Well, that IS interesting! Actually I wonder if this is actually ‘silver’ or perhaps white? It seem more logical that it was painted white to reflect the intense sun, or even to reflect the nuclear blast tests? Furthermore, the ‘crop spraying’ may be actually something to do with damping down any nuclear fallout, perhaps? XK410 actually ended its days on Christmas Island being s.o.c. on 13/2/63.

Yes indeed, the Royal Hong Hong Auxiliary Air Force had two AOP.6 and a T.7, which were replaced by two AOP.9s. The latter were painted white and somewhere I have a photo of one.

John,

I presume you have plenty of shots of G-AMPP when she was at Lasham in Dan Air colours?

Great stuff BC. Just love shots in snow with a clear sky. Re that blue T-33 with orange nose & tail across the other side. What does that scheme commemorate as I haven’t seen that before? Anyone know what the previous UK i/d of the Auster was?

…and from the ‘AR’ Archives come G-ASXI at Cranfield 2/7/88, G-AVTB at Wroughton 26/6/87 and G-AWJE (love the eyes! :rolleyes: ) also at Cranfield 2/7/88.

Out of those you list, I think only ‘OIR and ‘NZT are currently airworthy. The others are probably being worked on to fly again.
C-FPHZ was previously G-APHZ and is currently airworthy in Canada.
I flew in G-AOIX and ‘OEX at Thruxton, where they were built(or rather converted) in the early ’60s with the Wiltshire School of Flying. Ah, memories!

…oh and I forgot to mention that when we came out of the church, there was a certain chief photographer from a certain aviation magazine….so you may well see a photo or two!

Ray Hanna’s Memorial Service

Here is the Order of Service booklet. The church was absolutely packed. All the old faces were there from the Red Arrows thoughout the ’60s and ’70s. Superb and poignant addresses by Tudor Owen FRAeS, also by Sir Adrian Swire, Lee Proudfoot and daughter Sarah. A VERY moving service and excellent tribute to such a fine man.

This was one thing that I just felt compelled to do – to make a pilgrimage to London to show my respect for a man who I have greatly admired for 40 years. I first met Ray when the “Red Arrows” first formed at Fairford in 1965, but didn’t really get to know him until the team moved to Kemble the following year. I was a mere 16-year old ATC cadet and one telephone call to Ray was all it took to be invited over to Kemble by him to watch rehearsals. He always had time for me and never let me leave without giving me the latest brochure, publicity material and photographs. I lost track of him when he went to fly for Lloyd International and Cathay Pacific, but caught up with him again in the late ‘70s when he formed the Old Flying Machine company at Duxford. Amazing-he remembered me and was still the same man! I made a point of just saying ‘hello’ on every occasion I saw him, with the last chat being at Biggin Hill Air Fair in 2005 when he was part of the Red Arrows 40th Anniversary celebrations.

Yesterday’s service was packed out, the church being filled with lovely choir music. There were tributes by Sir Adrian Swire, whom he acquired Spitfire MH434 from, from Lee Proudfoot of the Old Flying Machine Company and a lovely poem entitled “The Airman” from daughter Sarah. However, the best tribute came from Tudor Owen, who is a pilot and London barrister specialising in aviation law and who got to know Ray through various dealings with him in this capacity. He related Ray’s love of aviation from his days watching Tiger Moths in New Zealand, followed by learning to fly, then working his passage to England and continuing flying lessons. He was then accepted by the RAF and Tudor went into great detail about certain ‘exploits’ when Ray was leader of the Red Arrows, to much amusement. His whole aviation life was related and personal life touched on, with reference to the sad loss of son Mark. Finally, after relating the magnificent Spitfire and warbird flying Ray executed during his final years, Tudor came full circle, back to that young boy that was stood watching Tiger Moths by the fence in Auckland – ‘THAT was Ray Hanna’, he said!

On that note, a bit of emotion overcame me!

At the end of the service, everyone started filing out and there were all the old faces I had known from the “Red Arrows” of the ‘60s and ‘70s, ‘Dinger’ Bell, his No.2, Henry Prince, Peter Evans, the very first Team Manager Dick Storer and subsequent leaders, Dickie Duckett, Ian Dick and Brian Hoskins, the last leader when the team flew Gnats.

I met up with them all afterwards and made a special point of personally thanking Tudor Owen for his Address.

Well done and a wonderful tribute!