Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib R7752 PR-G. by M A Kinnear.

Aircraft History: First delivered to 609 West Riding Squadron June 1942. It was the personal aircraft of Squadron Leader Roland Beamont whilst he was the Commanding Officer at 609. R7752 was damaged by enemy anti aircraft fire off Vissingen and crash landed at RAF Manston on 1st June 1943. The pilot, Squadron Leader A Ingle DFC, AFC, the Commanding officer of 609 at the time, was uninjured. R7752 was struck off charge 25th August 1943.

Wing Commander Roland P Beamont, CBE, DSO and bar, DFC (USA) DL: Born 10th August 1920, Roland Beamont joined No. 87 squadron in France during November 1939. Returning to England 20th May 1940 (having destroyed a Do17 and an ME109) he went on to destroy a further three enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain. In June 1941, he was posted to No.79 Squadron as Flight Commander. In December 1941 he went to Hawker Aircraft Ltd as a Service test pilot flying Hurricanes. On 29th June 1942, he was posted as Flight Commander to Hawker Typhoon equipped 609 Squadron at Duxford, and took command of the squadron in October. He returned to Hawker Aircraft during May 1943, to test fly the Tempest. In February 1944, he was tasked with forming the first Tempest Wing, No.150 at Castle Camps and later Newchurch. When leader of the five squadron Tempest Wing No.122 over Germany on 12th October 1944, Roland Beamont was shot down by ground fire and became a POW. During his time with No.150 and No.122 Wings he destroyed one Bf109, one Fw190, one Ju188 on the ground, and thirty two V1 flying bombs. After the war Roland Beamont became Chief Test Pilot for English Electric, test flying the Canberra, P1, Lightning and TSR2 aircraft. He was the first British pilot to fly a British aircraft at Mach 1 in level flight, and later Mach 2. After serving as Director of Flight Operations for the Tornado test programme he retired and became a respected author.

Open edition print.

Image size 16.5 inches x 11.5 inches (42cm x 30cm)