Hawker Typhoon
of 609 West Riding Squadron. Aviation art print showing the Hawker Typhoon
of Squadron Leader Roland Beamont of 609 Squadron which took part in the
D-Day Landings, Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.
Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear.
Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib R7752 PR-G.
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. His personal victory tally is shown in greater detail in the pencil
drawing. 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.
609 Squadron came into being on the 10th February
1936 as part of the expanding Auxiliary Air Force. Initially a bomber
squadron equipped with Hawker Harts. On 8th December, 1938, the Squadron's
role was changed from bomber to fighter and the squadron took delivery of
its first Spitfires Mk I during August 1939. The squadrons first victory
was a Heinkel HE111 H-2 of 2/KG26 which was shot down near St. Abbs Head,
27th February 1940, by Flying Officer G. D. Ayre, Pilot Officer J R
Buchanan and Flying Officer D Persse-Joynt. 609 squadron was, it is said,
the first Spitfire Squadron to reach 100 victories (Ju88 A-5 1/KG51) on
21st October 1940. The victory was shared by Flight Lieutenant F J Howell
and Pilot Officer S J Hill. During April 1942, 609 began to replace its
Spitfires with Hawker Typhoons, and went on to become the first Typhoon
squadron with 227 victories. Based at many RAF Stations 609 was in action
throughout WWII, covering the Dunkirk evacuation, the Battle of Britain
and supporting the D-Day landings as part of the 2nd TAF. There were many
decorations awarded to squadron members, these included 3 DSOs, 22 DFCs
and Bars and 4 DFMs. On 16th December 1947, King George VI gave permission
for use of the Royal Prefix for all Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons. 609
Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was disbanded on 10th March 1957,
whilst equipped with Gloster Meteors F8 at RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire.
On 1st October, 1999, 609 (west Riding) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air
Force, was re-formed at RAF Leeming operating in the guise of Air Defence
Support Squadron (ADSS).
Welcome to Cranston Fine Arts, Military, Naval and
Aviation art print searchable database for use by customers of Cranston
Fine Arts and authorised trade outlets around the world.
Cranston Fine Arts, publishers and distributors of over
2400 prints
available from Cranston Fine Arts or authorised dealers around the world.
