Raynham George Hanna (August 28th 1928 - December 1st 2005) was a pilot and a collector of English planes

Ray Hanna is born on August 28th 1928 with Takapuna (New Zealand). He studies with the Grammar School of Auckland and learns how to control starting from 1947, involving himself on Tiger Moth. He then decides to engage in the Royal Air Force and, in 1949, succeeds in to this end treating to a ticket of boat for the England.

The fighter pilot

Ray Hanna begins its career as fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force in 1949, where it is formed on Harvard and Gloster Meteor. During its drive, it will on the occasion to control many piston apparatuses: Tempest V, Sea Fury, Balliol and Bristol-board Beaufighter.

Its first operational assignment sends it to the 79e squadron of the RAF with Gütersloh (Germany), where it will fly on Gloster Meteor FR9 for demanding reconnaissance missions which it will describe later like “ 4 years with less than 40 meters (of altitude)”. During the Fifties, it will control the near total of first British jet fighters, in particular the Vampire, Venom, Attacker, Sea Hawks, Swift and Javelin. In 1962, it receives the “Air Force Cross-country race” for its qualities of pilot.

The Red Arrows

To have received its qualification of instructor shortly after, Ray hanna knows his first experiment of lifting leader of patrol in 1957, directing a formation of 4 Hunter. In 1963, it off takes part in the patrol College Air Warfare Meteor before being selected in 1965 as a n°3 for the very new patrol of the Red Arrows. It will take him only one year to become leader about it. Under its leadership, this formation will be soon recognized like one of best the escadrilles lifting soldiers in the world, it is in particular him which will create famous “the Diamond 9”, true signature of Arrows. It in addition holds the record of longevity as a leader of this formation: 4 consecutive years, with more than 100 representations per annum. For its action within the Red Arrows, Ray Hanna will be seen adding a bar to its “Air Force Cross-country race” received in 1962.

The civil pilot

Ray leaves RAF in 1971 and begins a career of civil pilot. He will be first of all airline pilot on the company Lloyd International Airways where he will work on Boeing 707 before joining Cathay Pacific where he will officiate again on 707 during 7 years before passing on Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Ray Hanna will become the friend of the CEO of Cathay Pacific, Sir Adrian Swire, very fortunate Britannique residing at Singapore. Under its influence, Swire will be let convince to acquire a Spitfire IX. Swire proposed in Ray Hanna to control Spitfire at the time of air shows, and it will be the beginning of a particular relation between Hanna and the MH 434 (serial number of Spitfire), relation which will mark in the following years of very many spectators of meeting.

The collector of Warbirds

A few years later, Ray Hanna will repurchase the MH 434 in Swire and in 1981, with the assistance of his/her son Mark (also fighter pilot of the RAF, and which will disappear tragically in 1999 with the orders from a Messerschmitt Bf 109), it had constituted in the town of Duxford a collection of warbirds who will become the Old Flying Machine Company, today universally celebrates, as well for its air shows as for its participation in many films.

Thereafter, after the death of his/her son, Ray Hanna had started to gather a certain number of old planes with Wanaka, (New Zealand), where it probably planned to be withdrawn.

Without to have completely been able to conclude this project, Ray Hanna is deceased during its sleep on December 1st 2005, at 77 years, in the house which it had in Swiss. It is buried with Parham (Suffolk), at the sides of his Mark son. At the time of its funeral, a patrol of 5 apparatuses of Red Arrows carried out a passage in formation to honor the memory with one of their greater figure, then the famous Spitfire MH434, controlled by his/her friend Lee Proudfoot carried out a low passage.

Ray Hanna is unanimously recognized like one of the most talented pilot of its time. One of the more nice homage at the time of the advertisement of its death was returned by the famous aeronautical journalist Bernard Chabbert: “ It was a true character of reference, for my part the largest pilot of second half of the 20th century. And I do not say that in the air, to make a sentence. I saw Ray flying, in heaps of planes. And it flew in a Stearman with the same pleasure and the same intensity as in a warbird. When he worked in a cockpit of airliner, he became the Reference as regards piloting of heavy planes, functioning on a so high level that it was even difficult to perceive for an uninitiated person. Similar in a warbird, similar when it leadait the Red Arrows, to which it printed the style Red Arrows. ”

Its image remains in particular associated with its services in meeting during which it frequently carried out passages at very low altitude on its famous Spitfire Mark IX MH434.

Catalog of films

  • Flyboys (2006) (coordinator of the air scenes)
  • Tmavomodrý svet ( Dark Blue World ) (2001) (pilot of Spitfire)
  • Species (1995) (coordinator of the air scenes)
  • To rivet Wild (1994) (pilot of helicopter)
  • Memphis Beautiful (1990) (pilot Chief, controls Messerschmitt Bf 109) (not credited)
  • Piece off Cake (1988) (Televised series) (Chief controls)
  • Empire of the sun ( Empire off the Sun ) (1987) (coordinator of the air scenes, pilot of the Mustang)
  • Hope and Glory (1987) (pilot) (not credited)
  • The Blockhouse (1973) (pilot)
  • It is necessary to save the soldier Ryan ( Saving Private Ryan ) (1998) (air cascades)

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