A small PPRuNe farewell to 'Bee' Beamont

[InFinRetirement]

John Farley, Scroggs, New Bloke and myself attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Wing Commander Roland 'Bee' Beamont at St Clement Danes Church in London this morning. It was an occasion where some of the 'greats' of aviation were present including those, like Jimmy Dell, with whom 'Bee' shared a part of a sparkling career.. .. .We attended, because 'Bee' had been so generous in signing the TSR2 prints donated by Nearly Man. In spite of the illness that took his life, 'Bee' was determined to do this 'chore' one more time for the benefit of the PPRuNe wannabes. Something for which we should all be grateful. So far, those prints have raised over £1200, and they are still being sold regularly - albeit slowly.. .. .'Bee' Beamont will be remembered for his brilliant contribution to test flying - of the Lightning, Tornado, Canberra and, of course, TSR2. He nursed a controlled anger about the politicians who 'destroyed' TSR2 and I have no doubt that he will wait until they (James Callaghan, Roy Jenkins and Denis Healy) join him so that he can remind them of their uneccessary cancellation of a fine aircraft. He will probably ask them why they later blamed each other for its cancellation! . .. .When he was signing the prints, he told New Bloke and myself that he had a Guardian Angel who looked after him in all of his aviation life. Through the Battle of Britain, the rest of the war, and through the whole of his test flying career. Perhaps that is true, for he never had an accident or an incident through the whole of his flying life. It is, therefore, apt to think that today he is now with his Guardian Angel.. .. .As Jimmy Dell said today. "He has gone, but will never be forgotten.". .. .Not by PPRuNe he won't be, for a very long time.. . . . <small>[ 08 March 2002, 22:27: Message edited by: InFinRetirement ]</small>