Britain's Greatest Pilot - BBC 2 2100 1 June

[the_boy_syrup]

Count how many pilots have been killed in "routine" carrier landings and it makes the man all the more remarkable.
Or watch the youtube clip of the RAF pilot trying to get that Buccaneer onto Ark Royal.
They had trained to put a particuler type on a deck for months.
He did it off that bat with an aircraft that had never been tried before.

Strange how Chuck Yeager is reveared as the worlds greatest test pilot yet he hasn't achieved anything near Capt Browns figures.

 

[BuckFelize]

The good cap'n is something of an unfeasible figure - in that twighlight world between James Bond and the Pub Walt. You could not invent Winkle Brown. I could've watched three hours of him - and it still would've skimmed the surface of his (beyond) remarkable career. Whilst he's not unique amongst the pantheon of sky gods who'd straddled the technology leap from biplanes to jets, it's his hobnobbing with Udet, Goering, logbook and 'firsts' that makes him really stand out. Gobsmacking!

It's on again tonight for those who've missed it and who haven't quite figured out what iPlayer is... or does.

 

[Dunservin]

Not with 35,000 ton of aircraft carrier that you've just dropped off the front of riding over you at 30 knots...

The only carriers we had capable of those speeds were, the Illustrious, Implacable and Courageous and the heaviest of those topped out at 32,630 tons

Ah, yes. That would make all the difference when the ship ran over you and your ditched aircraft.

 

[rampant]

Ah, yes. That would make all the difference when the ship ran over you and your ditched aircraft.

Who do you think you are coming around here and undermining my moment of petulant pedentary? Eh?

 

[redshift]

Saw this last night, one hell of a guy! Probably one of the most unique pilots in the world.

 

[pongo6863]

Saw this last night, one hell of a guy! Probably one of the most unique pilots in the world.

That's not right, he's either unique or he ain't! Look up unique in the dictionary.

He is unique, by the way, and a great inspiration to any pilots, current, ex or would be!

 

[Archimedes]

Strange how Chuck Yeager is revered as the worlds greatest test pilot yet he hasn't achieved anything near Capt Browns figures.

Good PR - a controversial book, a film, and now a fiercely proud 2nd wife who markets the Yeager legend with vigour (there is a more libellous way of putting it, if some USAF mates' descriptions are to be believed...)

But imagine a British 'Right Stuff' - Brown, Roly Falk, Neville Duke, Peter Twiss, John Derry, Bee Beamont, Bill Waterton... all being terribly understated and drinking tea while writing missives such as 'entry to the cockpit is difficult. It should be made impossible'...I'd watch it.

 

[Donny]

Who do you think you are coming around here and undermining my moment of petulant pedentary? Eh?

It's only a small point, but I think you'll find that should be 'pedantry'.

 

[Maple]

Cough 'John Cunningham' cough

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[PFGEN]

Cough 'John Cunningham' cough

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Wouldn't want to meet him in the dark!

 

[PFGEN]

Good PR - a controversial book, a film, and now a fiercely proud 2nd wife who markets the Yeager legend with vigour (there is a more libellous way of putting it, if some USAF mates' descriptions are to be believed...)

But imagine a British 'Right Stuff' - Brown, Roly Falk, Neville Duke, Peter Twiss, John Derry, Bee Beamont, Bill Waterton... all being terribly understated and drinking tea while writing missives such as 'entry to the cockpit is difficult. It should be made impossible'...I'd watch it.

Now that's a film I'd watch. Have it done in B&W along the lines of the RJ Mitchell story. As you say; drinking tea and politely dunking one's digestive biscuit.

 

[Archimedes]

Cough 'John Cunningham' cough

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And Jimmy Dell, 'Finless Jim' Burns, Hedley Hazelden, Brian Trubshaw... The list isn't quite endless, but would require the termination of Eastenders for the appropriate length prime-time TV series.

 

[Maple]

Brian Trubshaw......ah, Concorde!

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[pongo6863]

And Jimmy Dell, 'Finless Jim' Burns, Hedley Hazelden, Brian Trubshaw... The list isn't quite endless, but would require the termination of Eastenders for the appropriate length prime-time TV series.

Tubby Trubshaw used to drink in my local when Concorde 002 was being test flown. Another interesting man...

 

[Yokel]

Was Chuck Yeager's fame largely a product of having been the first to break the sound barrier?

Would a film about wartime test pilots appeal?

The role of the Fleet Air Arm in WWII has never been adequately covered in cinema - the period of Audacity's operations could fill a film on its own, then his role carrying out tests and trials of carriers and aircraft could fill another.

 

[Cold_Collation]

Bloody hell. I texted a good friend last night, an old Phantom driver, to ask if he'd seen the documentary.

The reply was, "Went down to see Eric just last month. He only lives in <PLACE>."

Not too far from me - I pass where he lives every day.

I've volunteered to be a wingman if there's a next time.

 

[filthyphil]

I know it's only wikipedia, but you don't hear much about this saffa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmaduke_Pattle

 

[AlienFTM]

Was Chuck Yeager's fame largely a product of having been the first to break the sound barrier?

I think already mentioned here have been Winkle's book, Wings on My Sleeve and the Miles M52.
The former makes clear that the Labour government of 1945 sold the latter down the river (in the same fashion as, later, the TSR-2) despite being weeks from breaking the sound barrier in 1946 cos the Septics couldn't bear to come second.

Edit: Wrong: according to wiki it was even earlier, in 1945.

 

[midnight]

Totally in awe of the wee winkle, but surely he should be KBE? And the attack strategies of hitting bombers 'head-on' and 'flipping V2 wings' is simply nails

V1ok,v2 was supersonic?



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[CrashTestDummy]

V1ok,v2 was supersonic?



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V2 had a ballistic trajectory profile whereas the V1 flew an aerodynamic profile.