The Short Stirling; First of the British Big Boys

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

I can only assume this needed to reviewed because I named the naughty H man.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

🇺🇸

[@onceamoth]

Reviewed by? YT?

[@mike-ph3fk]

God forbid history be told accurately..

[@FieryCheeze]

How naughty of you, naming that other naughty man.

[@enigmamod]

Darn you for telling accurate history!

[@johnlester6113]

As a 96 year old, this brought back memories of working at SEBROs (Short Brothers) factory, in Cambridge, Seven large hangers, now defunct, and built over, repairing Stirlings. in 1943/4. These badly damaged ones, were brought in on ," Queen Mary" vehicles, but "flyable" ones, flown in to our other base, at Bourn Airfield.

[@alanthehat595]

I often wondered what it must have been like servicing and repairing such a huge aircraft, especially with the front section, wings and engines so far off the ground. Not one for engineers who had vertigo... Your service to our country much appreciated, Mr Lester.

[@Emdee5632]

96 year old in 2024? That's child labour, in whatever year during WW2 you worked at the factory.

[@johnlathwell7667]

@@johnlester6113 are you still near Cambridge John?

[@andywalford7544]

Along the Madingley Road? Id heard that there was a factory there

[@stephenhargreaves9324]

John, it's always great reading posts from people who were actually there, what was the canteen food like?

[@robertanthony56]

My father was an Air Gunner (mid upper) on Stirlings (90 Squadron) and completed two tours . The Stirling got him home every time even when once badly shot up by Flak . Thank you for bringing this plane to a wider audience.

[@nigellawson8610]

Your father had brass balls the size of medicine balls to volunteer for an extra tour with Bomber Command. He also had the luck of the proverbial Irish when one thinks of the number of lads who got the chop.

[@uflux]

My Great Great Uncle was shot down by a German night fighter while piloting a Stirling 75sqn RNZAF. One of the crew was a brother of Jack Lovelock who won a gold medal for New Zealand in the 1939 olympics. Their aircraft came down a few miles from the Potsdam stadium where he had won his medal. Only the rear gunner was able to escape the aircraft

[@Davyfb75]

Must be the 1936 Olypics in Berlin

[@stephenhargreaves9324]

"Jack Lovelock was a major in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II. He married Cynthia James in 1945 and had two daughters. A year later, he began working at Manhattan Hospital in New York City. On 28 December 1949, he had telephoned his wife from work to inform her that he was coming home early because he was not feeling well. He was waiting at the Church Avenue subway station in Brooklyn, New York, when he fell onto the tracks, probably as a result of one of the dizziness attacks to which he was subject after being thrown from a horse in 1940. He was then killed by an oncoming train." They that serve.

[@uflux]

@@Davyfb75oh quite right 1936 👍

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

​@@stephenhargreaves9324God that's terrible.What an awful end for this fella. I wasn't aware of Jack until reading this thread.

[@flargus7919]

There's something about the Stirling thats just... Right. Thanks for the update!

[@SueBobChicVid]

Something, maybe, but certainly not the vertical tail.

[@johncmitchell4941]

Everything kinda was right, making it a shame that design spec limited it's wingspan and more powerful engines (higher ceiling &/or payload) took time to be available. Then there's it's agility and almost fighter-like lines. IMO the twin engine JU 88 & BF 110 'fighters' got nothing on them there.

[@The_ZeroLine]

I’m assuming it’s that and YT’s automated review system has lost its mind.

[@marklittle8805]

With proper wings and upgraded engines it might have been almost anything the Lanc did

[@exharkhun5605]

I thought for years it looks great, and the fuselage still does, but then I noticed the too small wing wasn't an optical illusion and I can't always unsee that. The wing being too small also makes the outboard engines sit closer to the wingtips than feels right.

[@johnlathwell7667]

Nice and succinct video Ed. I'm the Chair of the Stirling Aircraft Project and we are recreating the forward fuselage section of the old girl. Thankyou for debunking some of the myths with the design and its good to put that to bed. The Stirling was a trailblazer and also was heavily used in the traing of Bomber Command Crews that later converted to Lancasters and Halifaxs. It was also one of the first aircraft that could be used as a Casevac aircraft and may of its features were incorporated in later aircraft in that role.

