A Winkle in Time

Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS, RN (21 January 1919 – 21 February 2016) British Royal Navy officer and test pilot who flew 487 different types of aircraft, more than any other pilot in history. Wrinkle was also the first to land a jet-propelled aircraft on board an aircraft carrier. He then went on to achieve the world record for most aircraft carrier landings performed by a pilot - 2,407 in total.

During WW2, Brown served with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve as a Fleet Air Arm pilot, where he was posted to 802 Squadron, initially serving on the first escort carrier HMS Audacity flying the Grumman Martlet. During his service on board the Audacity he shot down two Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor" maritime patrol aircraft. The Audacity was torpedoed and sunk on 21 December 1941 by U-751, commanded by Gerhard Bigalk. Eric Brown was one of only two survivors of the squadron, being saved by his Mae West life jacket.



On 10 March 1942 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his service on Audacity, in particular "For bravery and skill in action against Enemy aircraft and in the protection of a Convoy against heavy and sustained Enemy attacks"

In 1943 Brown resumed operational flying, being seconded to Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons flying escort operations to USAAF B-17s over France.

In an amazing twist of fate, during the summer of 1944, Brown's home was destroyed by a V-1 "Doodlebug" cruise missile, concussing his wife and causing serious injury to their housekeeper.



While at Farnborough as Chief Naval Test Pilot, Brown was involved in the deck landing trials of the Sea Mosquito, the heaviest aircraft yet chosen to be flown from a British carrier. Brown landed one for the first time on HMS Indefatigable on 25 March 1944. This was the first landing on a carrier by a twin-engined aircraft. The fastest speed for deck landing was 86 kts, while the stall speed was 110 kts.


In February 1945, Brown and a fellow pilot and friend, Martindale were sent to RAF Speke to collect two new Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly/Gadfly helicopters. On arrival, they found the American mechanics assembling the machines. Having no real helicopter training, 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


December 3rd 1945;  Cpt. Eric "Winkle" Brown took the controls of a specially converted De Havilland Sea Vampire Mk.10,  taking off from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier 'HMS Ocean'.  After landing back on board HMS Ocean, Cpt. Brown officially became the first person to sucessfully land, and take off a jet aircraft from an aircraft carrier. 

In January 1952, Brown was selected to demonstrate the steam catapult to the Americans, flying a Grumman Panther off the carrier HMS Perseus while the ship was still tied up to the dock at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. British officials decided that, as the new steam catapult was capable of launching an aircraft without any wind, they would risk their pilot (Brown) if the Americans would risk their aircraft. The launch was a success, proving the system, and paving the way for US carriers to feature the steam catapult.

On the 21st of February, 2016, Captain Eric Brown flew West at the age of 97.

Blue skies and following winds



Following is a complete list of fixed and rotary wing aircraft found in Capt. Eric Brown’s log book;

A
• Aeronca Grasshopper
• Aerospatiale Alouette
• Aerospatiale Ecureuil
• Aerospatiale Twin Squirrel
• Agusta 109
• Aichi D3A
• Airspeed Ambassador
• Airspeed Envoy
• Airspeed Horsa
• Airspeed Oxford
• Arado Ar 96B
• Arado Ar 196A
• Arado Ar 199
• Arado Ar 232B
• Arado Ar 234B - Blitz
• Arado Ar 240
• Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
• Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
• Auster Aiglet
• Avro Anson
• Avro Athena
• Avro Lancaster
• Avro Lancastrian
• Avro Lincoln
• Avro Manchester
• Avro Shackleton
• Avro Tudor
• Avro Tutor
• Avro York


