R.I.P Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown

Who died in February at 97...

An extraordinary pilot and an extraordinary life; he was introduced to the joys of aerobatics by none other than the great Ernst Udet....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Brown_(pilot)

Rgds

 

A very good BBC documentary about Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown. RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEe5ul37Q7g

 

What a career he had. I remember a book loaned to me probably over 30 years ago about his experiences test flying the aircraft from various forces during and after WW2. I had forgotten he had a relationship with Udet, another great pilot.

 

His classic books Wings of the Weird & Wonderful, Wings of the Navy and Wings of the Luftwaffe have been reissued in recent years by Crecy Publishing with additional aircraft added. These are all fabulous books.

His autobiography, Wings on my Sleeve, is also a very good read.

 

Interesting that his first operational aircraft was a Grumman F-4F, Wildcat to us, Martlett to the UK. Flown from one of the very small support escort aircraft carriers, that must have been a wild platform for take-offs and landings since they were only 467' long.

 

My uncles first assignment was flying F4F off a Jeep Carrier. I know we had a couple different sizes so don't know if he was assigned to one of the very small ones. I remember his eye rolling talking about landing on it.

He was put into F6F's on a fleet carrier, not sure which but it was hit by a Kamakazi while he was on it. Ended the war on the Bon Homme Richard. I remember my mom telling me he didn't eat meat for a long time after that Kamakazi hit.

 

He was one of the pilots to fly captured ME 262's back to the allies after the war, learning as he went.
This man was a true pilot.

 

He even flew the AR-234 and the Me-163. Brave man.

 

I watched the documentary where he commented on the ME 163.
In effect he said he didn't recommend it in a very understated sort of way but you could tell he felt like he got away with one on that flight.

 

A lot of people did. The act of fueling it alone was very dangerous. Luck all around.

 

Brian- They were mixing all kinds of nasty stuff including hydrazine and peroxide. Pilots worried about having fuel remaining when they did their skid landings. Surprisingly, not as many accidents as you would have expected. Not much was known about transonic aerodynamics back then and a few pilots did experience pretty scary mach tuck from going too fast. They had a least figured out that swept wings delayed a lot of transonic problems.

 

C-stoff/T-stoff.

I watched a video of the refueling procedure.
The two were in separate trucks. Only one truck allowed at the airplane at a time.
Protective gear was substantial.

 

Yea. They lost some people until it got figured out. Wore some elaborate chemical suits.

Wonder where the Farnborough guys got fuel? Maybe brought a few barrels back from the Fatherland?

 

Was very fortunate to have a few minutes of his time late last year at Helitech, he signed a copy of Wings on My Sleeve for me. sharp as ever, a true legend.
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Thanks for that picture....R.I.P.