Eric 'Winkle' Brown's Medals To Be Sold At Auction

In my experience very few things in life turn out to be black/white. Black and white photographs (maybe?) but even they contain shades of grey.

Like you I am glad they ended up in a good place …but you were the one to use the black/white analogy. I just said it was simple.
So ….just humour me please …why exactly is it not simple in that it is completely up to those who own such things?

but even they contain shades of grey.

Around fifty on the last count.!

Rob

Yes – a good outcome.

But…I am curious Planemike. Why in your opinion is it not that simple?

In my experience very few things in life turn out to be black/white. Black and white photographs (maybe?) but even they contain shades of grey.

Yes – a good outcome.

But…I am curious Planemike. Why in your opinion is it not that simple?

That says it all…..Planemike – it is so very simple.

To you (and I suspect others) it is. I (and I suspect different others) take another view. Few things in life are simply black or white. We will have to agree to disagree….. I am however really pleased to see that they have been gifted to the FAA Museum at Yeovilton: good move. Thank you to who ever made possible the donation. A good soul with a public spirit.

……… and that his inheritors should do as they see fit (he may have made suggestions/requests to them, that’s their business). .

That says it all…..Planemike – it is so very simple.

The starting point is to ask what directions (if any) did he make regarding his personal effects in his Will assuming he made one. If he did it has probably gone through probate by now. That means it is a public document and anyone can obtain a copy. Here is the link to the Government website https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
It will cost you.

What, if any were Captain Brown’s views?

Apparently that he did not wish to make any special arrangements about the items in question, and that his inheritors should do as they see fit (he may have made suggestions/requests to them, that’s their business). It seems unlikely that he did not consider the matter.

Must say, I tend toward Dave’s view; the outcome is precisely the one for which I hoped but in the end it truly was the family’s prerogative to decide what they did.
A thought; do any of us know the circumstances that led to the decision to sell? What, if any were Captain Brown’s views? What possible discussions might he have had with his relatives?
Until and unless we do, then really, our comments are ill informed.

That is exactly the point …it is very simple. We, as enthusiasts/historians – or whatever we choose to call ourselves, have absolutely zero rights to try and tell others what to do with what is, after all said and done, their private property.

I don’t think it is quite as simple as you suggest……. (Before anybody points it out, I know I am repeating myself….)

I don’t think it is quite as simple as you suggest…….

That is exactly the point …it is very simple. We, as enthusiasts/historians – or whatever we choose to call ourselves, have absolutely zero rights to try and tell others what to do with what is, after all said and done, their private property.

Surely whatever happens to medal, logbooks etc is completely at the discretion of the family concerned .We, enthusiasts maybe, have absolutely zero right to want or expect any outcome.If the(any) family wish to donate, sell, or toss in the bin it is their business and that of nobody else.

I don’t think it is quite as simple as you suggest…….

Surely whatever happens to medal, logbooks etc is completely at the discretion of the family concerned .We, enthusiasts maybe, have absolutely zero right to want or expect any outcome.If the(any) family wish to donate, sell, or toss in the bin it is their business and that of nobody else.

Article in Mail today, usual typo’s but some nice photo’s

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3970966/Remarkable-medals-logbooks-world-s-greatest-test-pilot-Eric-Winkle-Brown-saved-nation-displayed-British-museum-failing-sell-auction.html

At last a common sense outcome. Hope the FAAM can now be given the time to catalogue and prepare these items for future display.
Would be nice to see the Vampire F1 removed from the ‘gloom’ of the carrier deck exhibition, replaced by a Sea Venom, and displayed in conjunction Eric Brown’s collection.

Thankfully a great outcome for everyone 🙂 Looking forward to an opportunity to see them.

I wouldn’t be surprised if wasn’t Lord Ashcroft who gifted them.

That’s great news! Thanks for letting us know.

As Tiffyman says FAAM have got them;

BREAKING NEWS: We are delighted to announce that we have been able to secure the medals and log books of Captain Eric “Winkle” Brown following the intervention of an incredibly generous donor.

It is fair to say that Captain Brown was by many measures the Fleet Air Arm’s most significant pilot of the post-war period and we are thrilled and honoured to be able to class this collection as one of our own.

We can now preserve the record of innovation which is contained within Captain Brown’s log books which includes previously untapped information and display them for the world to see.

Captain Brown holds a world record for the most aircraft carrier take-offs – 2,407 and the most landings – 2,271, and on 3rd December 1945 became the first ever pilot to take off and land a jet aircraft – the Sea Vampire – on a carrier. He went on to make many contributions of wider significance to aviation history, using his Fleet Air Arm experience to fly a world record breaking 486 types of aircraft, and to test aircraft for other services and for allies.
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The Fleet Air Arm Museum was fortunate to work with Captain Brown in the last decades of his life and have been able to mark and honour his contribution in a number of ways. The Museum’s collections include the very Vampire Mk1 in which he completed his jet-powered flight, as well as the goggles and gloves which he wore during his tests; in 2015 Captain Brown himself unveiled a new bronze bust commissioned by the Museum which stands proudly in our galleries.

Just as importantly the Museum worked with him to record in detail the long span of his service to form a key part of the archive – which includes the nation’s most significant collection of naval pilots’ flying logs – of the Fleet Air Arm.

Medals have been secured by the fleet air arm Museum due to a generous donor