[@michaelkinville177]

High praise!

[@johnjephcote7636]

I still wonder where that Stirling was, being dragged out of a marsh near 'an airfield' that I saw photographed in the Daily Telegraph in the mid-1950s. I used to cross the deserted airfield at Tarrant Rushton in Dorset very often in the late 1970s and thinking of all those Stirling tugs assembled for D-Day. I also look over the hedges passing Woolfox Lodge down the A1 where one used to see the runway.

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

Keep up the good work! What you folk do is so vitally important in maintaining the rich RAF legacy for future generations to learn and appreciate.

[@Oligodendrocyte139]

​@@johnjephcote7636 Think that would have been Halifaxes 👍

[@meansofproduction4213]

I’m a Yank, and have a sentimental fondness for the Fort, but the profile of the later Stirlings’ nose is the most beautiful of the class. Lovely aircraft.

[@DaveGIS123]

The nose almost looks like a Mosquito's, doesn't it?

[@a11oge]

like many, I have a soft spot for the Stirling ever since I was bought the Airfix kit. Excellent video - full of information and concise. 10/10

[@mpersad]

A worthy tribute to a type that gets too little recognition. Terrific research and production, with excellent use of contemporary stills and film. Top video.

[@gyrene_asea4133]

Agreed. The Short Stirling has somehow always been of enormous appeal to this U.S. kid who 60 years ago built his first model warbird. Well done.

[@datathunderstorm]

I have always been attracted to, and loved the Short Stirling Bomber. There was something about the design, and indeed, its very existence that I find fascinating. Thank you for this great history lesson. I now know more about the Stirling than I ever did in my entire life, and I’m happy to learn that despite its shortcomings, it contributed immensely to the war effort and continued to do so even when it was finally pulled from bomber duty. It is an awful shame that a complete example of this magnificent vanguard of a bomber didn’t survive to this day - it would have been a great honour visiting a static display of a Short Stirling at an aviation museum.

[@Geoduck.]

As an older American first thought is the B17 but after reading many books on the air war I understand the impact the Wellington and B24 made. I retired from Boeing after 35 years so the B17 and B29 are special to me. I actually worked inside the original B29 plant in Renton Washington for a couple years. My Father was a crew chef on B24's then C47's in the States never was posted overseas.

[@Moskiman]

Always had a soft spot for the Stirling ever since I was given the Airfix kit as a Christmas present many years ago. I was only 8yo at the time and it was my first "big" kit - not my finest build!

[@Taketimeout3]

I built many airfix models and it really looked more impressive than the Lanc or Halifax. My other favourite was the Sunderland and you can almost swap the wings and tail between the two because Shorts used them to speed up getting it made.

[@Mute_Nostril_Agony]

As I recall the Airfix kit was a really good one, with really detailed crew and ground crew

[@Farweasel]

One of the few Airfix kits I DIDN'T have My Dad despised Sterlings so they never appealed, tho I had all the rest of the four engined types Mind you, he flew RAF Recce Bombers asa Flight Engineer so he had a fair idea what was going on with 'em

[@jimroberts3009]

I have an Airfix Stirling and Sunderland in my stash. I'm 72 and may get round to making them one day. Shorts made some impressive aircraft.

[@wullie3xv923]

@@Mute_Nostril_Agony Don't forget it also came with a tractor & bomb trollies, great for diorama's. 😎Ye olde Airfix Stirling kit is also one of my all-time favourites. They do need to replace it with a "new mould" kit like they have with the Lanc., B-17 & B-24 etc. but I suppose Airfix have an excuse not to do it as there are no survivors they can LIDAR scan & measure. I know ITALERI released a "modern" kit of the Stirling a few years back, but, being a long time Airfix fan, I can't bring myself to buy one as I keep hoping Airfix will.

[@keithmclean4283]

Best article I have seen on the Stirling. I learned a lot. My father was a navigator on Stirlings (149 squadron) shot down September 6 1943 near Mannheim and held in Stalag Luft 3.

[@maxsmodels]

I always loved the elegant stance and look of the Stirling.

[@greenseaships]

*Half HOUR video on the Stirling* BLESS YOU ED. BLESS YOU!!

