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Mark Hanna died in a flying accident at
Sabadell, near Barcelona, Sept. 26 1999 aged 40. He was born on
August 6, 1959.
Mark Ashley Hanna was born into an aviation family in Berkshire
on the 6th August, 1959. Educated at Kimbolton School,
Huntingdonshire, it was a foregone conclusion that he would join
the RAF, having first been taught to fly by his father, Ray
Hanna (a former leader of the Red Arrows) from a small coral
strip in the Philippines. The aircraft was a T-34, and he was
only sixteen.
A successful career as a fighter pilot followed, flying Hunters
and then F4-Phantoms with 111, 56, 29 and 23 squadrons -
including a tour of duty in the Falklands. He left the RAF in
1988 to run the Old Flying Machine Company which he had set up
with his father in 1981, specifically to preserve, maintain and
exhibit rare vintage aircraft. With growing public interest in
aircraft of this type, the business expanded steadily and today
includes many of the great military piston-engined fighters,
together with several early British, American and Russian jets.
Mark was always generous with his time and attention, was
considerate, forthright, wonderfully prejudiced and great
company. His legion of admirers in the public at large and in
flying circles admired him for his skill and prowess in the air,
but that was only the exercise of a God-given talent allied to
superb schooling and dedication. He flew with both authority and
feeling, for flying was his greatest passion and one which he
always endeavoured to share with the general public. Interviewed
recently, Hanna, who had flown more than 100 different types,
discussed the popularity of the company’s aircraft at air shows:
"The older generation remembers both World War II and early
jets, and younger people hear their parents talk of those days
and realise what emotive things historic aircraft can be. The
OFMC can put such aircraft into the skies once more, including
the great adversaries of the Battle of Britain."
Major films in which he acted as both aerial advisor and chief
pilot included Empire of the Sun, Air America, Tomorrow Never
Dies, Memphis Belle, Piece of Cake and Saving Private Ryan.
However, he was not always enthusiastic with some film
directors, who sometimes could not accept the art of the
possible when it came to flying. Exceptionally, Steven Spielberg
accepted this and did have a great understanding and feeling for
aerial imagery. Hanna said "My father and I each flew Mustangs
in Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun and the consequent footage was
quite remarkable."
Occasionally, flying World War II aircraft in Europe could
create bizarre situations which appealed to Hanna’s dry sense of
humour. A few years ago, he was flying over Germany in a
Messerschmitt Me 109 in formation with an American P-51D Mustang
- deadly enemies in 1944 and 1945. The aircraft became low on
fuel and, as a precaution landed at a USAF base; "A serious
looking US Air Force guy drove out to meet us; he plainly
thought we had passed through a time warp. He shouted: " Are
these planes armed?" I said "Not since 1945."
"I’m not sure he understood the joke!"
Throughout the airshow and aviation film industry Mark was known
as the "Golden Boy" of aviation and was acknowledged to have
become a legend in his own lifetime
Mark was buried at a private funeral at Parham in Suffolk on
Wednesday 6 October 1999.
The Hanna's wish to extend their most sincere thanks to the many
individuals who sent messages of sympathy and support.
A celebration of Mark's life took place on Tues 16 November 1999
at St Clement Danes in London.
The family invite continued support and donations to the Guinea
Pig Trust at the address below;
The Guinea Pig Trust
Mr J A Sandeman-Allen DSM
Dingley Dell
Rydon Acres
Stoke Gabriel
TQ9 6QJ
Tel: 01803 782405
The Guinea Pig trust funds research at the
Blond-McIndoe Centre.
The institute is researching nerve regeneration and wound
healing techniques for burns victims. They are attached to the
Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead; pioneers of this kind
of work during World War II, and hence the association with the
Guinea Pig Club.
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