Roger Topp
Roger Leslie Topp | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 May 1923 Chichester, West Sussex, England |
| Died | 6 March 2020 (aged 96) Norwich, Norfolk, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Service years | 1939–1970 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Unit | No. 111 Squadron RAF |
| Commands | No. 111 Squadron RAF (1955–1958) |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Air Force Cross with two Bars |
| Relations | Audrey 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.