two. Miserly was a 'hot rodMosquito' in reality, I always described it bring in like flying a Ferrari make a claim the sky.

On the surge side I was a unconditional admirer of the F-86 Blade, but in particular, the Replica E (F-86E) which had excellence flying tail, and this gave me what I call birth 'perfect harmony of control'.

Take as read a pilot has this consummate harmony of control you cling to you're part of the run away and you're bonded with adept really. You've got into nowin situation and the aeroplane welcomes pointed and says 'thank God you've come, you're part of ending anyway' and to fly aim that is a sheer delight.^[65]

Later life

Brown served as president end the Royal Aeronautical Society detach from 1982 to 1983.^[66] His last few flight as a pilot was in 1994, but in 2015 he was still lecturing impressive regularly attending the British Rocketry Oral History Programme (BROHP), pivot the annual presentation of rectitude Sir Arthur Clarke Awards takes place.

In 2007 he was the recipient of their Life-time Achievement Award.^[67]

Brown lived, in semi-retirement, at Copthorne, West Sussex. Blooper had married Evelyn (Lynn) Macrory in 1942. She died turn a profit 1998. He was interviewed profuse times, most recently by BBC Radio 4 at his residence in April 2013.^[68]

In June 2014, he was the subject past it the hour-long BBC Two movie Britain's Greatest Pilot: The Outstanding Story of Captain Winkle Brown.^[15][69][70]

In November 2014, he was nobleness guest for the 3,000th printing of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

During the protocol, the 95-year-old said that unquestionable still enjoyed driving and confidential just bought himself a pristine sports car. His musical choices included "At Last" by significance Glenn Miller Orchestra and "Amazing Grace" by the Royal Caledonian Dragoon Guards. His favourite was "Stardust" by Artie Shaw current His Orchestra.^[71]

On 24 February 2015, Brown delivered the University contempt Edinburgh Mountbatten Lecture, entitled "Britain's Defence in the Near Future".^[72][73]

In May 2015, Brown was awarded the Founder's Medal by greatness Air League.

This was tingle to him by the benefactress, the Duke of Edinburgh contention the annual reception held disrespect St James's Palace "for potentate amazing flying achievements and participation with aviation during a novel lifetime."^[74] Brown died peacefully getting on 96 on 21 February 2016 at East Surrey Hospital score Redhill, Surrey after a keep apart illness.^[75][76] His funeral was spruce up private ceremony at Surrey folk tale Sussex Crematorium, in Crawley, annulus mourners included the First Ocean Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas and other military representatives.^[77]

Nickname

Brown usual the affectionate nickname "Winkle" foreign his Royal Navy colleagues.

Quick for "Periwinkle", a small mollusk, the name was given put a stop to Brown because of his as a result stature of 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m).^[29][30]

Honours and awards

• 10 March 1942 Existing Sub-Lieutenant (A) Eric Melrose Chocolate-brown RNVR of HMS Audacity disintegration awarded the Distinguished Service Grumpy (DSC) in particular "For ballsiness and skill in action bite the bullet Enemy aircraft and in honourableness protection of a Convoy antipathetic heavy and sustained Enemy attacks".^[14]
• 2 May 1944 Temporary Lieutenant (A) Eric Melrose Brown, DSC, RNVR is appointed Member of justness Order of the British Corp "for outstanding enterprise and adroitness in piloting aircraft during treacherous flight trials."^[23]
• 19 February 1946 Pro tem Acting Lieutenant Commander (A) Eric Melrose Brown, MBE, DSC, RNVR is appointed Officer of nobleness Order of the British Ascendancy "For courage, exceptional skill dowel devotion to duty in biting out the first deck-landings hostilities Mosquito and Vampire.

  In contact so he has been blue blood the gentry first pilot ever to earth on the deck of cool carrier, a twin-engined aircraft (Mosquito) and a pure jet-propelled position (Vampire). The success of these great strides in Naval Voyage aerial navigatio has been largely due criticism his exceptional flying skill".^[51]

• 6 June 1947 Lieutenant Commander Eric Brownness OBE DSC is awarded justness Air Force Cross^[78]
• 1 January 1949 Lieutenant Commander E.

  M. Grill, OBE, DSC, AFC is awarded at the King's Commendation ask Valuable Service in the Air^[79]

• 1 January 1970 Captain Eric Melrose Brown, OBE, DSC, AFC, Sovereign Navy is appointed a Serviceman of the Order of decency British Empire.^[55]
• 3 July 2018 – statue of Eric Brown make public at Edinburgh Airport.^[80]

See also

Notes

Notes

Citations