[@gussie88bunny]

Gosh darn it, that was a fun episode, thanks Ed. Terrific accolades delivered at the video finish. I literally gave a little "yeah go Sterling!" and mini-punch in the air, obvious enough for the missus to come into the kitchen, ask what I'd just watched ...... and promptly cop an unwanted earful on the glorious first of the big-4's. Epic win.

[@andrewdale3695]

Years ago I read somewhere that the Stirling's wingspan limitation was so that a standard scale plan of the aircraft would fit, folded once, into a standard military attache case - which is even more mental than the hangar door thing

[@paulkirkland3263]

Nice to see the fightback against the wingspan/hangar myth continuing. Nice video, Ed.

[@NickRatnieks]

Fifty years ago I had a boss who was a former Bomber Command pilot and when he mentioned flying the Stirling, I offered the usual negatives of the aircraft. He immediately went into a spirited defence of the type- its robust strength and manoeuvrability and told me you could stand the aeroplane on its tail and do things which would see the other "heavies" break apart. It's a long time ago and he said something to the effect that the Lancaster was made in various places- in terms of its main sections and when you crash landed it tended to break up into these parts which would then travel in the direction from where they had been built. So "I was told" in no uncertain terms that it had its merits but as pointed out, the war evolved and the Stirling became outclassed although the "Super Stirling" may have been able to remedy the shortcomings and been a force to be reckoned with.

[@johnlathwell7667]

@@NickRatnieks certainly robust, try building a new one!

[@callenclarke371]

Such a great episode. One of my absolute favorite aircraft. Full of interest, character, and significance. I enjoy these profiles so much, more than almost any other aircraft channel I can think of. I wonder, Ed, if I could suggest another forgotten bomber from WWII. It's a little-known 4-engine bomber built by the Consolidated Aircraft Company of the United States. It was called the B-24 Liberator, and, just to make sure it fits the category of 'forgotten' aircraft, I asked my 10 year old daughter if she'd heard of it, and she said: 'no.' Also it's only featured in one major Hollywood production in the past ten years. I really think it deserves to be recognized for its contribution to the war effort. :)

[@sr20trx]

One of my first Airfix models, definitely have a soft spot for them.

[@Sandman253]

One of the first heavy bombers I built was a Stirling in 1969. One of the Victoria Crosses won in a Stirling was an Australian Flt Sgt Ron Middleton No 419 Sqn.

[@larsrons7937]

I have been looking for the Stirling as Airfix model. I see Lancasters and have seen a Halifax, but I haven't been able to find a Stirling.

[@duartesimoes508]

@@larsrons7937 I own the Airfix Stirling and it is terrible. And I know no other. The model must have been made in the sixties and the molding is horrible, large parts are often warped. And it is a very ambitious model, with a lot of parts and a complete bomb bay.

[@larsrons7937]

@@duartesimoes508 That's sad to hear. Maybe one could fix in in mid-process, but it would take a lot of extra wrok. I've tried the same with a couple of Airfix sail ships.

[@duartesimoes508]

I must have bought and assembled mine around 1979. But the kit on sale must be the very same. Series 5, black plastic. I remember that the undercarriage was a nightmare to assemble, very thin, bristle and hardly able to withstand the model weight; every bomb had three parts and there was an awful lot. She came with a tractor, if I remember well. In the seventies Airfix made much better kits, like the B-26 and A-26.

[@kevindolin4315]

As an aeronut from an early age, I was well aware of the Stirling. Yet book after book mentioned the story of the (ahem) short wings of the Stirling and the reason thereto. Thanks for the mythbusting information about the reality of the design. I love learning new things, and you came through in spades, Ed. A fascinating presentation. Kudos from a US expat in Japan.

[@terrysmit4629]

Stirling>

[@RobertWilliams-us4kw]

Great program about an overshadowed great bomber! Embarrassing, I must admit, I was one of those people who believed the wingspan issue of tge Stirling was due to 'the existing hanger requirement'. But as your programs often does, it's set me that thought process straight. As a side note, I never knew about the Egyptian acquisition and modification of civilian Stirling's, so thank you. Regards

[@Tilly042Tilford-zo7zt]

My sister's next door neighbour was a Stirling navigator and then went on to the Halifax. I was only a boy but when I asked him which aircraft was his favorite, he said of the Stirling that they couldn't keep it out of the flak. RIP Jim.

