Summary: Any of Brien Wygle’s achievements would be enough for most of us to dine-out on for the rest of our lives. A World War 2 pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy. A man who flew Hump missions in a vulnerable C-47s and who saw three of his comrades go down in a single day. A pilot who volunteered to fly bombing missions for the fledgling Israeli Air Force, who taught Howard Hughes to fly jet aircraft and who became a notable test pilot and yet was one of the most unassuming people you would want to meet.<br> <br> Much of Brien's love of flying came from magazines and building model aircraft.<br> <br> <br> <br> As a young man Brien saw a formation of Hurricanes which lit the flame of his desire to become a pilot.<br> <br> <br> <br> Brien's flying training started in the Tiger Moth.<br> <br> <br> <br> Brien's first operational type was the Douglas Dakota.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Brien spend much time in the Far East flying dangerous mump missions and supply drops to the Chindits.<br> <br> <br> <br> Back in Canada, Brien got some rare jet time on the De Havilland Vampire.<br> <br> <br> <br> Joining Boeing, Brein started work flying the B47.<br> <br> Famously, Brien was the project test pilot for the Boeing 737.<br> <br> <br> <br> Posing with Lew Wallick after a successful maiden flight of the B737.<br> <br> <br> <br> Brien was also part of the crew that flew the maiden flight of the B747.<br> <br> <br> <br> Brien Wygle passed away on the 15th of September 2929.<br> <br> <br> <br> Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Phil Major, MOD, RAF, RCAF, Bill Barnes Magazines, USAF, RAF, Boeing Corporation.
