Eric Brown: A Pilot’s Story 2015
Distributed by TDC Entertainment, 220 East 23rd St., Suite 405, New York, NY 10010
Produced by Quanta Films.
Directed by Nicholas Jones.
DVD, color with some black and white, 80 min. +18 min. of extras
Middle School - General Adult
European History, Technology, World War II
Date Entered: 12/10/2015
Reviewed by Alexander Rolfe, Technical Services Librarian, George Fox University, Newberg, ORAviation developed rapidly during and after World War II, and Eric Brown spent his life at the forefront of it. Brown tells of his work as a test pilot, going from flying bi-planes, to taking over Germany’s advanced aircraft at the end of the war, to landing the first jets on aircraft carriers. He seems to remember everything, and has many interesting things to tell about—being shot down, figuring out the weak points of enemy planes, and even interrogating Goehring after the war. Speaking of his time flying combat missions in Europe, he says “I enjoyed it, frankly. You’re not supposed to enjoy wars, but there you are.”
The interview is sometimes supplemented by historical footage, to show what Brown is talking about; at one point there’s a useful visualization about the physics of a plane approaching the sound barrier. The film is well edited and constitutes an important first-person account in the history of aviation.