[@marckyle5895]

The first time I ever heard of the Short Stirling was when I was perusing 1/72nd scale plastic kits and I came upon one. "A RAF Short Stirling? AND a Halifax?? Gimme!" Thanks, Airfix!

[@larsrons7937]

I see Lancasters now and then, but have only seen one Halifax (and the price was too high), and never a Stirling which I've been looking for.

[@mikeycraig8970]

There's one going on Ebay for fifteen quid. The exact airfix kit of the Halifax I had as a kid is 45 quid though.

[@Ray-tg1sj]

Hard to find information in the states on this workhorse. She might have been outclassed early on, but the Stirling got the allies through the roughest part of the war. I can't help but love aircraft like the early spitfires, hurricanes, wildcats, p39's, p40's, and so many more. Its easy to look at the late war monsters that racked up huge kills when the axis was on the backfoot. You go to war with the military you have, and the early warhorses gave better service than we often give them credit for. They flew against the axis when it was at it's strongest and held the line for freedom.

[@carosel43]

It should also be remembered that the lancaster and halifax were originally twin engine designs that were upgraded later. Its such a shame the stirling didnt get the 112ft wing off the sunderland as it would have been very interesting to see how it performed in that configuration.

[@andrewrendle550]

A good review of this overlooked aircraft. Like several others, it was one of my first airfix models I made as a child and have always had a soft spot for it since. So glad that the Stirling project are building a section of fuselage of one. A fitting memorial to all those who served and worked on them. Such a shame no complete one survived, it would look amazing in a museum.

[@olsurferguy1]

This was always a handsome aircraft, in my opinion. A long time favorite for sure. If only one could have been saved for posterity.

[@boisdearc0]

Recently finished the audiobook, "i flew for the fuehrer" by heinze knopf. It was brutal. At the end it was 40 german fighters defending against a wave of 1000 allied bombers escorted by 200 fighters. I lost track of how many times he was wounded, forced to bailout, or crash landed. It was a miracle that he survived.

[@veritasvincit2745]

It's a great book. 👍 A good friend gave me a copy a number of years ago.

[@davidmooney1253]

My late father was involved with the operation of, what he called, "proper bombers" during the war and was actively involved in the Sterling Aircraft Association. They made many attempts to find and recover Stirlings or parts of them but, as you say, sadly none are left. A fantastic video, well done for highlighting this important Aircraft.

[@geoffreypiltz271]

The thought of throwing something that size about the skies like a fighter quite boggles the mind!

[@sophrapsune]

Great summary of an important & overlooked aircraft, thanks.

[@davedear929]

As an 81 year old aviation buff I know a little about the Sterling.. but I've learned so much more watching this video.. this big bird was an unsung hero of WW2 for me ... many thanks for all this information. Great video.

[@robinholland1136]

A very interesting video, thank you! My uncle, Sgt G R Holland, RAFVR, was lost on the night of 28/29th January 1944, whilst on an operation to sow mines in Kiel bay. He was navigator in a Short Stirling III of 90 Squadron, EF443, XY-M, taking off at 18 32 from Tuddenham, just south of Mildenhall. I'm in the process of gathering as much information as I can, regarding his service.

[@VickersDoorter]

My grandfather, having started out WW2 in the Luftwaffe, ended up in the Czech RAF and was a navigator on Short Stirlings, based in Cornwall. From late 1943 to the end of the war he was involved in U-Boat hunting out in the Atlantic, ultimately to great success. Sadly, he died in 1980 aged 60, of a brain tumour above his eyes. The cause of the tumour was attributed to his countless hours glued to the aircraft's radar screen, which then would not have been coated appropriately to negate radiation.

[@jimsweeney]

I realise it's a bit late now and the situation then was complicated, but if Shorts had reduced the fuselage length to that of the Lanc and Halifax, and shortened the undercarriage to keep the same ground angle, they would have had a lighter and better performing bomber with a higher service ceiling. Thanks for mentioning the "hangar fit" myth and not mentioning the nonsense about the Stirling having the "upper fuselage" of the Sunderland. The Stirling was a great aircraft that could have been even greater, if...

