Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot

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Another detail that Beaver disproved during his research was Brown’s claim that his father Robert served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps. “I did get his father’s military record and he was in the Royal Flying Corps, but not as a pilot – he was a labourer working on the observation balloons.” Not only did Brown not have the benefit of high-tech simulators, but flew the aircraft with the benefit of a slide rule rather than the array of modern computers available today. He was also one of the first test pilots to attach notes to his leg, helping remind him which one he was flying. The author had exclusive access to Capt Brown's logbook, family photos and personal effects. (via Paul Beaver) The subtitle for this biography of Eric “Winkle” Brown describes him as “Britain’s greatest pilot”. Winkle may not be a household name, but he was a versatile and brave airman who flew more kinds of aircraft than any other pilot in history, and won so many accolades that King George VI once groaned “What, you again?” as he presented him with another. Beaver recounts the story of a man he regarded as a mentor in unshowy but fascinating detail, and restores a British hero to his rightful place. The Winding Stair

Brown seemed a shoo-in to join the Royal Air Force during the Second World War but there was a hitch – when the 19-year-old aspiring pilot reported to the recruiting office in Edinburgh, he was told sign-ups were at capacity and there was a three-month wait. From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery. Shipments to the USA & Canada: If you're coming to Coles by car, why not take advantage of the 2 hours free parking at Sainsbury's Pioneer Square - just follow the signs for Pioneer Square as you drive into Bicester and park in the multi-storey car park above the supermarket. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. You don't need to shop in Sainsbury's to get the free parking! Where to Find UsBrown had two favourite aircrafts. When it came to piston-engined planes, Brown favoured the de Havilland Hornet (which he said was “over-powered” and like a “Ferrari in the sky”); when it came to jets, Brown preferred the F-86 Sabre Model E (which had a moving tailplane that helped pilots manoeuvre at very high speeds). 10. Brown flew more aircraft than anyone else in history The daring life and astonishing adventures of Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown - Britain's greatest-ever pilot. Paul Beaver knew Eric Brown for nearly 40 years. In fact, Eric initially inspired Paul’s writing career, offering him expert advice on aircraft carriers and naval aviation for Ark Royal, his first book. The collaboration later included Eric’s foreword for Paul’s best-selling Spitfire People. As a well as being author, Paul has been a war reporter, journalist with Jane’s, a Parliamentary advisor and served for 27 years in the Territorial Army rising to the rank of Colonel in the Army Air Corps (V). Sadly, Eric did not leave the East Surrey Hospital after he was admitted and passed away on 21 February 2016. I spoke at his funeral and again at his memorial service. Crucially, I received his papers, notebooks, and the loan of family albums. His logbooks, however, went to the Fleet Air Arm Museum – but not before I had had a chance to read them. Gathering the evidence He remembers he had bought a silk nightdress in Tangier for his fiancée, Lynn. So, he stuffs that inside his tunic to save it, which, of course, adds another layer of insulation. Then he gets into the water and starts helping other people.

I knew Eric Brown for nearly 40 years – he was Superman, absolutely brilliant,” says Beaver. “I knew him at the time that he was just becoming a national treasure. He had written a lot about aeroplanes, but there was nothing really about his character.”Eric 'Winkle' Brown was Britain's greatest pilot. His extraordinary flying career saw him fight in the Battle of Britain, narrowly escape death on a torpedoed aircraft carrier, achieve a litany of new records and firsts as a test pilot, and fly more kinds of aircraft than any other pilot in history. Now, drawing on previously unseen documents and unfettered access to Winkle's own personal archive, Paul Beaver uncovers the complex and enigmatic man behind the legend - the real story of Britain's greatest pilot.

Captain Eric Brown, RN, is one of the titans of flight testing. Nearly 500 types in his logbook, around 3,000 arrested landings, and a reputation as the greatest carrier suitability test pilot in history. This book is a good biography of him, with some revelations...but also some surprising gaps. The first indication, he says, that some details “didn’t add up” came following Brown’s death in 2016, aged 97. “After he died his family gave me all the papers,” recalls Beaver. “I was the first non-family member they called when he was taken ill in 2016 because we were close. Brown went on to study modern languages at Edinburgh University, with German as his primary subject. “The whole Germany thing is fascinating because despite being sunk and almost shot down and wounded by Germans [during the Second World War], he still liked the Germans. It was always agreed I would have access to his papers and there were 12 big boxes. That took a long time to go through.On the occasion of the publication of his new biography of legendary test pilot and record holder, Captain Eric Melrose ‘Winkle’ Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, FRAeS, RN, author and historian PAUL BEAVER FRAeS gives an insight into the research of WINKLE – the Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot and separating fact from fiction.