B
• British Aircraft Swallow
• British Aerospace BAe 125
• British Aerospace BAe 146
• British Aerospace BAe Hawk
• English Electric Lightning
• Baynes Carrier Wing
• Beagle B.206
• Beagle Pup
• Beechcraft Baron
• Beechcraft Bonanza
• Beechcraft Super King Air
• Beechcraft Traveller
• Beechcraft Expediter
• Bell AH-1 Huey
• Bell 47
• Bell 204
• Bell 222
• Bell Airacobra
• Bell Airacomet
• Bell HTL-5
• Bell Jet Ranger
• Bell King Cobra
• Bell Long Ranger
• Blackburn Beverley
• Blackburn Botha
• Blackburn Buccaneer
• Blackburn Firebrand
• Blackburn Firecrest
• Blackburn Roc
• Blackburn Shark
• Blackburn Skua
• Blohm & Voss 138
• Blohm & Voss 141B
• Blohm & Voss 222 Wiking
• Boeing Washington
• Boeing Fortress [11]
• Boeing Vertol Chinook
• Boulton Paul Defiant
• Boulton Paul P.108
• Boulton Paul Sea Balliol
• Brantly B-2
• Breguet Alizé
• Breguet Atlantic
• Brewster Buffalo
• Bristol Beaufighter
• Bristol Beaufort
• Bristol Blenheim
• Bristol Bombay
• Bristol Brigand
• Bristol Britannia
• Bristol Buckingham
• Bristol Bulldog
• Bristol Freighter
• Bristol Sycamore
• Britten-Norman Islander
• Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann
• Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann
• Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister
• Bücker Bü 180 Student


C
• CANT Z.1007
• Caproni Ca.309
• Caproni Ca.311
• Caproni Ca.135
• Cessna 150
• Cessna 177 Cardinal
• Cessna Skymaster
• Cessna Skywagon - model not mentioned
• Chance-Vought F4U Corsair
• Chance-Vought F7U Cutlass
• Chilton D.W.1
• Chrislea Ace
• Comper Swift
• Consolidated Catalina
• Consolidated Liberator
• Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
• Convair CV-240-5
• Curtiss Commando
• Curtiss Helldiver
• Curtiss Kittyhawk
• Curtiss Mohawk
• Curtiss Seamew
• Curtiss Tomahawk


D
• Dassault Étendard[
• Dassault Mirage
• Dassault Mystère
• de Havilland 86B
• de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
• de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
• de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
• de Havilland Comet
• de Havilland Devon
• de Havilland Don
• de Havilland Flamingo
• de Havilland Fox Moth
• de Havilland Gipsy Moth
• de Havilland Heron
• de Havilland Hornet Moth
• de Havilland Mosquito
• de Havilland Puss Moth
• de Havilland Dragon Rapide
• de Havilland Sea Hornet
• de Havilland Sea Mosquito
• de Havilland Sea Vampire
• de Havilland Sea Venom
• de Havilland Sea Vixen
• de Havilland Swallow [19]
• de Havilland Tiger Moth
• de Havilland Vampire
• Dewoitine D.520
• DFS 230
• DFS Kranich
• DFS Weihe
• Dornier Do 17
• Dornier Do 18
• Dornier Do 24
• Dornier Do 26
• Dornier Do 27
• Dornier Do 217
• Dornier Do 335 Pfeil
• Douglas Boston
• Douglas Dakota
• Douglas SBD Dauntless
• Douglas TBD Devastator
• Douglas A-26 Invader
• Douglas Skymaster
• Douglas F3D Skyknight
• Douglas Skyraider
• Druine Turbulent


E
• Elliotts Newbury Eon
• Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
• English Electric Canberra
• Enstrom F-28
• Enstrom Shark
• ERCO Ercoupe


F
• Fairchild Argus
• Fairchild Cornell
• Fairchild XNQ-1
• Fairey III.F
• Fairey Albacore
• Fairey Barracuda
• Fairey Battle
• Fairey Firefly
• Fairey Fulmar
• Fairey Gannet
• Fairey Gordon
• Fairey Primer
• Fairey Spearfish
• Fairey Swordfish
• Fiat BR.20
• Fiat CR.32
• Fiat CR.42
• Fiat G.50
• Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
• Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190
• Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor
• Focke-Wulf Fw 58 Weihe
• Focke-Wulf Ta 152
• Focke-Wulf Ta 154 - Moskito
• Folland 43/37
• Fouga Magister
• Fournier Milan