[@wbertie2604]

With MAP/RAF requesting a wingspan reduction, I wonder if it expected Shorts to do exactly that. Shorts was a bit caught out by the fact that the original specification was basically impossible to achieve well, and then it got changed anyway. There were heavy bomber specifications issued in 1934 (Whitley), 35 (Warwick) AND 36 (Stirling). And P.13/36 effectively became a pair of heavies. And more heavy bomber specifications followed prior to WW2. And that's not counting the 1932 specification that led to the Wellington.

[@Davyfb75]

As a 93 year old I can remember 2 large dumps either side of Marshalls Airfield consisting of mainly wrecked Stirling bombers. we used to play amonst them untill chased off. A freind's father was a member of the Stirlingaires Dance band made up of employees. The planes we actually saw fying were Tiger Moths with which Marshalls trained about 2500 pilots during the war. We lived in Coldhams Lane Cherry Hinton I wonder where John Lester lived.

[@andrewmountford3608]

Well done on explaining the hangar door myth.

[@mikewalling6825]

My father worked on Stirlings during the war and another shortcoming was the undercarriage which was unique in that it was electric and subject to frequent failure

[@thethirdman225]

The Stirling kind of sums up the sadness of the early-mid war bombing campaign that bore witness to terrible crew losses for not a lot of achievement. That said, it was capable of large scale attacks that couldn’t be mounted with machines like the Wellington. It was simply the only thing that was available and it was better than the machines it replaced. Not only that, its results were limited by the lack of later navigation systems like GEE. That kind of makes the Stirling look worse. Accounts of Middleton’s mission to Turin in November 1942 report that he struggled to get the Stirling through the Alps. It was supposed to be able to fly at 16,000 feet but he couldn’t get it over 12,000. Middleton eventually found a way through and the rest is well known. Coincidentally, both Stirling VCs were awarded for raids on Turin. Both required their crews to fly over the Alps, a risky proposition in a Stirling.

[@SammyTheCat_No1]

Thanks for the 'catapult requirement' mention, which is generally attached to the Lanc alone...

[@larsrons7937]

Thank you for this informative and interesting video. I have long been looking for a good long video on this aircraft that deserves much more attention. You just delivered that.

[@leno4920]

Great stuff from a really entertaining & informative channel. Well done Ed.👍

[@Tom-Lahaye]

In the first half of the war the Stirling was without doubt one of the most important assets for bomber command, other planes they had on hand were all smaller medium bombers, like the Hampden, Whitley and Wellington, of which the last one is probably best known. In the Netherlands around 40 known Stirling crash sites exist and several Stirling wrecks are still buried in the ground, one not far from where I live. At many of the sites small monuments have been erected as a tribute and sign of respect to the fallen servicemen.

[@glynmatthews6697]

There’s a growing recognition and support for the Stirling , this is a great doc on the subject

[@DrLoverLover]

There is?

[@hughthompson8018]

I knew an old boy who had been at Arnhem. He was in the Royal Artillery. The thing about towing gliders was that the paratroop carrying capability of the Stirling couldn't be used. So if a gun was in the glider, the troops had to either parachute from a separate aircraft or go in a separate glider, which meant doubling the number of aircraft plus another glider. and that they would get split up on landing. Basically the Stirling was flying empty which was a waste. For various technical reasons to do with parachutes and gliders getting muddled up in the same bit of airspace, you couldn't tow a glider and have paratroops jumping out of the Stirling at the same time. So according to my pal some bright spark came up with the idea of a parachutable box in which the troops could sit which would be underslung from the bomb bay. The idea was that once the glider had been detached, the whole box including the troops, their weapons and anything else would descend elegantly and the troops wouldn't get split up. It would apparently be just like getting off a bus, everyone together. Just being one big box wouldn't cause the same problems for gliders as lots of parachutes. The troops were invited to try it. 'No' they said (actually they used bigger and longer words than 'No.'). So a trial was held using sandbags instead of soldiers and the thing was duly dropped over Salisbury plain. Once my chum and his pals had dug it out of the hole it had created, the idea (like the box itself) was quietly dropped.

