The Winkle

Sad news everybody - Captain Eric ''Winkle'' Brown RN, one of my personal heroes and perhaps the greatest aviator this nation has ever produced, has passed at the grand old age of 97.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12167611/Captain-Eric-Winkle-Brown-obituary.html

The above link provides the bare facts of his remarkable career but this little story provides a insight I hope into the man behind the all those numbers. After having the Gestapo kick him out of Nazi Germany in September 1939 Eric was informed by the RAF that he would have to wait a few weeks before he could join-up. Such was his personality type he found any delay in getting to grips with the enemy to be unacceptable, so he walked over to the nearest RN recruiting office in Edinburgh and signed on for the Fleet Air Arm instead. The air force's loss being very much the navy's gain I think.

Flying US built ''F4F Wildcat'' fighter aircraft from a tiny auxiliary aircraft carrier, his career as front line combat pilot was actually quite short - although he did find time to shoot down several FW 200 ''Condor'' bombers in daring head-on attacks before having his carrier sunk under him. Surviving this harrowing experience his outstanding ability as a naval aviator was soon recognised and he was transferred to test and development work where his contribution to the war effort has become the stuff of legend. That fact that he survived and prospered in this highly demanding and indeed extremely dangerous field illustrates just how talented a pilot he was. Part of his duties involved flying and evaluating captured enemy aircraft - I recommend that anyone interested in this subject really should get hold of his book ''Wings of the Luftwaffe''.

As it happens I'm reading the great man's autobiography ''Wings on my Sleeve'' at the moment and the thing that strikes you about Eric is that - like many of his generation - despite all his achievements and wonderful war record he was a remarkably modest man with it. So RIP Winkle - we may never see your like again.

There was a fascinating documentary on BBC2 a year or so ago - his life seemed truly remarkable and the way he portrayed his achievements was so matter of fact. I'd be interested to hear what you think of his autobiography as I haven't read it yet, but have been meaning to get a copy since I saw the TV show.

Thank goodness for heroes like him - do they make `em like that any more?

There was a fascinating documentary on BBC2 a year or so ago - his life seemed truly remarkable and the way he portrayed his achievements was so matter of fact. I'd be interested to hear what you think of his autobiography as I haven't read it yet, but have been meaning to get a copy since I saw the TV show.

Well I'm only half way through ''Wings on my Sleeve'' at the moment, but it is certainly proving to be a fascinating read so far - it could hardly be anything less given the author's story. Winkle was adrift in the Atlantic for many hours after HMS Audacity was torpedoed and many others in the water around him succumbed to the bitter cold of course. Reading between the lines this must have been a truly awful experience to endure, but typically of the man he deals with it briefly before moving on.

Slightly disappointing is the fact that as he flew so many allied and enemy aircraft types in his long career this autobiography can't really go into much detail about what he really thought about each one individually - inevitable I suppose when your log-book includes over 400 different types flown! As I said his other books (i.e. ''Wings of the Navy'' & ''Wings of the Luftwaffe'') are also well worth reading if the subject interests you.

However he does recount in some detail how he manage to become the only allied pilot to ever fly the notorious Me 163 ''Komet'' rocket powered fighter under power before that dangerous pastime was strictly forbidden - a tale almost worthy of a book in itself!

He spoke at my Great Uncle's funeral service (they were both test pilots).

One of the most fascinating men I have ever heard speak - even when talking about somebody else.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit I had never heard of him until his death yesterday - but that lead me to read a little. Amazing figure. The Chief Test Pilot at BAe described him as one of the five most important aviators of all time "and certainly the most important British one". He still holds several world records, including over 2,400 landings on a carrier. Apparently the Americans decided they couldnt have such a record held by a foreigner so they specially selected a pilot to beat it -he had a nervous breakdown at 1,600.

His appearance on Desert Island Discs last year aged 95 is here. Well worth listening to

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvgq1

We cannot even imagine the debt we owe to brave young men like him in WW2, who took to the skys to save us.

This is the sort of person films should be made about , Not Jamie bloody Vardy!

Hero and a legend

His appearance on Desert Island Discs last year aged 95 is here. Well worth listening to

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvgq1

Thanks for that, just listened to it.

What a man!

and to think these days, a hero is Kim ******* kardashian

Landed a Vampire wheels up as an experiment on a rubber mat on a carrier. Presumably to jack it up and then fly it off. I think the damage to the a/c put an end to that idea.

The BBC will be repeating this evening a programme they made about Eric - well worth watching again I think.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045pbq2

Just seen a documentary on him.

An absolute fuking legend

I find it extremely sad that so few of these characters are left.

Just an absolute legend!!!!!!