Mark Hanna

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 (the first leader of RAF's display team "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 Hawker Hunter 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.