G
• General Aircraft Cygnet
• General Aircraft Hamilcar
• General Aircraft Hotspur
• General Aircraft GAL.56
• Gloster E.28/39
• Gloster Gauntlet
• Gloster Gladiator
• Gloster Javelin
• Gloster Meteor
• Gloster Sea Meteor [
• Gotha Go 244
• Grumman Ag Cat
• Grumman Albatross
• Grumman Avenger
• Grumman F8F Bearcat
• Grumman F9F Cougar
• Grumman Goose
• Grumman AF Guardian
• Grumman Hellcat
• Grumman F9F Panther
• Grumman F7F Tigercat
• Grumman Widgeon
• Grumman Wildcat


H
• Handley Page Gugnunc
• Handley Page Halifax
• Handley Page Hampden
• Handley Page Hastings
• Handley Page Hermes
• Handley Page Marathon
• Handley Page Sparrow
• Hawker Fury (biplane)
• Hawker Hart
• Hawker Hector
• Hawker Henley
• Hawker Hunter
• Hawker Hurricane
• Hawker Nimrod
• Hawker Osprey
• Hawker P.1040
• Hawker P.1052
• Hawker Siddeley P.1127 - Harrier forerunner
• Hawker Sea Fury
• Hawker Sea Hawk
• Hawker Siddeley HS 748
• Hawker Siddeley Gnat
• Hawker Tempest
• Hawker Typhoon
• Heinkel He 111
• Heinkel He 115
• Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger
• Heinkel He 177 Greif
• Heinkel He 219 Uhu
• Henschel Hs 123
• Henschel Hs 129
• Heston Phoenix
• Hiller HTE
• Hitachi T.2
• Horten H.IV [
• Hughes 300
• Hughes 500
• Hunting Percival Jet Provost
• Hunting Percival Provost


I
• Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik
• Ilyushin Il-4


J
• Jodel Ambassadeur
• Jodel Club
• Jodel Excellence
• Jodel Grand Tourisme
• Jodel Mascaret
• Jodel Mousqetaire
• Junkers Ju 52
• Junkers Ju 86
• Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
• Junkers Ju 188
• Junkers Ju 290
• Junkers Ju 352
• Junkers Ju 388


K
• Kamov Ka-26
• Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien/Tony
• Klemm Kl 25
• Klemm Kl 26
• Klemm Kl 27
• Klemm Kl 35D


L
• Lavochkin La-7
• Le Vier Cosmic Wind
• Ling-Temco-Vought F-8 Crusader
• Lockheed Constellation
• Lockheed Electra
• Lockheed C-130 Hercules
• Lockheed Hudson
• Lockheed P-38 Lightning
• Lockheed P2V Neptune
• Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
• Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
• Lockheed Ventura
• Luton Minor


M
• Macchi C.202
• Macchi C.205
• Martin-Baker MB 5
• Martin Baltimore
• Martin Marauder
• MBB Bo 105
• McDonnell F2H Banshee
• McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
• McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
• Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun
• Messerschmitt Bf 109
• Messerschmitt Bf 110
• Messerschmitt Me 163A & B Komet - Me 163B flown under power[43]
• Messerschmitt Me 262
• Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
• Mil Mi-1
• Mil Mi-2
• Mil Mi-4
• Miles M.18
• Miles M.20
• Miles M.28
• Miles M.38 Messenger
• Miles M.48
• Miles Aerovan
• Miles Falcon
• Miles Gemini
• Miles Hawk
• Miles Hobby
• Miles Libellula
• Miles Magister
• Miles Martinet
• Miles Master
• Miles Mentor
• Miles Mohawk - built for Charles Lindbergh
• Miles Monarch
• Miles Monitor
• Miles Sparrowhawk
• Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)
• Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Dinah)
• Mitsubishi A6M (Zero or Zeke)
• Mooney M20
• Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
• Morane-Saulnier Paris
• Morane-Saulnier Rallye
• Muntz Youngman-Baynes


N
• N.S.F.K. SG 38
• Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank)
• Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar)
• Noorduyn Norseman
• Nord N.262A
• Nord Noralpha
• Nord Pingouin
• North American Harvard
• North American Mitchell
• North American Mustang
• North American Sabre
• North American AJ Savage
• North American F-100 Super Sabre
• North American T-6 Texan
• Northrop Gamma Commercial
• Northrop P-61 Black Widow
• Northrop F-5


