[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Oh, and thanks for clarifying the fact that the F6F pilot (if it was Hanah) was doing this on purpose.

............................. but I still don't like it when they cut it that close. These airplanes are so rare and valuable (not to mention the pilot's life, of course), and there have been too many airshow accidents in the past few years. Just my opinion.

Hi FVD, re; that top Quote..........

It's very highly unlikely that it was Mark Hanna, flying the F.6 F.
More like the trademark style of his Dad, Ray - ex leader of the "Red Arrows", (although I catch Jim's drift !!!).

The F.6 F is actually owned by another man & his company......

Stephen Grey & his Co, " The Fighter Collection".


(Father) Ray & (Son) Mark ran a similar outfit......O.F.M.C. = "The Old Flying Machine Company".

Mark Hanna died very sadly, after trying to land his (already burning) Hispano Buchonn (Spanish/Merlin/'109, lookalike) at an Airshow in Spain (near Barcelona) on the 25th Sept 1999.
He died (through burns sustained), on the following day (26th Sept 1999).

Given the date you'd visited (roughly) counts him out.

Mark had flown RAF F.4 Phantoms, on tours with 111, 56, 29 & 23 Squadrons
He had OVER 4,000 flying hours (of which 2,300 were on 'Classics', i.e. Spitfires & P.51's).

He was an aerial advisor & chief pilot in the following films.....
"Empire of the Sun" - "Air America" - "Memphis Belle" - "Saving Private Ryan"

& the 'Bond' movie, "Tommorow Never Dies".

His Father Ray only died fairly recently.

As you (rightly) say, many of these a/c ARE so rare & valuable & we have lost numerous famous British display pilots in recent years, not to mention the a/c too.....(i.e. P.38 Lightning/D.H.Mosquito/Fairy Firefly/P.39 & P.63)
ALL fatalities.

[Louie]

We enjoyed going into a private warehouse section full of original crated engines from WWI and upwards.

[Louie]

The museum also has a large section on the Tuskegee airmen alone.

[Louie]

I will never really understand why aviation prints are so expensive. Did I mention to anyone how GIGANTIC a Short Sunderland is in person?

[Louie]

Apparently the museum also has a Hellcat, SBD, Wildcat, and JU-52 currently (or soon to be) in the restoration process. There is also a B-29 in storage on site. What I did not see was one Japanese aircraft. There was also an early Gloster Meteor there.

[mustangdriver]

He has a large collection. There is also a Avro Lancaster in railroad cars awaiting restoration. Mr. Weeks is actually very nice, and it is common to see him walking around talking to visitors to the collection.

[FormerViperDriver]

Yeah baby!!!! Just found out I get to go to Orlando for my work (from Germany) last week of May. I'll definitely go visit this museum.

FVD

[iamsam2407]

Nice pics. I've been there once and it seems like every day something changes lol