Eric 'Winkle' Brown: Celebrated British pilot dies, aged 97

[webfact]

Eric 'Winkle' Brown: Celebrated British pilot dies, aged 97

LONDON: -- The Royal Navy's most decorated pilot, Capt Eric "Winkle" Brown, has died at the age of 97.

Capt Brown also held the world record for flying the greatest number of different types of aircraft - 487.

During World War Two, Capt Brown, who was born in Leith in 1919, flew fighter aircraft and witnessed the liberation of Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-35626854


-- BBC 2016-02-22

[Somtamnication]

RIP, hero.

[khaosai]

A true aviation legend who was most definitely made of the right stuff.

Blue skies sir.

[tonyjimmac]

Fine sentiments, nicely expressed - thanks Khaosai....

[stag4]

First man to land on and take off again, a jet aircraft from an aircraft Carrier. True pioneer of Naval Aviation

[SgtRock]

RIP

My condolences to your family and loved ones.

Wha's like us.

Damn few and getting fewer.

[colinneil]

R.I.P. SIR. your feats in aviation will never be matched.

A true hero 487 aircraft WOW.

[soalbundy]

Hope he is flying somewhere else and having a great time

[tomyumchai]

RIP captain Brown. lest we forget.

[sanukjim]

Those WW!! pilots had gonads the size of basket balls.Any fear that they might have had was overcome by their heart and the desire to accomplish their mission and protect others.There will NEVER BE a generation of men and women like that that fraught on both sides of the oceans for the greater good.Not many of them left,so remember what they accomplished " The Impossible".

[roquefort]

Remarkable man. They don't make them like that any more.

RIP. Never forgotten.

[phitsanulokjohn]

History has certainly noted some brave men.Capt Brown was in this category.

RIP and thankyou for help save my Country from"Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler?If you think old England's done"

God bless you Sir.

[Enoon]

“I wouldn’t say I felt fear. We used to have a phrase, ‘Kick your tyres, light your fires and the last one off’s a sissy.’ I was not of that school at all. You can’t assume an attitude like that – you have to be serious and, frankly, I was a bit of an academic as a pilot because I was meticulous.

“For a test flight, I would talk it over with the boffin who was going to conduct the test. I was meticulous about talking it through and preparing myself for it. You have to take it seriously.”

E M Brown. (Pilot)

[JLCrab]

My late Father was a US Navy Lt. WWII fighter squadron leader. With regard to carrier operations, he said that they lost more men in training than in combat.

[northernphil]

From the days when England had heroes , very few left now I would think.

[TBWG]

For a good read get "Wings on my sleeve" By Eric Brown.

TBWG

[soalbundy]

From the days when England had heroes , very few left now I would think.

yes but we had real men then, now the young men of today wear make up,women,s underwear and the only brigade they would join is the PC brigade.

[elgordo38]

What a rare thing. It was hard to get through this post without ticking of "Like" for all the comments made. This was also a refreshing topic from most of the "in the trenches" topics and answer. See we can all play nice from time to time.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Now here is a guy we can say he lived his life to the fullest.