MacRobert's Reply
Encyclopedia
MacRobert's Reply was the name given to a famous World War II
, Royal Air Force
aircraft, a Short Stirling
bomber, serial
N6086 operated by No. 15 Squadron
. The aircraft was paid for by a generous £25,000 donation from Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert
, and was named 'MacRobert's Reply' in commemoration of her three sons, all of whom were killed whilst serving with the RAF. The eldest son Alasdair died in a flying accident in 1938, whilst Roderic and Iain were both killed in action during 1941. A second Short Stirling, serial
W7531, was also named 'MacRobert's Reply' after the first aircraft N6086 was written off in an accident
on October 10, 1941, with Lady MacRobert attending the naming ceremony. The aircraft had the MacRobert coat of arms
painted on to its nose, and was given the code LS-F, LS being the squadron code and the last letter identifying the aircraft as "F for Freddie", a designation all subsequent aircraft given the name 'MacRobert's Reply' have used.
The aircraft flew twelve missions between October 1941 and January 1942, before swinging on take off and colliding with a damaged Spitfire
at RAF Peterhead, on 7 February 1942.
The aircraft was lost during a minelaying raid against the Danish Sound in May 1942, after it was brought down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into Gals Klint Forest, near the town of Middelfart
. Only one member of the crew, Donald Jeffs, survived the crash.
and a Panavia Tornado
.
In the 1960s three Slingsby Swallow
gliders for the Air Training Corps
were named after the MacRobert brothers: Sir Alasdair, Sir Iain and Sir Roderic.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
aircraft, a Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
bomber, serial
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
N6086 operated by No. 15 Squadron
No. XV Squadron RAF
No. 15 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Panavia Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth. Currently XV Squadron is the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit for the Tornado GR4. The OCU teaches pilots how to fly the aircraft and what tactics to use to best exploit the performance of their...
. The aircraft was paid for by a generous £25,000 donation from Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert
MacRobert Baronets
The MacRobert Baronetcy, of Douneside in the County of Aberdeen, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 5 April 1922 for Alexander MacRobert, a self made millionaire. He was succeeded by his eldest son Alasdair in June of that year...
, and was named 'MacRobert's Reply' in commemoration of her three sons, all of whom were killed whilst serving with the RAF. The eldest son Alasdair died in a flying accident in 1938, whilst Roderic and Iain were both killed in action during 1941. A second Short Stirling, serial
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
W7531, was also named 'MacRobert's Reply' after the first aircraft N6086 was written off in an accident
Short Stirling N6086
Short Stirling N6086 was the first aircraft to bear the name 'MacRobert's Reply' and was handed over to her crew at RAF WytonRAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
on October 10, 1941, with Lady MacRobert attending the naming ceremony. The aircraft had the MacRobert coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
painted on to its nose, and was given the code LS-F, LS being the squadron code and the last letter identifying the aircraft as "F for Freddie", a designation all subsequent aircraft given the name 'MacRobert's Reply' have used.
The aircraft flew twelve missions between October 1941 and January 1942, before swinging on take off and colliding with a damaged Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
at RAF Peterhead, on 7 February 1942.
Short Stirling W7531
W7531 was the second Short Stirling to carry the name 'MacRobert's Reply'. It was not officially named 'MacRobert's Reply', until after entering service in March 1942.The aircraft was lost during a minelaying raid against the Danish Sound in May 1942, after it was brought down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into Gals Klint Forest, near the town of Middelfart
Middelfart
Middelfart is a town in central Denmark, with a population of 14,781 . The town is the municipal seat of Middelfart municipality on the island of Funen .-Overview:The Middelfart municipality has a population of 37,701 people as of 2011...
. Only one member of the crew, Donald Jeffs, survived the crash.
Post war
Since the Second World War, two other aircraft serving with No. 15 Squadron have carried the name 'MacRobert's Reply', and borne the MacRobert family crest; a Blackburn BuccaneerBlackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
and a Panavia Tornado
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
.
In the 1960s three Slingsby Swallow
Slingsby Swallow
The Slingsby Type 45 Swallow was designed as a club sailplane of reasonable performance and price. One of the most successful of Slingsby's gliders in sales terms, over 100 had been built when production was ended by the 1968 factory fire....
gliders for the Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
were named after the MacRobert brothers: Sir Alasdair, Sir Iain and Sir Roderic.