Most Types Flown

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question. Presumably we will never really know unless someone beats Eric Brown’s 487 and get in the Guinness Book of Records.

One of the things that needs to be taken into account is how the types are logged. I have over 120, but I’ll be the first to admit that I log a Cessna 172B and a Cessna 172K as different types, which is cheating. I also have a 1049 Constellation logged, and I sure as hell would consider a 1649 another “type.” And I have a B-17G but I’d consider a B-17F another addition to the list if I ever got the chance. Yet Eric Brown logged one “Spitfire” although he probably flew a dozen or more very different Spitfire Marks. So there are several different ways to skin this cat, and unless there are strict standards as to what can be logged as a separate type–are there?–I’d question some lists.

Steve Hinton has flown over 120 types of aircraft and has accumulated over 11,500 civilian flight hours and over 9,000 hours as pilot in command of warbirds.

mmitch,
I saw several pictures taken at the time of the filming but can’t remember the finer points – I wouldn’t be surprised however if the Group Captain went along with this type of spoof.

Being in Ops at the time of his take-off in the Storch I didn’t actually witness him leaving the ground but had plenty of time to go outside and see him overfly the rest of the camp as he seemed to be moving at a snails pace! A fine sight though and very good fun.

Regards, Paul

Paul Rowse.
Would that be the officer photographed being presented with an enormous ‘iron’ cross by Michael Caine. There was a featured in Aeroplane many years ago on the filming. I believe he took off across the runway!
mmitch.

Desmond Penrose, well over 300.

I’ve always thought that my old RAF St Mawgan CO, Group Captain Harry Archer must have been one of the most prolific RAF pilots of his day. Sadly, a quick google check has revealed that he passed away in 2014.

I remember talking with him in his office in 1976 about a large photo on his wall showing a B52 bomber and an X15 experimental aircraft along with their crews. In the picture the Group Captain (then a Sqn Ldr) was shown as the B52 captain with a young looking Neil Armstrong as the X craft pilot.

Harry Archer also flew most of the then current RAF aircraft including V bombers and fighters clocking up a grand total of 175 different types.

During the filming of ‘The Eagle has Landed’ at St Mawgan in the summer of 1976 he surprised us all by flying the film makers Feiseler Storch aircraft around the camp. A nice quiet change from the usual Canberras and Nimrods!

Another rather special airman sadly no longer with us.

Paul

I mentioned Dan because he already has a very high number – by 2013 he had flown 445+ types / marks so by now (as he continues as a test pilot) he must be creeping towards the 500.

Bob Hoover

Most likely the case, can’t be many other pilots still around with 300 odd types in the log book.

Although unlikely to be that amount, I wonder how many types Steve Hinton has logged?

Bob Hoover

Dan Griffith has a pretty impressive number.

I’d hazard a guess John Romain has a fair few types in his logbook.