AGAINST the SUN

Signed twice on the title page by

Wing Commander Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont
13th July 1956
23 May 1985

Published by Cassell & Company. First edition, first printing 1955.  270 pages and well illustrated with photographs.

A Near Fine condition hardback book in dark blue boards with silver titles.  The book is generally clean with a little scattered spotting mainly to the edges of the text block. There are are four light residual tape marks on the front and rear end papers from a previous protective cover.  With a Fine condition unclipped dustjacket in a new protective wrapper (with no tape!)

From flying Hurricanes in the Battles of France and Britain to leading a Typhoon Squadron and later a Tempest Wing into action, Roland Beamont became one of the world’s foremost test pilots.  His experiences during 40 years of test flying include production testing the wartime Hawker fighters, developing Britain’s first jet fighter, the Meteor; Britain’s first jet bomber, the Canberra; Britain’s first supersonic fighter, the P1 which became the Lightning and later, after the publication of this book,  the fabulous but ill fated TSR2 and the Jaguar and Tornado amongst many others. 

Written in the 1950’s when test pilots were national celebrities, this biography pre-dates Beamont’s first memoir ‘Phoenix into Ashes’ by over a decade. The style is more akin to contemporary books such as ‘Reach For the Sky’ and ‘Fly For Your Life’. Consequently this is a very readable book, telling of Beamont’s RAF career, time as a POW and involvement in testing of the early jets which were still classified as secret.

A unique copy of this period book double signed on the title page some 30 years apart.