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Fighter Test Pilot

Fighter Test Pilot

Ref: 4292

In stock

Price: £12.00

sadly, flyingbooks is now closed.

{detailed description}'There was no power left, and with hot smells and shuddering vibration the propeller ground to a rigid stop. Now skimming the ground in heavy sleet, the fields beyond the cliff tops were only dimly visible and then, when bracing for a belly landing, a church tower appeared dead ahead. A skating turn with heavy rudder just cleared the buildings. The sloping field came up with a rush and the Typhoon hit tail-first with a resounding "clunk". At this point it became noticeable that there was blood all over the place and events became blurred .. '
Thus ended one of Roland Beamont's low-level sorties over Occupied Europe in an aircraft which, as a test pilot, he helped to turn into a war-winner. Earlier, he had trained in the beautiful silver biplanes of the pre-war Royal Air Force, then flown Hurricanes into battle over France and beleaguered Britain. Later, he would test-fly Tempests, Meteors, Canberras, Lightnings, the ill-fated TSR2 and the Jaguar amongst many others — including delightful home-built light aircraft — and become flight test director on the fabulous Panavia Tornado programme.
Roland Beamont is not just the first British pilot to exceed the sound barrier, he has broken many other world flying records and his handling of prototype aircraft at air displays has produced many disbelieving gasps. In this book he recounts many of his varied experiences, from wartime incidents like the above to such occasions as, when demonstrating the Canberra at Farnborough, a horrified control tower told him the aircraft was 'dropping pieces' or when, on a TSR2 flight, the undercarriage failed to open properly necessitating a very 'tip-toe' landing.
Throughout this book, two things become especially apparent: one is the author's sheer delight in flying; the other is his cool, emotionless approach to test flying which can only be summed up in one word — professionalism. Illustrated with many unpublished photographs, this is a book which will enthral anyone learning to fly, qualified pilots or those interested in the last forty years of aviation in general.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Roland Beamont
Published by PSL 1986 1st edition. 160pp profusely illustrated, index, appendices. 17x24
{condition}very good including d/j.
{delivery info}
The following tables show the shipping costs for this book only.
Multiple purchases will have their costs calculated at the checkout, where the delivery method may also be selected.
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U.K.tracked
first class (1-2 days)£4.75
second class (2-3 days)£4.25

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