Sqdn Ldr Ray Hanna AFC*
 

With deep sadness I report that my good friend Ray Hanna died suddenly yesterday afternoon.



Ray, who was 77 years, joined the Royal Air Force in 1949 having learned to fly in his native New Zealand in 1947-48. Following training on the Prentice, Harvard and Meteor he was fortunate enough to fly such piston types as the Tempest V, Sea Fury, Balliol and Beaufighter. His first operational posting was to 79 Squadron, 2ATAF flying FR9 Meteors. In the fifties, he flew nearly all the early British jets including Vampires, Venoms, Attackers, Sea Hawks, Swifts and Javelins.

Ray first led a team of four Hunters in 1957, in 1963-64 was a member of the College of Air Warfare Meteor Team and, in 1965, was selected for the newly-formed Red Arrows as Red 3. He was appointed Leader the following year and remains the longest serving Leader in the history of the team.

His outstanding leadership is acknowledged as having made the Arrows the world-renowned aerobatics team they became and, in recognition, a Bar was added to the AFC he had previously been awarded for several feats of outstanding airmanship as a fighter pilot.

Ray retired from the RAF in 1971 for a new career in civil aviation, initially flying the Boeing 707 with Lloyd International Airways followed by seven years with Cathay Pacific, again flying the 707, and for two years the L-1011 Tri-Star.
In 1979 he was asked to head a private diplomatic 707 company with world-wide operations.

With his son Mark, who was so tragically killed flying an Me109 six years ago, he built up a vintage warbird collection at Duxford which ultimately became the renowned 'Old Flying Machine Company.' In addition to achieving acclaim on the display circuit, the OFMC has numerous movie credits.


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The Master in action


Ray was undoubtedly one of the finest display pilots ever, and widely regarded as the best of the best.


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Ray displaying his famous Mark IX Spitfire MH434 was a joy to behold, and a sight which will be sorely missed on the display circuit.

Most important of all, Ray was a fine man, a true gentleman. Not only did I have enormous admiration for his outstanding talent as a pilot and respect for him as a man, but I regard it as an honour to have been a friend.


Tudor Owen

We've lost a good man and a great aviator.
R.I.P.

I imagine it'll be some party when he meets up with Mark, Neil Williams, Hoof Proudfoot, Norman Lees, Bill Murton et al .


RIP

Oh No!

On behalf of all at CX who knew Ray for the absolute gentleman and quintessential aviator he was...

Per Ardua ad Astra

Ray Hanna.
 

What a shock.

A fine, totally unassuming man who I first met in 1971 at RAF Bicester Mess.

Ray was doing his ATPL at Oxford having just left the Air Force and Bicester was the best B&B around at the time.

Helped me no end with the peculiarities of the civvie flying world and it's even more peculiar exam requirements.

He was also one of the best exponents of how to treat an expensive warbird.

We have lost our mentor.

Duxford will never be the same.

Fly on, Ray.

Sleeve.

Very sad!
It was waching his displays that got me into flying in the first place.

He inspired me to fly when he signed an autograph for me, a wide-eyed kid, at a Biggin Hill airshow in the mid-sixties. Years later, I was fortunate to spend a few days working with his late son Mark, also a gentleman.

An aviation great.

Fly-on Ray.....

Terrible news,

on the Saturday of Flying Legends this year, Ray performed a particularly storming display in MH434, the rumours were that it was to be his last display at Legends.

Sadly this is now true. Airshows will never quite be the same again.

RIP Ray

A more charming and dedicated and outstanding pilot would be very hard to find. I deem it a great honour to have known him.

Sad news indeed. A truly great aviator.

RD

Really sad news - Biggin and Duxford will never be quite the same again.

He'll still be in a Spitifre somewhere...

Ray Hanna RIP
 

Ex-Reds leader and legendary Spitfire/Warbird pilot.



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I’m not sure I have the words to say how respected he was amongst airshow attendees and aircraft enthusiasts.

There are few post war pilots who’s names automatically pop into ones head when talking aviation – his is one of them.
He truly won’t be forgotten.

RIP

Very Sad News.

To my mind he was THE very best warbird display pilot in the world and there will never be any better, his displays were a joy to watch.

He will be sadly missed from the World of Aviation and there will be no other like him again.

Peter.

Stunned and shocked at the sad news!

I never even knew he was ill.

Surley an inspiration to all of us aviators alike, I am proud to have known Mark and met Ray many times.

You will be missed by both family and friends for a long time to come, the war bird community has lost a great flyer.

With sadness and tears. Puff.

RIP Ray, never forget the pleasant times we flew together for seven years. I missed you when you left, I miss you more now. For sure we'll fly together again someday in the future.

You may wish to look on History and Nostalgia for the posting by Flying Lawyer who is (was) a very good friend of Ray Hanna.






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Sad news
 

Just heard the very sad news from some of the Zim guys, then read the Lawyers post.
Ray Hannah was truly inspirational and he will be sadly sadly missed.
Deepest sympathy to the family and his old crew, especially our special Kenyan Patsy.

