A.R.S.E.

It was with sadness that I learned last night of the passing of one of the greatest Pilots to ever kick the tyres and light the fires. Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS, RN

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-22/e ... 97/7189902

This man was a living legend in the truest sense who lived a life almost impossible to believe, here are some highlights.

* Was posted to Berlin prewar as a diplomat and was at the 1936 Olympics as a guest of the Nazi's. Contrary to what history says personally witnessed Hitler shake hands with and enthusiastically congratulate Jessie Owens.
* Taken on a joyride by WW1 legend Ernst Udet and was thrown around the sky in a display seldom seen. Caught his breath as Udet, came into the airfield on a perfect approach. Well except for being inverted! At the last possible moment the German snap rolled the aircraft and dropped it light as a feather onto the deck. Winkle described this as the most astonishing feat of Airmanship he ever saw.
* Was still in Germany when War was declared between England and Germany and was promptly arrested by the SS. Must've had a friend inside though as he was released 3 days later at the Swiss border as an 'exchange student'
* Had his Carrier HMS Audacity sunk underneath him by a U-Boat. Was one of only two survivors.
* Holds many Aviation Records. Flew 487 different types over his career and made 2407 Carrier Landings. Neither of these are likely ever to be approached.
* First man to land both a Multi-Engine Aircraft (Mosquito) and Jet Aircraft (Vampire) on a Carrier.
* Had his home in London directly hit and destroyed by a V1. Luckily both he and his Wife were OK, though the Maid was knocked around!
* Eager to get his hands on a ME-262 he flew into a German Airfield soon after the Surrender, the field was still fully Operational. Luckily the Base Commander decided to Surrender to this audacious Scot with a Pistol!
* Despite being a Pilot was there for the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp and interrogated Commandant Josef Kramer and the Monstrous Irma Grese. Describing the latter as the most evil creature he ever laid eyes on.
* Also interrogated the cream of German Aeronautics, such as Werner von Braun, Willy Messerschmitt and head of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring.

It goes on and on, luckily Winkle participated in an excellent Documentary by the BBC last year, I suggest you check it out.

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Brita ... story.html

Damn.

"Legend" doesn't seem to cut it for this bloke.

This list is not actually complete, since it lists such types as "Supermarine Spitfire" as a single type but he flew many different marques. I looked him up the other day, unaware that he had already passed on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... e%22_Brown

A shame he couldn't make 100 because he really did deserve it. The amount of aircraft he has flown boggles the mind. A lot of experimental that can go horribly wrong.

What a life!

Yeah, sad indeed. He's got a few books out there which are all worth a read. Just an amazing life.

Sent from my HTC_0P6B using Tapatalk

Yes indeed his books are sheer gold if you're into Military Aviation. I had them all when I was a lad, damned if I know where they have gone

I've been reading more and more in retrospectives and tributes since his death. The Man.... Seriously if his life was made into a movie, there is no way people would believe it was based on a true story.

* Would there be another pilot who has survived 11 crashes? He actually went in 14 times but didn't count 3 because the aircraft were salvageable! I must add, not one of his shunts was due to pilot error.
* How many pilots started in Stringbags and finished in Supersonic Nuclear Strike Fighters! Elite Club that one.
* I forgot to mention he was also the first to land a tricycle undercarriage aircraft (Airacobra) on a Carrier.
* The US Navy were said to have given one man the specific job of breaking Brown's trap record. Over to Winkle "To his everlasting credit he got up to 1,600 and then had a nervous breakdown"
* Likely Winkle and not Chuck Yeager would've been first to break the Sound Barrier, but his program was cancelled. The all moving tail configuration was supplied to the Yanks who used it on the X-1.

As mentioned before it goes on and on.

Just looking at the list of aircraft he has flown.. wow

DO 335
The Arado's
Gotha Go 244

Some planes, that no one will ever fly again

He also flew the ME 163 under power. The only allied pilot to do so.

Lucky to have lived that long if he'd gone up in one of those.

I saw there is a tribute documentary of him on EZTV.