Ray Hanna
28 August 1928 - 1 December 2005
Inaugural Red Arrows team 1965 (7 ship)Red 1 - Flt Lt L Jones; Red 2 - Flt Lt B A Nice; Red 3 - Flt Lt R G Hanna; Red 4 - Flt Lt G L Ranscombe; Red 5 - Fg Off P G Hay; Red 6 - Flt Lt R E W Loverseed; Red 7 - Flt Lt H J D Prince; Red 8 - Flt Lt E C F Tilsley
Red 1 in his second year.
(Still a 7-ship formation in 1966)Back: Flt Lt D R H McGregor (Red 9), Flt Lt H J D Prince (Red 6), Sqn Ldr R Storer (Manager), Sqn Ldr T G Nelson (Red 7), Flt Lt F J Hoare (Red 8)
Front row: Flt Lt P R Evans (Red 4), Flt Lt D A Bell (Red 2), Sqn Ldr R G Hanna (Red Leader), Flt Lt W A Langworthy (Red 3), Flt Lt R Booth (Red 5)
1967-68 The Arrows down low - while soaring higher and higher in world acclaim
(How the rules have changed since the good old days!)
1969 - 5th and final year with the Arrows and 4th as Leader - a record never broken(L-R) Flt Lt J D Rust (8), Flt Lt R B Duckett (4), Flt Lt P R Evans (2), Sqn Ldr R G Hanna (1), Flt Lt D A Smith (3), Flt Lt I C H Dick (7), Flt Lt E R Perreaux (5), Sqn Ldr R P Dunn (9)
Under Ray's leadership, the Team flew for the first time as a nine-ship and received worldwide acclaim for their dynamic precision formation flying.
In recognition, a bar was added to the AFC Ray had previously been awarded for feats of airmanship as a fighter pilot.
(Almost) on the track
The Biggin Hill crowd favourite
As always, total concentration before a display .....
..... but always time for a chat afterwards
..... and always time to encourage future generations of pilots
Father and son - mutual (and entirely justified) respect and pride
Leading the Breitling Fighter Team
Leading the Arrows again
A view I was privileged to see many times over the years but, sadly, never will again
Farewell Ray.
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