He was one of the finest Aviators of the last 50 years. He flew the 707 ZL or Spitfire MH434 with the same style and finess.

Please advise of any UK memorial service.

Sad news indeed & a loss to aviation. R.I.P Ray

Jamie, tried to ring before airborne. If you read this forum please pass to us info of anything planned informal or otherwise. Txs

I was never fortunate enough to meet him but to me he summed up all that was special about aviation.

A legend.

I worked for OFMC on an ad-hoc basis in the 80s (indeed, Flying Lawyer, I did a VOR mod to your Harvard).

Both Ray and Mark were great people to work with; Mark self-effacing and Ray quietly friendly with a (very) dry sense of humour.

Ray's death is a great loss not only to his family but to the warbird fraternity in particular and aviation in general.

Great shame.

A great loss.Used to listen with complete reverence when I saw him on T.V.
Watched in awe when I saw him display flying.

The ultimate pilot. RIP

What very sad news.

I had the great pleasure and honour to meet Ray and his son Mark at Duxford a few years ago, and 2 finer gentlemen you couldn't wish to meet.

My thoughts are with his family and his vast number of close friends. RIP Ray

TSM

It was watching him in MH434 that inspired me to learn to fly . Everytime I saw him taxiing in a Spitfire, he always had a huge smile on his face. It is an irreplaceable loss.

He has put out his hand...
 

...and finally touched the face of God.

To one man who often slipped the surly bonds in the most dramatic, exciting and peerless manner, you will be sadly missed.

God often appears selfish in taking the best pilots to join his squadron, but, in this case, you will surely be one of those to lead it. The Reds' sqadron motto of "Eclat" could not be used more suitably to describe your skills and professionalism.

Ray, a real pity that you didn't make it to 537's re-launch, but we will dedicate our launch-day flight to you. I know you'll be watching her take flight once more, and hope you're proud of seeing her fly again.

Say 'hi' to Jarvo and enjoy the sun-split clouds with your new laughter-silvered wings.

From all in the Red Arrows civvy community, RIP Ray, and thank you for all you did for aviation.

And, most of all, thank you for inspiring a three-year-old boy to earn his wings.

Very sad to hear of Ray's passing and my condolances to his family and friends. A great aviator indeed.

So long Ray, you will not be forgotten.







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I flew with Ray, in the seventies, in Cx. One of only two people I have flown with in almost forty years who could be described as a natural pilot. Whether in the flight deck or on a night stop, when you picked up the roster and saw you were flying with him, you just knew you were going to have a good time.

A very special man.

If you look ath the Reds' website under 'news' there are some good shots of Ray in his Red days.

RIP

Sad news indeed.

I never had the pleasure of meeting either Ray or Mark, but I did have a great deal pleasure watching their displays.

I think the first time I saw Ray display MH434 was when it was being auctioned by its previous owner. A few days before the auction Ray displayed it at Booker. At the time I was working in High Wycombe, and as our labs were just north of the airfield, I was trreated to a wonderful display .

Oddly I was showing the (in)famous video clip of Ray doing a low pass in the Spitfire just over the top of Alain deCadenet's head to some people at the flying club this morning.

The airshow circuit will be diminished by his passing

Brooklands

This is a huge tragedy and a sad, sad loss to aviation, especially to the display community.
I knew both Ray and Mark and consider myself privileged to have done so.

My deepest sympathy to his family and to you Tudor - I know you were close.

My team at Deltajets have also asked me to pass on their condolences.

KMB01

A good few years ago Ray took the time to sit a very inquisitive teenager in his "Spit" and explain everything. Two years later after a great of deal of saving and I became one of the few to fly on my own with a PPL.

I shall never forget that day. It's gentlemen like Ray that all of us should aspire to be like. Not just in our flying but also in our everyday lives. I'll be lifting up a pint tonight in memory of him.

He was friends with my parents when we lived in HKG while my Dad was with CX and I know they will be sadened by the news.

Kenny.

Very, very sad news....A true Gent...

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CM, pole pole,

Tried to call you too but the signal here is very bad.

I regret that I never had the chance to get to know Capt Hanna that well, as I was quite young when he retired to NZ, but his personality influenced many of our careers and I am sure many people will gather informally or otherwise to remember and celebrate the life of "Spitfire Ray".

I will think of his incredible displays often and of what skills he and Mark will be teaching angels.

JL

I am deeply saddened but a good life well lived I believe.

Several words are linked in my memory of some of the best days in British aviation: Black Sheds, Raymond Baxter, Folland Gnat, Red Arrows and Ray Hannah. And the greatest of these is Ray Hannah. RIP

That fabulous '"Oh My God" ( + expletives )' clip mentioned above by Brooklands, i.e. of Ray Hanna scaring the crap out of Alain de Cadenet, during a (very) low fly past in a Spitfire, can be seen here: Spitfire Low Fly Past <-- Nb. You can 'right click' on the link and select 'save target as'