Bob Elliott and Eric Brown, RIP -- February 26, 2016

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I somehow missed learning about the death of Bob Elliott, partner of the late Ray Goulding.  I grew up listening to them on radio comedy programs and occasionally seeing them on television.  They taught me a lot about timing, deadpan and absurdism.

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I did learn about the passing of Captain Eric Brown, CBE, RN.  He was a Fleet Air Arm pilot who was one of the great test pilots of the Twentieth Century.  He holds records for things like most aircraft carrier takeoffs and landings (2,407 and 2,271) and having flown the greatest variety of airplanes (487).  People like to point out that the 487 includes only one entry for the Spitfire while he flew 14 marks of the Spitfire and the Seafire.  He flew the rocket powered Me 163 and lived to tell about it.