Ray Hanna 28 August 1928 – 1 December 2005
 

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Booker 1971 - Photo David Rayment.

Many years ago I watched his Mk IX display at the Biggin Hill Air Fair. I reckon it was the pinnacle of the display pilots art….

I used to see RH on the display circuit and during a 'tent tea break' he related how he managed to wrangle a Tempest flight when attending a gunnery shoot in Germany.
He may have even 'swooped a ride' in whatever Jet he was there with.
The upshop was only the ground engineers were allowed to organise the starting of the monster, and he recalled the difficulty of climbing up the oil smothered wing, and after the start the whole front of the engine cowling seem to be doing a figure of 8 through the smoke.
I wonder if he ever put all down in writing.

First met Ray Hanna at Fairford in 1965 when The Red Arrows first formed there. I was a mere 15-year old ATC cadet but was immediately impressed by his presence and kept in touch with him right up until he passed away. A true legend as a pilot and a man to aspire to. I took this photo of him in his Red Arrows Gnat, XS111, at Kemble in March 1967
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