WIX Archives
Re: Terrible news . Roland Beamont dies
Posted by TonyD on Wed Nov 21, 2001 04:53:52 PM
In reply top Terrible news . Roland Beamont dies posted by Tony on Wed Nov 21, 2001 09:06:18 AM
This was terribly sad news. I was lucky enough to chat to the great man. A real boys own hero, Battle of Britain pilot, Typhoon & Tempest, famous test pilot. Arguably the Canberra with its great overseas success was mostly down to him.
The saddest thing is that I work in flight test at the base he first flew the TSR2 and Lightning from and many of my colleagues said 'who?'
We have few of these great heroes nowadays...just pokemon for the kids and virtual gameboy heroes.
He was modest and unlike some more brash test pilots I could mention. If we had a Hall of Fame in the UK he would have been inducted in years ago. Adieu Roly.