Mark Hanna

I posted this on a Facebook Mustang group last night…..

Skip-bombing in Mustangs…..
https://vintageaeroplanewriter.blogspot.com/2011/12/skip-bombing-p-51s-in-empire-of-sun.html?fbclid=IwAR1piJvjg3bTMoEsQjG-t1QXdKdgcXvInNwx04e7jCaNZIamE92q68bcS6E

Can’t believe it’s 20 years. I was at Deenethorpe with a group of friends having an amzing time being thrown around at low level by Denny Dobson. Came home on a real high to be told the news Mark was lost. I’ve always struggled walking around Duxford ever since. He was so friendly, always smiled & nodded if you saw him through the window when he was on the phone. Came out & chatted many times, was always so enthusiastic towards everyone. Last time I spoke to him was at Duxford after He’d just displayed the Hunter at the September show. I asked how awesome it’d be if Breitling sponsored a Hunter team, he said he has mentioned it to them & winked. We then discussed him flying my group of friends in the L-39, arranged it to happen over the winter period 🙁
Really hope a DVD does get released celebrating Mark & Ray, there must be loads of awesome stuff Steve O’Connor has.

Mark down low at Old Warden (a classic John Dibbs shot).

[ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:”none”,”data-size”:”full”,”data-tempid”:”temp_264309_1569478827961_555″,”title”:”MH434 – Mark.jpg”}[/ATTACH]​

I only got to see him fly a couple of times, along with Ray, dogfighting at East Fortune in the Spitfire and Buchon. A fantastic sight.

I may well watch one of the films they were involved in later today – Memphis Belle, Empire of the Sun, Piece of Cake, A Perfect Hero….?

Nice piece in FlyPast.
He certainly came across like a modest, down to earth guy…I’ve met many fine pilots and the best seen to share that quality.

That story renewed my curiosity so I found the accident report online, it’s available in English.

RIP and condolences to his family, friends and fans.

I met Mark once very briefly at Duxford coming out of a hangar he was very nice and polite shame I didn’t see him again RIP

Damn,, thats my birthday.

R I P

Great article on him in the current Flypast

Yes a beautiful tribute indeed. 🙂

Great article on him in the current Flypast

Mark was my hero & after his loss I found it hard to go to Duxford. I carried on to support Ray & OFMC. The atmosphere there changed & when Ray passed, the atmosphere left completely imo. I had many chats with Mark, always dreamed of flying in a Hunter with him. I had arranged to fly in an L-39, i told him & he asked why i had not asked him & that i should know he would gaurantee a much more exciting ride. I duly cancelled my flight & arranged to fly with him at the end of the season.

Thanks for this post,
I met Mark at the Hahnkosh in Germany flying the Big Beautiful Doll. His father Ray was also there. Two heroes at once. I was electrified and flipped over the spectators fence and talked with him may be five minutes. He was so accomodating and kind, answered all of my questions, let me shoot some pictures. I will never forget these minutes in my live.
Watching this clip caused me screaming.

I’ll never forget the two occasions I got to see Mark and Ray fly at East Fortune. Fantastic stuff.

Always had time for those who shared his passion

Indeed.
I was dropping a relative off at Heathrow Terminal 1 once and on walking back through the terminal heading for the car park, I spotted Mark, wearing his long black leather WW1 style flying coat, standing chatting to someone. As I walked past, I casually quipped to him as to whether he had ‘434 parked out on the ramp. The look of astonishment on his face that he’d been recognised like that still sticks in my memory, before he laughed and said no, and after an all too brief exchange of pleasantries I left him to his conversation with the other guy, who looked equally perplexed Mark had been recognised.

Beautiful tribute. An enthusiasts pilot. Always had time for those who shared his passion

Brilliant stuff, Mark and Ray sorely missed. Thanks Sarah and Steve for a great video. x

Wonderful ,thank you and the family for sharing.

Thank you Steve and Sarah, that was wonderful. Mark was my hero growing up and I think of him and Ray often. I never got to see Mark fly in person but was fortunate to see Ray twice, and meet him and get his autograph.

A wonderful birthday tribute.

Are those videos from a dvd Paul? Never seen them before. So nice seeing the Hannas interviewed.

Hello friends, I met Mark Hanna and his father Ray at the 1999 Hahnweide Airshow I went over the fence to Mark and his Spitfire MKXIX. He talked with me nice and gentle for a long time and posed for some nice pictures. I returned deeply impressed to the spectators range. The following flight was spectacular and made me breathless. I have to tell you that at this time I was flying extensively model airplanes and Mark flew this heavy Spitfire in the same manor as i did fly with my model airplanes: Fast, deep and lots of aerobatics.
I will never forget him. Thanks for this reminder!

Great videos Paul.