Spitfire MH434 'Last Post' - A Tribute to Ray & Mark Hanna - Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2019
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- This is the finale to The Imperial War Museum, Duxford's 'Saturday edition' of their 2019 Battle of Britain Airshow.
A simply wonderful solo performance by pilot Brian Smith, flying The Old Flying Machine Company's famous Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXB, MH434, G-ASJV.
The display was dedicated to the memory of Squadron Leader Ray Hanna (1928-2005), a former leader of the RAF Red Arrows and to his son, Mark Hanna (1959-1999), also an ex RAF pilot. Both of whom were founders of The Old Flying machine Company, together with Sarah Hanna.
The evocative display was accompanied by a version of 'The Last Post', arranged by Graham De Wilde, which can be found on the musical album entitled 'The Red White and Blue'.
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Sublime, thank you. Like a fine musical instrument, MH434 carries a legacy of the maestros who made her sing over the years. Especially Neil, Mark and of course the great Ray. I'm sure she misses him.. I know I do.
Really lovely. Thank you for posting. Brian Smith turned in an exquisite display that day, loaded with memory and meaning. It was officially a tribute to Mark's loss, 20 years earlier. I was lucky enough to see it from the tower, and I'm not ashamed to say, as Mark's sister, that I wept. Another pilot I know who was up on the tower too said that as Brian pulled up in to the bluest of skies at the end, it looked as though the gods, jealous of such loveliness, were trying to pull the Spitfire into their heaven. It was a truly masterly display.
As to the chap below who calls himself Viper - such a well chosen tag - his comments are hugely regrettable, and woefully inappropriate given that he appears to have met him just once.
This has brought tears to my eyes.
I was lucky enough to see Mark and Ray flying warbirds in New Zealand many times.
They were both masters.
❤
Never to be forgotten and they both left a lasting legacy. May they both continue to soar through footless halls of air.
High Flight
BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,-and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew-
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
I honestly don’t think man has created anything else as beautiful as the Spitfire ... it’s simply mesmerising
Yes Richard I agree. Artists find it very difficult to capture. There are few who got it just right. Some miss the wings, or the spinner, some just get their "Marks" mixed up. I have screenshots and prints of "The Few" artists who got it!
I can think of two other beautiful British designs. The Jaguar E Type and Concorde.
I agree, it's a flying work of art
Probably the best evocative and emotive tribute to three flying legends Rest In Peace Mark & Ray Hannah long may your beautiful Spitfire continue to grace our sky's.................................Blue Sky's Forever.................
I was proud to have been there on the day. I travelled from Newcastle and it was worth every mile 🇬🇧
This year's is looking good too!👍
@@HighFlight I'll be there 👍
One of the very few pieces of music that can be played whilst a Spitfire is displaying... simply beautiful
I always get teary-eyed seeing and hearing a Spitfire it is a reminder to the younger generation that men gave us their today so we can have our tomorrow.
RIP to all of the men who never made it home
Well written Matt, I used some of your words on my timeline when I shared this video. I was privileged to have been at the BoB show last weekend at Duxford.
@@philipclayton4766 your more than welcome to use anything I have written thank you for your video hope you are doing well and ill subscribe to your channel
Oh my word, what a truly moving tribute.
My unicorn...beautiful display by MH434...I remember watching Ray Hanna fly her back in the early 00's, always bought a lump to my throat, pure grace!
Grandad I know I wasn’t the first son of a son and we never got on, but thank you to you and uncle Jack for putting up the fight in WW2
Wow that brought a tear to the eye thanks for this
The Spitfire and E Type Jag two of the most beautifully designed machines ever
Both British both engineering perfection
Both will live on forever
So true - maybe somebody should start making 100% 'new build' replicas of both?
@@HighFlight They already make 100% replicas a lot of flying ones are
@@ChickenNugget-dk9hp Yes, I agree. Most of the newly appearing Spitfires are actually new build replicas with recovered original data plates and a few non critical parts. You can never have too many though! I'm not sure if there are any replica or new build 'E' type Jaguar's yet though?
What a beautiful aircraft with the soundtrack of WW2.
Lovely soundtrack to a fitting tribute, and excellent videography. I know it's been a couple years now, but the video holds up beautifully! So nice to be spared the Top Gun theme!😵
Many thanks. I'm glad that you enjoyed the film.👍😊
I was airbourne within my Dad in a cessna 152 a few miles away when Mark flew under Winston Bridge (Co. Durham) in 87 or 88 I beleive. We landed back at Teesside Airport just after Mark and MH434, parked on the same ramp and got my photo with Mark and MH 434. Mark let me look at cockpit (with door opened down)😆 . I known She was Ray's Bird , but seemed Mark even had His intials in Her Name.😊
Seen Her again in 2008 have a full Service and Restore at Duxford. I just stood there and went...... "Awwwww, ..... Helloooooo"😉😂
A great story and memory. It was 7th July 1988 I believe, although the records only appear to show that Ray Hanna was the pilot for the 'stunt'. I've read that Mark was watching from the river bank and stated that he looked away as the Spitfire went under the bridge and also said that he wouldn't himself have done the 'stunt'. Thanks for sharing the memory with us. Ray and Mark Hannah are both sorely missed and left an indelible mark and legacy in aviation history.
Great video. This spitfire looks beautiful indeed, especially watching this plane flying in the air. Yes It’s very sad about those pilot’s. Spitfire is one of my favourite fighter aircraft from the Second World War. Thanks for sharing this, and all the best ... Josh
Thanks Josh. All the best to you as well:)
Impressively smooth flying Brian !