[@johndavey72]

Thankyou Ed. There's a wonderful photo of a WAAF pilot standing under the Stirling she's just delivered !

[@davidjones332]

There were no WAAF pilots. She would be a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian formation which included older men or those medically unfit for RAF service, and several notable women pilots including Amy Johnson and Barbara Barnato. In most cases they were just given a set of pilot's notes, and with no type familiarisation and no radio were sent off in all weathers to unfamiliar aerodromes. Theirs was the sort of quiet heroism that doesn't win medals.

[@olesuhr727]

That was ATA pilot Joan Hughes. She was the only woman qualified to instruct on all types of military aircraft then in service.

[@richardvernon317]

The thing is, the Transport capability was never removed from the Specification, thus the aircraft was much larger than the Lancaster and the Halifax.

[@chrisallen124]

Love this aircraft so much- such a shame that none exist today

[@richardbennett8522]

Thank You for an even handed history on the Stirling Ed

[@orenashkenazi9813]

Wow, this is a beautiful plane I had never seen before, thank you!

[@jeremyhowes8059]

In memory of 218 Squadron, Short Stirling type III, BK688 and her brave crew. Pilot : Flight Sergeant William Arthur Mathias Davis RAAF Aus/408278 [Killed] Flight Engineer : Sergeant George Alan Ashley Grant RAF 572554 [Killed] Navigator : Sergeant Thomas Wilkinson Dixon RAFVR 1527169 [Killed] Bomb Aimer : Sergeant William Robert Howes RAFVR 1284892 [Killed] Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Sergeant Thomas Lloyd Portrey RAFVR 1030622 [Killed] Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant James Alfred Bramble RAFVR 653941 [Killed] Rear Gunner : Flight Lieutenant Leslie William Abbiss RAFVR 82184 : Commission Gazetted Tuesday 13 August, 1940) [Killed] Shot down by night fighter pilot Leutnant Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of the Stab II./NJG 1, flying Bf 110 G-4 G9+EC from St Trond airfield.

[@olesuhr727]

They fell victim to the "Spook of St. Trond".

[@alfonsfalkhayn8950]

So, the Bf/Me110 was effective as a nightfighter...... at least!

[@andrewmacdonald4833]

She was an imposing aircraft...and had as much potential as she did size. I used to know an Australian pilot that flew her on ops...including working with the Resistance and dropping supplies to them in 1944...she had her short comings, of course...but apparently those short wings of hers made her far more agile/manoeuvrable at lower altitudes..she was also very roomy inside..and crews enjoyed a level of comfort absent in other aircraft of the time. I have to say, I love her as an aircraft...warts and all..

[@TheRumbles13]

Subbed! Thanks for your hard work. How fortunate we all are to have this quality of production for free

[@iandann6196]

I worked in the Rochester Hangars where these were built this was 70s onward, my first Forman had been a panel beater with Shorts, he stayed when they moved out… when I was first at the factory when you went out one of the doors there was still the large metal plates in the floor that formed part of the weigh bridge, and if you went up into the higher part of the hanger (it had a lot of internal partitioning and false ceilings) you could still see the over head gantry cranes, My brother worked at Blaw Knox who occupied the old Shorts Sea Plane works on the side of the Medway.

[@tdlzqn]

Thanks for this. My father served in these and it's sad they're so ignored. Like your well illustrated rational account. He would have too.

[@stephenwhelan2515]

Another excellent video- worth getting up early on a Saturday morning for. The Stirling is my favourite of the 3 British 4-engined bombers of WW2. As an aside, has anyone ever noticed the strange similarity between Stirling and the Dornier DO-19?

[@onceamoth]

Those giant wheels blew my mind as a kid.

[@onceamoth]

(Giant landing gear to raise the angle of attack and shorten takeoffs - I Believe.) A cool plane, spoiled by bureacracy.

[@andrewcoley6029]

I had the Airfix model of the Stirling as a kid, thought it was wonderful but knew very little about the aircraft, which in my opinion is good looking craft. Thank you for the information. Excellent as ever.

[@freddieclark]

Great to see a video that actually refutes the myth of the hanger doors.

[@womble321]

As an air cadet my late uncle was taken up in a Stirling on an air experience flight from what is now Luton airport. The pilot rolled it and did a stall turn. The aircadets then had to spend hours cleaning the interior! They were not very well!

