Wings on My Sleeve: The World's Greatest Test Pilot tells his story

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Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly - first helicopter flown by Brown, learned to fly it from aircraft manual. [76] [77]

Ailes, Emma (23 April 2013). "Captain 'Winkle' Brown: Is he the greatest pilot ever?". BBC News Scotland . Retrieved 24 February 2016.In February 1945, Brown learned that the Aerodynamics Flight had been allocated three Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly/Gadfly helicopters. He had never seen one of these tail-rotor machines, so a trip to Farnborough was arranged and Brown had a short flight as a passenger in one. A few days later, Brown and Martindale were sent to RAF Speke to collect two new R-4Bs. BBC News – Desert Island Discs to feature war veteran on 3,000th show". BBC News. 7 November 2014 . Retrieved 14 November 2014. a b "Guild News" (PDF). Gapan.org. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012 . Retrieved 14 November 2014. Subsequently, Brown and Martindale, along with several other members of the Aerodynamics Flight and assisted by a co-operative German pilot, later ferried twelve Ar 234s across the North Sea and on to Farnborough. The venture was not without risk, as before their capture, the Germans had destroyed all the engine log books for the aircraft, leaving Brown and his colleagues no idea of the expected engine hours remaining to the machines. Because of the scarcity of the special high-temperature alloys for use in their construction, the Junkers Jumo 004 engines had a life of only 25 hours – it was thus not known whether the engines were brand new or just about to expire. [27]

Brown had two favourite aircrafts. When it came to piston-engined planes, Brown favoured the de Havilland Hornet (which he said was “over-powered” and like a “Ferrari in the sky”); when it came to jets, Brown preferred the F-86 Sabre Model E (which had a moving tailplane that helped pilots manoeuvre at very high speeds). 10. Brown flew more aircraft than anyone else in history Paul Beaver knew Eric Brown for nearly 40 years. In fact, Eric initially inspired Paul’s writing career, offering him expert advice on aircraft carriers and naval aviation for Ark Royal, his first book. The collaboration later included Eric’s foreword for Paul’s best-selling Spitfire People. As a well as being author, Paul has been a war reporter, journalist with Jane’s, a Parliamentary advisor and served for 27 years in the Territorial Army rising to the rank of Colonel in the Army Air Corps (V). Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown. Short Extracts from DVD". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 . Retrieved 1 June 2014. He also held the world record for the most carrier landings, 2,407, partly compiled in testing the arrestor wires on more than 20 aircraft carriers during the Second World War.Brown's last credits mention Lewis Boddington, Dr. Thomlinson, John Noble and Charles Crowfoot, whom he records (with "others") as being responsible for "giving the Royal Navy a technical lead in aircraft carrier equipment which it still holds to this day [1978]." He ends this section: "These men and women were civil servants, but they worked hours, took responsibility, and produced results far beyond what their country paid them for. To me they represent the true measure of Britain's greatness." [60] Books [ edit ] Desert Island Discs: Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC . Retrieved 12 September 2020. Greatest pilot" war hero Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown dies aged 97, crawleynews.co.uk; accessed 24 February 2016. On arrival, they found the American mechanics assembling the machines, and when Brown asked the Master Sergeant in charge about himself and Martindale being taught to fly them, he was handed a "large orange-coloured booklet" with the retort; "Whaddya mean, bud? – Here's your instructor". Brown and Martindale examined the booklet and after several practice attempts at hovering and controlling the craft, followed by a stiff drink, they set off for Farnborough. Brown and Martindale managed the trip safely, if raggedly, in formation, although sometimes as much as a couple of miles apart. [25]

