Roger Topp

Roger Leslie Topp
Born(1923-05-14)14 May 1923
Chichester, West Sussex, England
Died6 March 2020(2020-03-06) (aged 96)
Norwich, Norfolk, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1939–1970
RankAir Commodore
UnitNo. 111 Squadron RAF
CommandsNo. 111 Squadron RAF (1955–1958)
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsAir Force Cross with two Bars
RelationsAudrey Jeffery (m. 1945–1999, her death)

Air Commodore Roger Leslie Topp AFC (14 May 1923 – 6 March 2020) was a British Royal Air Force (RAF) officer, test pilot, and aerobatic innovator who founded the Black Arrows, a predecessor to the Red Arrows, the RAF's premier aerobatic display team. Topp is best known for leading the Black Arrows to achieve a world record for the largest number of aircraft looped in formation—22 Hawker Hunters—at the 1958 Farnborough Air Show, a record that remains unbroken.[1]

Early life

Roger Leslie Topp was born on 14 May 1923 near Chichester, West Sussex, the son of a farmer.[1] He was educated at North Mundham School and left at age 15 to join the RAF as a boy entrant in the apprenticeship scheme in 1939.[1] He began training at the wireless and radio school at RAF Cranwell, but the outbreak of World War II interrupted his three-year course.[1] After two years, he served as a wireless mechanic at RAF Gosport.[1]

Military career

World War II

In 1944, Topp was selected for pilot training and sent to Canada under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.[1] Upon returning to the UK, with the demand for fighter pilots reduced, he was reassigned to fly gliders due to heavy losses of glider pilots during D-Day and Arnhem.[1] In March 1945, during a glider operation near the Rhine, Topp made a forced landing and destroyed an enemy gun emplacement with an anti-tank rocket launcher, showcasing his courage under pressure.[1]

Post-war service

Topp elected to remain in the RAF after the war, joining No. 98 Squadron RAF to fly de Havilland Mosquito fighters in Germany with the British Air Forces of Occupation.[1] He later became an instrument flying instructor, training pilots across multiple squadrons, and was awarded his first Air Force Cross (AFC) in 1950 for his instructional work.[2]

In 1950, Topp attended the Empire Test Pilots' School at Farnborough and remained as a test pilot at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). He conducted high-risk trials, including airborne structural testing of the de Havilland Comet following catastrophic crashes in the Mediterranean, earning a second Bar to his AFC in 1955.[2]

Black Arrows and No. 111 Squadron

In January 1955, Topp assumed command of No. 111 Squadron RAF ("Treble One") at RAF North Weald, later moving to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk.[3] Facing low morale, he introduced aerobatics to boost the squadron's spirit, forming the Black Arrows in 1956.[4] Under his leadership, the Black Arrows performed a world record-breaking loop of 22 Hawker Hunters at the 1958 Farnborough Air Show, followed by the first-ever 16-aircraft barrel roll.[3][1] This feat, accomplished on 7 September 1958, remains unmatched for the largest formation loop in aviation history.[3][5]

Topp also set a speed record on 8 August 1956, flying a Hawker Hunter from Edinburgh to London at an average speed of 717.504 mph, covering 331.6 miles in 27 minutes and 52.8 seconds.[2] He handed over command of No. 111 Squadron and the Black Arrows to Squadron Leader Peter Latham in October 1958.[3]

Later career

In 1959, Topp was promoted to Wing Commander and served as an air defence operations officer at Brockzetel, Germany.[1] He retired from the RAF in 1970 as an Air Commodore.[4] His aerobatic displays with the Black Arrows laid the groundwork for the formation of the Red Arrows in 1964, which cemented his legacy in RAF aerobatic history.[4][6]

Personal life

Topp married Audrey Jeffery in May 1945; she predeceased him in 1999. They had a son and a daughter.[1] Known for his modesty, Topp emphasized manners and respect, telling his son, "Manners are paramount, as is respect for others."[1] On his 90th birthday in 2013, he was reunited with his restored Hawker Hunter, named "Blackjack" after his call sign, at Wattisham Airfield Museum.[7]

Topp died on 6 March 2020 in Norwich, Norfolk, aged 96.[4] Tributes highlighted his inspirational role in aerobatic aviation, with historian David Eade noting that Topp's "foresight" influenced the Red Arrows.[4]

Legacy

Topp's leadership of the Black Arrows and their record-breaking performances elevated the RAF's aerobatic reputation, directly influencing the creation of the Red Arrows.[4] His contributions were recognized with three AFCs and widespread admiration within the aviation community.[2] Posts on social media following his death underscored his impact, with one user stating, "Leading 22 Hawker Hunters in a loop is no mean feat! Blue skies, Sir."[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Air Commodore Roger Topp, pilot who flew gliders after D-Day and formed the Black Arrows display team – obituary". The Telegraph. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Air Commodore Roger Topp AFC". 111 (F) Squadron Association. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Black Arrows". Wikipedia. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Tributes paid to Black Arrows leader Roger Topp, who inspired the RAF Red Arrows". East Anglian Daily Times. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ^ @CcibChris (15 February 2025). "Black Arrows, one of predecessors to Red Arrows, aerobatic demo team formed 1956 by S/L Roger L.Topp..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "The Red Arrows: a history". Boundless by CSMA. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  7. ^ "RAF Black Arrows Hawker Hunter 'presented' to ex-pilot". BBC News. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ^ @MikeLingPilot (12 March 2020). "Sad to learn that the Black Arrows leader Roger Topp, who inspired the @rafredarrows, has passed away..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.

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