She truly is the Prima Ballerina of the skies. Such grace, elegance and precision as she jumps, turns and pirouettes around her aerial stage to the beautiful musical accompaniment of those Rolls Royce engines. Yet paradoxically this beautiful, majestic aircraft was also an incredibly effective killing machine.
A beautiful and moving tribute.
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing mate.
Hardly a comment needed.. beautiful. I believe even the great Alex Henshaw said that Ray was the master of Spitfire displays..
A. Henshaw....Never heard of Geoffrey Quill then?? Henshaw was too much of the mouth,but in that singular case he was mostly right.
@@robertgilbert1987 It's Jeffrey Quill, and Alex Henshaw was the brilliant chief production test pilot at the Castle Bromwich factory throughout WW2. He certainly wasn't a 'mouth' and all he got for his war work was a measly MBE.
The film of Alex displaying a Spit in front of Churchill is The Best I have seen.Inverted low passed Winnie stunned him!
Alex test flew more Spits than anyone but modestly said he couldn't shake his Czech pilot Jichda off his tail.Alex held the record to Cape & back for decades.
Just stunning !!!!!!!
A really impressive display and a fitting tribute the Ray and Mark, I think it is fair to say that they started the whole display events that we now enjoy so much, so it is fitting that MH434 should put on this display, who was flying on this day ?
Chris - Brian Smith was flying MH434 for this display. Also flying in other aircraft during the day were Cliff Spink, Alex Smee, Nick Smith, Adrain Barton, Chris Carver, Sean Perrett, Charlie Brown, Anthony Parkinson, Martin Overall, Jim Schofield, Pete Kynsey, Peter Teichman, Rolph Meehum, Dave Harvey, John Romain, Roger Bailey, Paul Bonhomme, Chris Gotke, Eskil Andal, Jon Gowdy, Mark Linney, Will Greenwood, Emiliano Del Buono, Kenneth Aarkvisla and Martin Tesli, among many others. The Sunday display also saw Cliff Spink's final airshow display.
Many thanks for that information Steve, I wish I could have been there, but you took me along with your video! Chris B.
@@453421abcdefg12345 My pleasure, Chris. I filmed all of the show, so you'll be able to see each part as I post it.
By the way Mark Hanna is now remembered well, I must assume he improved his attitude beyond recognition to what it was when I had the misfortune to meet him back in about 1991. He was then a stuck up self important prig, and not a patch on his father. The other pilot in whose company I was gave him a severe talking to, but I was left at that time with the impression that the message had not gone through. Ray Hanna - I salute you! A finer man I never met.
Sadly I didn't know either man personally, but I'm sure others will know and maybe his fathers attitude and temperament will have been carried through to his son over time and experience. No father should have to bear the loss of a son and both Mark and Ray were taken from this world too soon, like many others.
@@HighFlight I truly would hope you are right.
Mark always seemed a talented reserved young man.
I saw Ray fly at Goodwood in 2001 I think it was
The whole team of 7 birds took off and Ray just disappeared, the rest formed in pairs and did little mini displays
Next thing you know Ray and MH434 have suddenly reappeared down the middle of the field port wing down half an inch from the ground
My heart was in my mouth
Ray didn't fly the Spitfire, he put it on
I would have loved to have been there and seen that. I heard that he also flew at some time very very low and fast down the Goodwood finishing straight. He was and still is an aviation legend.
Glory to the Supernarine Spitfire
Spitingfire
Glory to Castle Bromwick Aircraft factory
Flory to Reginald Mitchell
Imagine yourself ....
June 16, 1944 over Normandy at 10 pm cloudy
Four Spitfires LF Mark IX B like the one shown flown by Hanna
From RCAF 443 Sq.
Three canadians & one 21 yrs. old mexican ( FO Luis Perez-Gomez fronc Guadalajara ) in a dog fight with 14 superior FW-190
The 4 Spitfires shut down in a manner of minutes
Two canadians died & one suevived
FO Perez-Gonez buried in the church cemetery at Sassy Calvados France
History in the making
Perez-Gomez was the pilot of Spitfire aircraft # MB 607 in a fighter sweep in the Argentan area of France and was last seen flying into cloud at 3,000 feet north of Caen France. Flying Officer Pilot Perez-Gomez is buried in the Churchyard at Sassy, Calvados, France.
Perez-Gomez was one of four Spitfire Mk.-IXBs, Blue Section of the RCAF's No. 443 "Hornet" Squadron, which were lost after an aerial battle ...
Lt. Hugh Russel, and Flying Officer Luis Perez-Gomez (from Mexico) were killed!
This patrol took place on the 16th and included Jimmy Hall, Hugh Russel [Dal Russel’s brother], Luis Perez-Gomez [from Guadalajara Mexico] & Don Walz. They were attacked by a superior force of Luftwaffe fighters and Walz was the only one to survive. He bailed out of his burning aircraft and evaded with the help of the French underground.
Gord Ockenden
Spitfire MK607
Type : Spitfire
Mark : LFIX
Last Flew : 16th June 1944
Built at : Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory
Powered by : Merlin 66
Thank you from those of us in the United Kingdom whose history and future would have been markedly different, but for the sacrifices of Luis Perez-Gomez and all of the other Allied Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors who gave their lives to defeat Nazi tyranny. More information about Luis Perez-Gomez can be seen here - 443squadron.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/luis-perez-gomez/