Roy Braybrook - RIP

Mike Pryce

Mike Pryce

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I have just heard, via the latest Hawker Association newsletter, that Roy Braybrook passed away last June.

Another of the great authors who got me, and probably many on this forum, interested in aircraft has gone to the great aviation library in the sky.

He was also, of course, a designer in the Hawker Project Office, and helped me and others with their research over the years.

A very sad loss indeed.
 

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I remember him well. In my early days at HSA he was a fixture in the library, always researching his next article. Have quite a few of his books, too. RIP
 
Sad news (been some time since I visited this site).

For many years Roy and I exchanged letters about aircraft and similar matters but we never met. He put me in contact with his close friend John Crampton, Squadron Leader (ret.), DFC, AFC, and 'the tallest office guy here' as he put it describing what he did at Pall Mall 100 (BAe H.Q.). His job was to sell Harriers, I know now. Sadly John passed away ages ago, but we had a lot of fun, and corresponded a lot! Nowadays known as the man behind the Jiu Jitsu flights.
 
Roy was my friend when as a young man I worked at Head Office based at HSA Kingston. I never forgot a mad nail biting drive back from Farnborough as a passenger in his Morris 1100. Also how despite my life being made a misery by the hateful Chief Public Relations Officer David Bastard Bainbridge, Roy was a great and kind sympathetic inspiration with his dry sense of humour and his incredible modesty he would have been a brilliant poker player he was so laid back. The Harrier Sales Team headed by Bill Bedford used Roy's expertise in their quest to sell Harriers worldwide. Sadly, we all know that venture failed for reasons I will never understand. Whilst at Kingston I had the keys to the "giveaway cabinet" that included Cuff Links, Neck Ties, Parker Pens, Cigarette Lighters, Aircraft Models etc etc, it delighted me in letting my friend Roy take his pick and yet he was very circumspect and might reluctantly have a couple of Harrier ties, typical Roy!!
I contacted Roy again a couple of years ago after he had moved to New Zealand if I am not mistaken??? Of course like so many of us I so regret I lost touch with a dear friend for many years but with such special friends the memories never die. In moments of stress people like Roy were a wonderful kind inspiration to who was at that time a very young man who had the misfortune of having at very malicious boss. Who by the way, hated Roy because he was everything he was not!! I got the impression that many people in very senior management at HSA were very wary of Roy's unique talent.
 
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gwiz said:
I remember him well. In my early days at HSA he was a fixture in the library, always researching his next article. Have quite a few of his books, too. RIP
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Did we know each other?for a while I worked in Press Intelligence next door to the library and Evlin Covington. Mike Richardson
 
Mike Pryce said:
I have just heard, via the latest Hawker Association newsletter, that Roy Braybrook passed away last June.

Another of the great authors who got me, and probably many on this forum, interested in aircraft has gone to the great aviation library in the sky.

He was also, of course, a designer in the Hawker Project Office, and helped me and others with their research over the years.

A very sad loss indeed.
Click to expand...
Roy and I never met but I've read some of his books and some of his writings in various magazines, and talked with him over the phone! And he put me in contact with his best friend, John Crampton, Sqr. Ldr., RAF, DFC AFC, who I visited a few times, both at Pall Mall 100 (Bae H.Q.) and at his home in East Horsley, over the years. We were as nuts about model aircraft. Both were great guys, but eventually, John's health took a beating, and he passed away some 12 years ago.

Remember talking to Roy after the Gripen crash in Stockholm, that could have had dire consequences, but not a single person was hurt, but a hundred bikes were smashed to smithereens. Even the pilot got just minor damage! Roy pointed out that new aircraft models don't always handle as planned, so sh*t happens.
 
overscan (PaulMM) said:
Yep, those were some of the highlights of my Air International subscriptions, along with the detailed articles on Soviet aircraft.
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The same, the same. Roy's articles were a fantastic source of both arcane and detailed aircraft knowledge! He and Eric 'Winkle' Brown taught me a lot!
 
Mike Richardson said:
I contacted him a couple of years ago after he had moved to New Zealand if I am not mistaken. Of course like so many of us I so regret we lost touch for many years but with such special friends the memories never die. In moments of stress people like Roy were a wonderful kind inspiration.
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He was in South Africa I believe.
 
Mike Richardson said:
gwiz said:
I remember him well. In my early days at HSA he was a fixture in the library, always researching his next article. Have quite a few of his books, too. RIP
Click to expand...
Did we know each other?for a while I worked in Press Intelligence next door to the library and Evlin Covington. Mike Richardson
Click to expand...
Very likely. I joined APG from college in 1966, moved downstairs to Aerodynamics in 1976.
 

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