The Royal International Air Tattoo 2002 will remember a leading British aviator when Europe's airshow takes off from RAF Fairford. Gloucestershire, over the weekend of 20/21 July. Commander Roland Prosper Beamont CBE, DSO and Bar. DFC and Bar died on 22 November 2001 aged 81 and. to celebrate the achievements of this remarkable 'nght stuff' test pilot. RIAT is planning a tribute flypast by an RAF Canberra flanked by a Tornado and Jaguar. The success of these high-profile aircraft owes much to the exceptionally talented Beamont. For three decades post-war. Bee was at the cutting edge of a race to create the new generation of jet aircraft. He was the first Briton to break the sound barrier, flying an American P-86 in 1948. and in the following year took the Canberra jet bomber on its maiden flight. It became one of the most successful British military planes of all time. still in service today over Afghanistan and elsewhere as a photo-reconnaissance platform. By 1954 Bee was test pilot for the PI Lightning, the first truly supersonic Bntish fighter, and on 27 September 1964 he was at the controls for the first test flight of the TSR2. the advanced supersonic bomber that was abruptly cancelled the following year. This u-turn remained the biggest professional disappointment of Bee's life. In the 1970s Bee worked on the Jaguar before his appointment as Director of Flight Testing for the Panavia Tornado front line jet - the final challenge of a long career devoted to British aviation.
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