The Robin Flies at Dawn

"The Robin Flies at Dawn"
	Only Fools and Horses episode
Directed by	Gareth Gwenlan
Written by	John Sullivan
Produced by	Gareth Gwenlan
Production code	Special edition
Original air date	1 December 1990; (British troops serving in the 1990-91 Gulf War viewers)
Running time	5 minutes and 10 seconds

"The Robin Flies at Dawn" is a special edition of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses, filmed specifically for the British troops serving in the 1990–91 Gulf War. It has never been broadcast commercially. The episode was filmed at RAF Strike Command in High Wycombe, with all concerned giving up their time for free for the one-day shoot."It was great fun and after we finished filming they laid on a buffet for us" recalled John Sullivan in the book 'Only Fools and Horses - The Official Inside Story.

Synopsis

Shot in the style of a home movie, the episode sees Del Boy (with a folder marked "Top Secret" under his arm), Rodney and Uncle Albert addressing the troops from a "secret location in Southern England" (shortly revealed by Rodney to be High Wycombe). Their yellow Reliant Regal van has been kitted out with a Union Jack, camouflage and a machine gun and Del suggests that it can be the alliance's secret weapon. Also present are many of the troops' wives, whom Del and Rodney assure the viewers they will take care of. The scene ends with an appreciative message to the troops.

Episode cast

Actor	Role
David Jason	Del Boy
Nicholas Lyndhurst	Rodney
Buster Merryfield	Uncle Albert

External links

Preceded by "The Jolly Boys' Outing"	Only Fools and Horses 1 December 1990 (Goodwill message for British troops)	Succeeded by "Rodney Come Home"

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Only Fools and Horses episodes
Series 1 (1981)	"Big Brother" "Go West Young Man" "Cash and Curry" "The Second Time Around" "A Slow Bus to Chingford" "The Russians Are Coming"
Series 2 (1982)	"The Long Legs of the Law" "Ashes to Ashes" "A Losing Streak" "No Greater Love" "The Yellow Peril" "It Never Rains..." "A Touch of Glass"
Series 3 (1983)	"Homesick" "Healthy Competition" "Friday the 14th" "Yesterday Never Comes" "May the Force Be with You" "Wanted" "Who's a Pretty Boy?"
Series 4 (1985)	"Happy Returns" "Strained Relations" "Hole in One" "It's Only Rock and Roll" "Sleeping Dogs Lie" "Watching the Girls Go By" "As One Door Closes"
Series 5 (1986)	"From Prussia with Love" "The Miracle of Peckham" "The Longest Night" "Tea for Three" "Video Nasty" "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
Series 6 (1989)	"Yuppy Love" "Danger UXD" "Chain Gang" "The Unlucky Winner Is..." "Sickness and Wealth" "Little Problems"
Series 7 (1990–91)	"The Sky's the Limit" "The Chance of a Lunchtime" "Stage Fright" "The Class of '62" "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle" "Three Men, a Woman and a Baby"
Specials	"Christmas Crackers" (1981) "Diamonds Are for Heather" (1982) "Thicker than Water" (1983) "Licensed to Drill" (1984) "To Hull and Back" (1985) "A Royal Flush" (1986) "The Frog's Legacy" (1987) "Dates" (1988) "The Jolly Boys' Outing" (1989) "Rodney Come Home" (1990) "Miami Twice" (1991) "Mother Nature's Son" (1992) "Fatal Extraction" (1993) "Heroes and Villains" (1996) "Modern Men" (1996) "Time on Our Hands" (1996) "If They Could See Us Now" (2001) "Strangers on the Shore" (2002) "Sleepless in Peckham" (2003)
Sketches	The Funny Side of Christmas: "Christmas Trees" (1982) "White Mice" (1985) "Royal Variety Show" (1986) "The Robin Flies at Dawn" (1990) "Comic Relief special" (1997) "Beckham in Peckham" (2014)