Date of birth:

March 30th, 1918

Date of death:

March 5th, 2005 (St. Albans, United Kingdom)

Service number:

740301/139411

Nationality:

British

Robert Plenderleith joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves in 1937 and was placed with the Royal Air Force in 1939. During WOrld War Two he served as a fighter pilot and later as a tespilot.

During the German advance in the West in May 1940 he served with No. 73 Squadron in France, flying the Hawker Hurricane. Back i England he was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on October 11th, 1940. While he was waiting for his burn wounds to heal, he served as a Flying Instructor and later flew operational again over North-Africa and Italy.
In 1944 Robert Plenderleith was placed with the Maintenance Command and became M.U. Tes Pilot until 1947.

After this period he worked with the De Havilland Engine COmpany, working on the development of the Vampire and Venom fighters. In 1957, Robert Plenderleith became Deputy Chief Test Pilot. He worked with Saunders-Roe and Rolls-Royce.
After his flying career he became Marketing Promotions Manager with Rolls-Royce.

Promotions:
?: Warrant Officer;
November 21st, 1942: Pilot Officer on probation (emergency);
May 21st, 1943: Flying Officer on probation (war subs.);
November 21st, 1944: Flight Lieutenant (war subs.);
March 1st, 1951: Flight Lieutenant (seniority May 27th, 1949).

Recollection:
"My mother Joyce Nicholson was a civilian engine fitter at RAF Cosford during the Second World War. I have a brass spitfire made by Flt Lt Plenderleith and given to Joyce at RAF Cosford."
- Michael Powell

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• Photo 1: Tom MacNeill
• - Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 19th March 1943, Issue 35949, dated 23rd March 1943
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette of 20th July 1943, Issue 36104, dated 23rd July 1943
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 4th July 1944, Issue 36598, dated 7th July 1944
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette of 5th December 1944, Issue 36830, dated 8th December 1944
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of 22nd July 1949, Issue 38673, dated 26th July 1949
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 21st September 1951, Issue 39340, dated 25th September 1951
  - Test & Research Pilots, Flight Test Engineers