[@billy54bob]

I built an Airfix Stirling. It was lost over the Great Union̈ Canal near Perivale due to a banger before 5th November, many years ago as was a local annual tradition.

[@micodyerski1621]

The wing bomb bays r always cool 🥶👍

[@sinquup]

Thanks for this informative video, it's saved me a lot of research time. I'm transcribing my uncle's war diaries - navigator/observer on Stirlings - and will be adding some info on the planes he trained on and served in. Sadly he was shot down and killed on his 8th mission. Such a shame there's no extant examples on which to get a real feel for what his flight conditions were like. His diary mentions 'gardening' runs in early 1942; dropping mines off the coast.

[@robinholland1136]

My uncle (whom I never knew) was a navigator on Stirlings, 90 Squadron. He was lost whilst 'market gardening', ie. sowing mines, in Kiel bay at the end of January 1944.

[@dimitrihayez6502]

Double tailwheel is not a usual thing even on heavy bomber. Thanks for the video.

[@RobSchofield]

Great video - I've always liked the Sterling: the beautiful Roy Cross artwork on the box of the Airfix kit had me hooked as a kid, and was the first "big kit" I tried to build at the age of 8! Unfortunately, it exceeded my skill level at the time and Dad had to finish it for me, painting it in a night bomber colour scheme. It hung on strings from the ceiling for years overhead in my bedroom....

[@EuroScot2023]

An Airfix kit of the STERLING? That must have been a unique one!

[@RobSchofield]

@@EuroScot2023 Whoops

[@Completeaerogeek]

Thank you Ed! The hangar door myth ranks right up there with other British aircraft myths like Comet's (not) square windows being responsible for the fatigue failures!

[@philjolly6965]

Yet another master class! Thank you, Jeff. Cheers Phil

[@uingaeoc3905]

Surprise d that as part of the developemnt story Ed did not mention the half-scale version of the aircraft, known as the S.31, to prove the aerodynamics of the design. The S.31, mainly of wood, was powered by four Pobjoy Niagara engines.

[@casinodelonge]

There's an excellent book called "A Thousand Shall Fall" about a bomber tour in Stirling's. Apologies if this has already being mentioned.

[@richardrichard5409]

I was an apprentice at CAV (ex Shorts site Rochester) and spent 6 weeks with an ex Bomber Command pilot, flew all the twins and heavies and he thought the Stirling was the best handling of them all, a real pilots kite.:

[@daystatesniper01]

Superb video ,superb photo's superb aircraft , a pity none are preserved but i will wager that one or more are lurking waiting to be discovered in the deep fjords or the deserts of North Africa

[@glynparker9524]

Ed, from what I've previously seen the specs for the Stirling was written up after Short Brothers said that a 2 engine bomber can't be made for the current specs asked for with proven engines that were available. See info on Avro Manchester. With Shorts experience with 4 engine flying boats they designed and proposed the Stirling, and that is why they were the first of the big bombers.

[@WgCdrLuddite]

Look at a Sunderland from above. Then look at a Stirling from above. Notice the wings and engines? Yes - exactly the same. Shorts accepted the specification then built a bomber version of their flying boat.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The Manchester was designed to meet specification P.13/36, the specification written after that for the Stirling (B12/36).

[@discount8508]

the lower altitude was actually an advantage when flying with lancs and halifaxes ....the germans AA crews would set the fuses to explode at the higher altitude of the other 2 types so only a direct hit would be a concern to the stirling at night

[@mikepette4422]

Love the Sterling, Its one of my favs because it was the first big 4 engine model kit I got and I was amazed at how well Airfix did with the details. They were back in my day my last choice because most kits had bad detailing. But not the Short Sterling wow it took up my whole desk it was awesome. And as time went on I started reading how important the plane was early in the war and my respect grew. Glad you've brought us this one today.

[@EuroScot2023]

Stirling!!! Regardless of how the narrator mispronounces it.

[@JosipRadnik1]

Wonder how a torpedo bomber variant would have performed in the mediteranean or pacific. I guess that thing could have carried up to 6 torpedos in one mission, its manouverability would have helped, its range was quite decent and its low ceiling didn't matter that much in this role

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The Hangar Myth is also laughable due to most maintenance on the Stirling being intended t9 be carried out in the open air (as stated in the specification).

