Wings of the Luftwaffe [9781902109152]
Date Added: Monday 09. May, 2011
To really know an aircraft you have to, of course, fly it and Captain Brown has flown more aircraft types than any other pilot (487). Flying for more than 30 years, his career as a most skilful and courageous test pilot, plus his knowledge of the German language, suited him admirably to the testing of all the important (and some obscure) German aircraft of WW2. As the Royal Navy’s Chief Test Pilot at RAE Farnborough, Capt Brown has published his memoirs before in 1977 but his latest offering is in a larger format, covers twice as many aircraft and is more detailed and sumptuous than before.
As usual with the author, the book is packed with facts and technical details but in a highly readable narrative form and with flashes of dry humour. An example of this humour was when he enlisted the services of two skilled Luftwaffe technicians that he found with an Arado Ar234B unit in Norway. Capt
Brown “……gave them the option of an interesting tour of duty with my unit in Farnborough or an indeterminate spell as prisoners-of-war. They accepted my offer and proved completely trustworthy, industrious and highly intelligent.”
The reader is treated to discourses on aircraft ranging from the highly dangerous Messerschmitt
Me163 Komet rocketpowered interceptor to the huge Blohm und Voss Bv238 flying boat. From pistonengined fighters to the diminutive Heinkel He162 Salamander jet fighter. Some 33 aircraft are covered although the author actually flew 55 German types.
Beautifully printed in China, this book provides appendices including, alphabetically, all the aircraft flown by Capt Brown in his career and this list alone makes very impressive reading. (Many of the non-
German aircraft are covered in the author’s other books).
The illustrations include many photos and some coloured drawings but perhaps the most interesting are the superb cutaway drawings and the cockpit layout drawings. I heartily recommend this book to all aerophiles.
Antony L Kay, MRAeS
Aero Society
As usual with the author, the book is packed with facts and technical details but in a highly readable narrative form and with flashes of dry humour. An example of this humour was when he enlisted the services of two skilled Luftwaffe technicians that he found with an Arado Ar234B unit in Norway. Capt
Brown “……gave them the option of an interesting tour of duty with my unit in Farnborough or an indeterminate spell as prisoners-of-war. They accepted my offer and proved completely trustworthy, industrious and highly intelligent.”
The reader is treated to discourses on aircraft ranging from the highly dangerous Messerschmitt
Me163 Komet rocketpowered interceptor to the huge Blohm und Voss Bv238 flying boat. From pistonengined fighters to the diminutive Heinkel He162 Salamander jet fighter. Some 33 aircraft are covered although the author actually flew 55 German types.
Beautifully printed in China, this book provides appendices including, alphabetically, all the aircraft flown by Capt Brown in his career and this list alone makes very impressive reading. (Many of the non-
German aircraft are covered in the author’s other books).
The illustrations include many photos and some coloured drawings but perhaps the most interesting are the superb cutaway drawings and the cockpit layout drawings. I heartily recommend this book to all aerophiles.
Antony L Kay, MRAeS
Aero Society
Rating: 
[5 of 5 Stars!]
[5 of 5 Stars!]
