MH434 Under the bridge! (Now includes photograph)
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ray Hanna flying under Winston Bridge, Co. Durham in 1988
From memory, I think Ray flew at about 200 kts.
Ray and Mark were respectively Chief and Deputy Chief Pilot.
The pilots, some sadly no longer with us, were:
Spitfire
Ray
Mark
Stephen Gray
Pete Jarvis
Howard Pardue - USA
Hoof Proudfoot
Carl Schofield
Brian Smith
John Watts
Messerchmitt
Walther Eichorn - Germany
Nick Grace
Reg Hallam
(Hope I haven't left anyone out.)
The two camera ships were a B25 and the Harvard which Mark and I shared at the time. I remember desperately trying to arrange time away from my 'day job' to fly the Harvard. Frustratingly, I was unable to do so and John Romaine was recruited.
The aft section of the rear canopy was removed and a camera mounted behind the rear cockpit. The cameraman faced backwards in the original seat - strapped in with a specially made safety harness. The Harvard was perfect for tail-chase shots of attacking aircraft. From that angle, the tail looked sufficiently like the tail of a Spitfire to be used as the sixth 'Spitfire' - there were only five.
Tudor Owen
From memory, I think Ray flew at about 200 kts.
Ray and Mark were respectively Chief and Deputy Chief Pilot.
The pilots, some sadly no longer with us, were:
Spitfire
Ray
Mark
Stephen Gray
Pete Jarvis
Howard Pardue - USA
Hoof Proudfoot
Carl Schofield
Brian Smith
John Watts
Messerchmitt
Walther Eichorn - Germany
Nick Grace
Reg Hallam
(Hope I haven't left anyone out.)
The two camera ships were a B25 and the Harvard which Mark and I shared at the time. I remember desperately trying to arrange time away from my 'day job' to fly the Harvard. Frustratingly, I was unable to do so and John Romaine was recruited.
The aft section of the rear canopy was removed and a camera mounted behind the rear cockpit. The cameraman faced backwards in the original seat - strapped in with a specially made safety harness. The Harvard was perfect for tail-chase shots of attacking aircraft. From that angle, the tail looked sufficiently like the tail of a Spitfire to be used as the sixth 'Spitfire' - there were only five.
Tudor Owen
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 15th Feb 2004 at 19:37.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PPRuNe Pop
I discussed the earlier problem about the Spitfire/Alain de Cadenet video clip with the OFMC a few days ago and I'm pleased to report they won't object if it's posted on Pprune.
I can't find my copy at the moment but if anyone else can post a link .......
Tudor
______________
Not low level and not a bridge in sight, but I've always liked these two pics.
Ray Hanna leading the Arrows in MH434
OFMC fighters in the early days - mid 80's
P51 - Carl Schofield, Spitfire - Mark, P40 - Ray.
Different Kittyhawk from the one used in recent years.
Photo by Ray's brother-in-law.
With the Harvard as camera-ship, that was the entire OFMC collection of those days in the air. The fighters were cruising gently - the T6 wasn't! Air-to-air shots became easier when we sold it and bought a Yak 11 in about 1990/91.
I discussed the earlier problem about the Spitfire/Alain de Cadenet video clip with the OFMC a few days ago and I'm pleased to report they won't object if it's posted on Pprune.
I can't find my copy at the moment but if anyone else can post a link .......
Tudor
______________
Not low level and not a bridge in sight, but I've always liked these two pics.
Ray Hanna leading the Arrows in MH434
OFMC fighters in the early days - mid 80's
P51 - Carl Schofield, Spitfire - Mark, P40 - Ray.
Different Kittyhawk from the one used in recent years.
Photo by Ray's brother-in-law.
With the Harvard as camera-ship, that was the entire OFMC collection of those days in the air. The fighters were cruising gently - the T6 wasn't! Air-to-air shots became easier when we sold it and bought a Yak 11 in about 1990/91.
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 23rd Feb 2004 at 17:50.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: south coast uk
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
)