"Gift" Lancasters
 

Just been asked by a friend if there was a gift Lancaster called "Spirit of Scotland", or did a crew so name their aircraft. Any ideas


Thanks in advance

The Macrobert family....
 

......bought a Lanc after several family members died in action and christened it "Macroberts revenge". I do believe that a 617 Tornado still carries that name. Doubtless there will be someone along dreckly with the whole correct story.

The Ancient Mariner

Rossian, thanks, yes I know about that one, but mon ami very specific about "Spirit of Scotland", unless that was a sort of sub-name - "MacRobert's Revenge, Spirit of Scotland"




Just made a further check - aircraft was named "McRoberts' Reply"

I thought McRobert's reply was a Stirling.

It was two Stirlings in the end then a Buccaneer. Story here:


XV Sqn MacRoberts Reply

There you go.....
 

.....I told you there'd be someone along dreckly.....

The Ancient Mariner

'Gifted' Lancaster
 

The definitive reference work on gifted aircraft in the RAF is an Air Britain publication called 'Gifts of War' by Ray Sturtivant. It is largely about Spitfires because they were, by a long way, the most numerous gifted aircraft in WW2 but the book does include other types.

I have a copy and would look this up for you but I'm away from home until the 17th of this month. I'll have a look when I'm back and let you know what I find.

Good luck with the search.

After her sons death Lady MacRobert made a large mansion available as a R&R centre for RAF officers now called Alastrean House. They managed to burn it down in 1952 (nothing changes) and after rebuilding it was made available to the RAF Benevolent Society as a care home. The Benevolent Society gave it up in 2005 and it is now run by a commercial firm.

My mother was in there for a short time in 2003 and it really was a splendid place.

How did the gifting work? X number of pounds for the particular aircraft?

There were various schemes aimed at raising money for aircraft. The Ministry of Aircraft Production encouraged individuals, groups and companies to run "Spitfire Funds" and for a nominal £5000 donors could choose a name for their aircraft.

National Savings organised "Wings for Victory" campaigns, usually in towns and cities. As far as I'm aware there was no specified target figure, and some cities could raise enough for several bombers. I don't think they had the option of naming aircraft, and obviously names could be applied by the crews who flew them.

As mentioned earlier, the Air-Britain book "Gifts of War" has a lot of information on such schemes and the aircraft funded by them, including brief histories of every Spitfire named under the MAP scheme and a list of First World War presentation aircraft.

Lady MacRobert also paid for (IIRC) four Hurricanes, named after her sons.

134 Brat - that would be most kind. many thanks

MacRobert's Reply
 

Just had a look at 'Gifts of war' and can only find a single Lancaster listed, 'Malton Mike' Serial number KB999 which was donated by the staff of Victory Aircraft of Malton Ontario.

The aircraft donated by Lady Rachel MacRobert were indeed Short Stirlings as has already been stated in this thread; they were serial number N6086 and W7531 which were operated by 15 Squadron so there is still a possibility that there was a Lancaster which carried the MacRobert name.

From December 1943 until March 1947 15 Squadron operated Lancaster Mk1s and Mk3s and then from February 1947 until October 1950 the used Lincoln B.2s which are developed from and outwardly similar to the Lancaster so it may be that the squadron decided to continue the tradition of having an aircraft with MacRobert's Reply marked on it. If you are looking for more detail, the next place I'd go would be a history of 15 squadron (if such a thing exists).

Happy hunting...

134 Brat - many thanks, much appreciated. W