O
• Orličan L-40 Meta Sokol


P
• Percival Gull
• Percival Pembroke
• Percival Prentice
• Percival Proctor
• Percival Q6
• Percival Vega Gull
• Petlyakov Pe-2
• Piaggio P.136
• Piaggio P.166
• Piasecki Retriever
• Piel Emeraude
• Pilatus Porter
• Piper Apache
• Piper Aztec
• Piper Comanche
• Piper Cub
• Piper Cub Special 90
• Piper Grasshopper
• Piper Navajo
• Piper Pawnee
• Piper Seneca
• Piper Supercruiser
• Piper Tripacer
• Piper Cherokee
• Pitts Special
• Polikarpov I-15
• Polikarpov I-16
• Portsmouth Aerocar Major


R
• Reggiane Re.2000
• Reggiane Re.2001
• Reid & Sigrist Desford
• Republic Seabee
• Republic P-43 Lancer
• Republic Thunderbolt
• Republic F-84 Thunderjet
• Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
• Robin Royale
• Robinson R22
• Rollason Condor
• Ryan Fireball


S
• Saab 21
• Saab 29 Tunnan
• Saab 32 Lansen
• Saab 91 Safir
• Saab 105
• Saro P.531
• Saunders-Roe Skeeter
• Saunders-Roe SR.A/1
• Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 - Sparviero
• Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
• Savoia-Marchetti SM.95
• Scheibe Motorspatz
• Schmetz Olympia-Meise
• Schneider Baby Grunau
• Scottish Aviation Bulldog
• Scottish Aviation Pioneer
• Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
• Short S.31 - ½-scale flying test version of Stirling
• Short Sealand
• Short SC.7 Skyvan
• Short Stirling
• Short Sturgeon
• SIAI-Marchetti S.F.260
• Siebel Si 204
• Sikorsky HRS
• Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly - first helicopter flown by Brown, learnt to fly it from aircraft manual.
• Sikorsky R-6A Hoverfly II
• Sikorsky S-58T
• Sikorsky S-61
• Sikorsky S-76
• Sipa S.903
• Slingsby Capstan
• Slingsby Kirby Cadet
• Slingsby Motor Tutor
• Slingsby Prefect
• Slingsby Swallow
• Slingsby T.21
• Slingsby T.31
• Socata Diplomate
• Stampe et Vertongen SV.4
• Stearman Kaydet
• Stinson Junior R
• Stinson Reliant
• Stinson Sentinel
• Sud-Aviation Djinn
• Supermarine Attacker
• Supermarine S.24/37 Dumbo
• Supermarine Scimitar
• Supermarine Sea Otter
• Supermarine Seafang
• Supermarine Seafire
• Supermarine Seagull
• Supermarine Spiteful
• Supermarine Spitfire
• Supermarine Walrus
• SZD Bocian


T
• Taylorcraft Auster
• Taylor J.T.1 Monoplane
• Taylor J.T.2 Titch
• Thruxton Jackaroo
• Tipsy Nipper III
• Tipsy S.2
• Tipsy Trainer
• Tipsy Type B


V
• Vertol 107
• Vickers Valiant
• Vickers Vanguard
• Vickers VC10
• Vickers Viking (airliner)
• Vickers Viscount
• Vickers Warwick
• Vickers Wellington VI
• Vickers Windsor
• Vought-Sikorsky Chesapeake
• Vought-Sikorsky Kingfisher
• Vultee Vengeance


W
• Waco CG-3
• Waco Hadrian
• Westland Aérospatiale Gazelle
• Westland Aerospatiale Lynx
• Westland Lysander
• Westland Sikorsky Dragonfly
• Westland Sikorsky Whirlwind (helicopter)
• Westland Wasp
• Westland Welkin
• Westland Wessex
• Westland Whirlwind (fighter)
• Westland Wyvern (Eagle engine)
• Winter Zaunkönig - Wren


Y
• Yakovlev Yak-1
• Yakovlev Yak-9
• Yakovlev Yak-11
• Youngman-Baynes High Lift


Z
Zlin Akrobat

 

 

 


1 comment


  • Monty stone

    As an ex limey I am extremely proud of capt brown. He was unique and there never be his equal . RIPa sir.


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