a b c d e f g h Pociask, Martin. "Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown: Officer, Gentleman, Test Pilot Extraordinaire" (PDF). The Helicopter Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2019 . Retrieved 24 April 2018. Former BBC space correspondent Reg Turnill interviews Eric Brown in 2008". Planet Labs. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011 . Retrieved 14 November 2014. In 1954, Brown, by then a Commander in the Royal Navy, became Commander (Air) of RNAS Brawdy, where he remained until returning to Germany in late 1957, becoming Chief of British Naval Mission to Germany, his brief being to re-establish German naval aviation after its pre-war integration with and subornation to, the Luftwaffe. During this period Brown worked closely with Admiral Gerhard Wagner of the German Naval Staff. Training was conducted initially in the UK on Hawker Sea Hawks and Fairey Gannets, and during this time Brown was allocated a personal Percival Pembroke aircraft by the Marineflieger, which, to his surprise, the German maintenance personnel took great pride in. It was, in fact, the first exclusively naval aircraft the German Navy had owned since the 1930s. [53] Brown led the re-emergence of naval aviation in Germany to the point that in 1960 Marineflieger squadrons were integrated into NATO.It was partly for his service on board Audacity that Brown was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. 6. He tested experimental Nazi planes Conner, Margaret (2001). Hans Von Ohain: Elegance in Flight. AIAA. pp.140–1. ISBN 978-1-56347-520-7. My favourite in the piston engine (era) is the de Havilland Hornet. For the simple reason it was over-powered. This is an unusual feature in an aircraft, you could do anything on one engine, almost, that you could do on two. It was a ' hot rod Mosquito' really, I always described it as like flying a Ferrari in the sky. He very much believed in keeping our heritage aircraft flying as a record of the courage, endeavour and technological achievements of British naval aviation. “After I am gone, I hope that the aircraft will be well looked after, and that the men who flew them and those who laid down their lives in them will never be forgotten.” He died on 21st February 2016, aged 97. In his book, Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot – our Book of the Month for June 2023 – author Paul Beaver draws on Brown’s own papers and fascinating new research to uncover surprising new information, creating a definitive account of this globally revered, legendary pilot. Here we explore 10 interesting facts about Brown’s extraordinary life and flying career. 1. He was at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, leading to a meeting with a German fighter ace

Legendary test pilot fears new cold war". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 25 February 2015 . Retrieved 24 February 2016. January 1949 Lieutenant Commander E. M. Brown, OBE, DSC, AFC is awarded at the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air [79] Brown, Eric (18 September 2008). Wings on My Sleeve: The World'S Greatest Test Pilot Tells His Story. Orion Publishing Group. pp.204–5. ISBN 978-0-297-85690-0– via Google Books. Effect of the North American P-51 Mustang On the Air War in Europe". www.combatsim.com . Retrieved 18 December 2019.

From 1951 to 1952 Brown was resident British test pilot at the US Navy’s air test centre at Patuxent River in Maryland. In the late 50s he helped re-establish the West German navy’s air arm and he concluded his service as commanding officer of the RN station at Lossiemouth, in Morayshire (1967-70). His many honours included a DSC (1942), MBE (1944), OBE (1945) and an Edinburgh University honorary PhD (2007). His nine books include Duels in the Sky (1989) and Testing for Combat (1994). The vice-president of the European Helicopter Association – he had first seen Reitsch flying one in 1938 – Brown continued to lecture and write into his 90s. a b c d e Holland, James (14 October 2015). The War in the West: Volume 1: The Rise of Germany, 1939–1941. Grove/Atlantic, Incorporated. pp.75–9. ISBN 978-0-8021-9090-1. Thus, in 1945 Brown was appointed Chief Pilot on a joint UK/US mission to retrieve Germany’s most closely guarded technological secrets, flying many captured German aircraft, including their top fighter, which was 125 mph faster than the British equivalent. “It was exciting but hairy at times!” said Eric. “The Germans were developing highly sophisticated aircraft and the aerodynamics of the wing configuration for Concorde stemmed directly from that mission.” Robert F. Dorr (15 November 2013). Fighting Hitler's Jets: The Extraordinary Story of the American Airmen Who Beat the Luftwaffe and Defeated Nazi Germany. MBI Publishing Company. p.157. ISBN 978-1-61058-847-8.