# Ray Hanna dies. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740 "2005-12-02T16:09:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/1 "2005-12-02T16:09:53Z")
I’ve learned tonight that Ray Hanna, an aviation legend and a personal hero of mine, has died. More details [here.](http://www.ofmc.co.uk/) I met Ray a few times and he was always a perfect gentleman. May he rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/2 "2005-12-02T16:33:56Z")
Incidently, Ray was the pilot of the Spitfire doing this [low pass](http://www.alexisparkinn.com/oh_my_god.htm) over a television presenter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/3 "2005-12-02T16:40:30Z")
The Spit is my favourite airplane. Isn’t the still on the first link from _Battle Of Britain_? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/4 "2005-12-02T17:03:34Z")
The one of it flying under the bridge is from “A Piece of Cake.” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/5 "2005-12-03T14:51:33Z")
One bump. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/6 "2005-12-03T16:37:37Z")
That linked clip was hilarious! And the presenter was cool about it, instead of being a jerk. I like Ray already! I am always sorry to hear of a great man’s passing… there are so few of them left. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-hanna-dies/333740/7 "2005-12-04T01:43:57Z")
Yes it is a funny clip. The incident was scripted, though the reactions weren’t. The spitfire would take-off while the presenter did his introduction, and stay low, zooming over the presenter and the cameraman. They just didn’t expect it to be _that_ low. And I can say from experience that there is nothing quite has exhilaratingly heart stopping as having a WWII fighter fly over so low that he has to pull up to avoid hitting you, and you almost get blown over by the prop-wash.