Eric "Winkle" Brown's best and worst aeroplanes - You Tube

[leccyflyer]

Just watched an excellent You Tube video in which legendary test pilot Eric "Winkle" Brown describes the characteristics of the best - and the worst - aeroplanes that he flew in his remarkable career.  It's part of a series of interviews with him, uploaded to one of the You Tube channels that just popped up in my feed. There's some fantastic footage of test flying captured Luftwaffe aeroplanes, such as the FW190 and Ju-88 plus his views on the Bf109 and Me262. Well worth a watch.

 

 

 

[Jon H]

There is a series of these from the same channel. Fantastic amount of info

[Zflyer]

His book is a very good read.

[Geoff S]

I watched a YouTube documentary about Frank Whittle a couple of weeks ago.  It was excellent.

[Jim Hearnden 1]

3 hours ago, Zflyer said:

His book is a very good read.

AT least 3 books, "Wings of the weird & Wonderful Vol 1 & 2" and "Wings on my Sleeve" all are brilliant reads.

[J D 8]

                   Another good read is "Wings of the Luftwaffe". Testing captured aircraft both the common types and some unusual ones good and bad. 

[Jim Hearnden 1]

1 hour ago, J D 8 said:

                   Another good read is "Wings of the Luftwaffe". Testing captured aircraft both the common types and some unusual ones good and bad. 

I'd forgotten that one, he was a fluent German speaker so was ideal for the role.

[leccyflyer]

Indeed. A good read and it's companion volume Wings of the Navy. 

 

[peter muckleston]

There is a new biography of Eric Brown, just out, by Paul Beaver. Published by Penguin, rrp  £25 or £19.99 through Telegraph Books and titled 'Winkle: The Extraordinary Life Of Britain's Greatest Pilot'.  Should be a good read.

[leccyflyer]

Thanks Peter - I'll order that tomorrow.

 

I love listening to Eric Brown, his deep knowledge shines through, but there is a mischievous sense of humour at play too. A few weeks ago I listened to his excellent Desert Island Discs broadcast with Kirsty Wark. He was some boy, even in his nineties. 😀 

[Cuban8]

Would have almost certainly been the first through Mach 1 (and not using rocket power) if not for government shenanigans on both sides of the Atlantic.

I reread Chuck Yeager's autobiograpy recently and although clearly a top pilot and brave warrior, he does come over to me at least, as a legend in his own lunchtime. It sounds odd, but I think he had an inferiority complex over his humble background and lack of advanced education compared to his contemporaries. A window in to his true character maybe? Very many inconsistencies in accounts of incidents that are also recorded in other figures' biographies. Neil Armstrong for one. So different from the understated anecdotes from EB.

The Frank Whittle documentary mentioned by Geoff S is probably this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0T4-XG612Q&t=2376s

Been on TV before, I think, but well worth another look.

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Cuban8

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

I don't think "Wings on my Sleeve" worked very well as an autobiography.

[John Lee]

2 hours ago, leccyflyer said:

He was some boy, even in his nineties. 😀 

 

Yes, I was very fortunate to attend a talk by Eric Brown at Jersey Aero Club when he was 90. In a cold hangar he lept onto the temporary podium and spoke without notes for 45mins accompanied by his collection of photo slides taken during, and just after, the war. After this he spent an hour answering questions in a remarkably considered and fluid manner. Highly impressive and an inspiration to live your life to the full irrespective of age.

[Peter Jenkins]

18 hours ago, peter muckleston said:

There is a new biography of Eric Brown, just out, by Paul Beaver. Published by Penguin, rrp  £25 or £19.99 through Telegraph Books and titled 'Winkle: The Extraordinary Life Of Britain's Greatest Pilot'.  Should be a good read.

Got mine yesterday and started reading it.  Not got far but there is an amazing and unknown bit about Winkle right in the first couple of pages.  Can't wait to read the rest of it to find out what else none of us knew about Winkle.  Paul Beaver, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on a few occasions, was granted full access to all of Winkles documentation but Winkle would only let him have this treasure trove after his death.  Hence, the timing of this biography.

[Peter Jenkins]

8 hours ago, John Lee said:

 

Yes, I was very fortunate to attend a talk by Eric Brown at Jersey Aero Club when he was 90. In a cold hangar he lept onto the temporary podium and spoke without notes for 45mins accompanied by his collection of photo slides taken during, and just after, the war. After this he spent an hour answering questions in a remarkably considered and fluid manner. Highly impressive and an inspiration to live your life to the full irrespective of age.

I had exactly that experience when he was 95!  The amazing thing was, he reminded me of my father-in-law in his looks, speech and mannerisms!