Cuban8 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 On Desert Island Discs at the moment, Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown. Catch it on iplayer if you've missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 A bit of background to go with the programme here and if you missed Desert Island Discs live you can listen in or download the podcast here Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Thanks for the tip-off Cuban8, can't miss any opportunity to listen to my hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 I guess this is the reminder I asked for here? Doh! - trust me top miss it. Thank goodness for catch up services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 It's your fault, Chris - if you'd put 'Winkle' or 'Brown' in the thread header I'd have found it whilst looking for this one... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Every time we mention Winkle, people begin to wax lyrical. It happens to me too, rather like when I think about Reginald Mitchell. Sydney Camm makes me quite wistful too, although at a slightly lower level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Here's another link to an hour long talk by him. This is mainly about his experiences of heading into Germany at the end of the war. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 If you've really got time on your hands, his full 1hr 45m lecture 'Highlights of a Life in Aviation' at the RAeS is available here, which you can either watch live or downcast free via iTunes. It's 1.26Gb, though!..... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Percy. He, at times, was quite a naughty boy. If you listen to his Desert Island discs you will hear him recalling looping an aircraft through the arches of a bridge!! Some mental agility enabled him to believe that the powers that be didn't mean HE could not fly the Komet. I think they were aiming to stop RAF personnel but he was Fleet Air Arm and anyway goodness knows who he was actually working for at the time. So, he did push his luck both with the aircraft, and the brass, to fly a Komet under its own power. See "Wings on my Sleeve" pages 110/112. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Signing in - properly this time, again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Foxtrot Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Posted by Percy Verance on 14/11/2014 15:20:31: He's just one of those characters Colin. I'm sure I could sit and listen to him all night if I ever met him. He was all for test flying a captured ME 163 Komet under it's own rocket motor until the powers that be stopped him! He did get to fly one of course, but only on the glide after being towed up. He said afterwards that although he disagreed with his superiors decision, at least he understood why they arrived at it! I seem to remember reading that he did fly the Komet under power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Percy, I believe Andrew is correct. I remember reading in "Wings on My Sleeve" that he did indeed fly the Komet under power - strictly speaking ignoring orders to the contrary! BEB Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 14/11/2014 21:49:29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 That's certainly my understanding as well. If only the politicos hadn't cancelled the Miles M52, I've no doubt that it would have been successful and Eric Brown would have been the first pilot in history to fly supersonically. It's his greatest personal regret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Percy. I have 3 of his books two of which I have not managed to open as yet. I suspect however that the one I have read "Wings On My Sleeve" will likely be the definitive summery of his life. It may well be in your local library and is currently available on eBay for less than £7 and I, and I believe Colin, can thoroughly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Foxtrot Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Apart from his incredible career in aviation and his experiences in Germany before and after ww2, what amazes me is how lucid and articulate he is at 95 years of age. I think that is a sign of his great intellect and must have been a significant part of his professional success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 It's worth noting chaps that although "Wings on my Sleeve" was written many years ago, he up-dated it not that long ago, probably including some things he couldn't say before. For that reason I down-loaded it on Kindle. Quite recently he produced a new book on the M52 and if you really want to know what went on and what a tragic mistake was made by the post-war Labour government in cancelling it, then read the book. I down-loaded that on Kindle as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 There is also a DVD of Eric Brown talking about his life and times. I have a copy and it is not to be missed. LINK I also had the opportunity to hear Eric speak about flying the German jets earlier this year at the Cambridge Branch of the RAeS. He stood and spoke without notes and then answered questions for well over an hour. His memory was quite amazing but then again I don't suppose you forget the day you entered Auschwitz and interviewed the male and female camp commandants or spent 30 mins chatting to Goering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Colin, I'm still upset about the TSR2 cancellation and can always find something to moan about without reading about the M52 saga. The fact that there are no cheap copies to be found is not a consideration you understand!! The updated memoirs however are definitely of interest. When you have a minute, I would be very grateful if you would look up the title please? Taeverso. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 By the way Colin. You say you have downloaded the updated version. Have you read it yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Andrew, yes. Don't ask me for the comparisons with the original though, it must be 40 years since I read it! However, it's a great read and also reminds you that the cancellations of TSR2, P1154, HS681 etc. under the Wilson government weren't the only catastrophes, they also cancelled the two advanced aircraft carriers with twin parallel flight decks that Winkle had been involved in designing, one of which was already partially built and was subsequently scrapped. What has happened to naval aviation in this country must have deeply upset him, although the two new carriers might cheer him up if they come to anything, even more so if they have some planes to fly off them! Let's hope he's still around to see it happen. (I hope I am)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 A truly amazing man, I attended his lecture at Old Warden a couple of years ago. He is very intelligent, graduated in German at a time when a university degree actually meant something. A true gentleman he made time to speak to everyone who wanted to talk to him, no rush, he lost most of his lunch break. it was a privilege to shake his hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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