[@iansands8607]

Always had a soft spot for the Short Stirling, me dad bought me the Airfix kit back in 1966 for Christmas, I think it cost about half-crown or three-bob, (about 26p or 30p in todays money) I was 7 year old and it was the first kit I ever built with a little help from my dad obviously. Whenever I see pictures or film footage of the Stirling I just think it looks bloody awsome, it's such a shame no examples still exist.

[@joewright2304]

I understand that the Halifax and Lancaster were superior aircraft. However, I have always had a soft spot for the short Stirling. In my eyes, she's a beautiful bird, and I believe she gets short-changed in the history books.

[@allangibson8494]

When the Stirling was being fielded the Avro Manchester was its competition…

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

​@@allangibson8494 the Manchester and HP.56 were both medium bomber not heavies.

[@allangibson8494]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 When they were built the Wellington was classified as heavy.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@allangibson8494 classifications like light, medium, and heavy and relative terms.

[@allangibson8494]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 And the Lancaster had a heavier bomb load than the B-29… To the point that B-29’s were fitted with Lancaster bomb shackles for the nuclear weapon delivery function…

[@davidmcintyre8145]

I believe there was a second even larger 4 engined fighter in the 1980's when sidewinder missiles and their fire control equipment was fitted to Nimrod recon aircraft

[@WilliamJohnwon1522]

My dad trained in a Stirling and he said it could not glide, it tended to drop, when the engines were turned off. He did his aircrew duty, in a Lancaster, when he and his fellow crew were operational.

[@Aquila-sz8pl]

Excellent video. Puts brilliant context on bomber thinking through war and how and what. Rare indeed insights.

[@kevinwilson8039]

My first thought was Lanc and Wellington….but thanks so much for doing a vid on the Stirling! It’s my favourite of all the heavies. Such a shame they didn’t keep one

[@MichaelCampin]

Yes most fighter bases were grass strips, hence I have the solid titanium head of a German Luftwaffe bomb , AP , that was dropped on Hornchurch airfield during the Battle of Britain. It's a great paperweight

[@yes_head]

I'm always amazed by the Stirling's ginormous scaffolding, er -- I mean the landing gear.

[@Afrodizyak47]

My good friend Allan Elliot's father, was the RNZAF tail gunner in this aircraft, as it took off in this photo with Sir Winston Churchill. They were shot down over Germany and his dad taken as a POW, spending time in Stalag Luft IV.. My Late boss, 417669 Warrant Officer Albert Edward Sherriff, RAAF, as a wireless operator / air Gunner on Stirlings (and other aircraft), serving with the "crack" 161 Special Operations Squadron. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1 Jan 1946 P125 Pos 52 (UK) and in Australia's Commonwealth Gazette on 24 01/1949 , P158, Pos 85.

[@rokuth]

It wasn't a short bomber but it did provide sterling service... It does make me wonder why Short did not redesign the wing for additional wing area/span, to the original 112ft wingspan, but the reasoning is now History. It did remind me of the American Martin B-26 bomber. The initial variants also had small wings, and it affected its safety. Martin then redesigned the wing for more wing area/span, and that help alleviate many of the issues of the original design.

[@Thenogomogo-zo3un]

That aircraft is massive! Look at the size of the aircrew standing next to it for comparison. The cockpit is about at the height of the top of the roof of my house!

[@michaeld8200]

I've loved this aircraft for 50 years when I built a model of it. I realised how huge it was in comparison to the other same scale models I had

[@yt.602]

Ground breaking aircraft (or any product) are invariably imperfect, lessons applied lead to better options. It's a tragedy there are no Stirlings remaining, here in the UK we're terrible at preserving our heritage. Great video about an interesting aircraft that served with honour.

[@thethirdman225]

Harris was just as derisory about Handley Page. I don’t know if he had shares in Avro but he seemed to be doing a lot of back room politicking that they benefitted from.

[@garynew9637]

Another masterpiece. Thanks ed!

[@baward]

Thanks for the video. I love to imagine a 1:48 or 1:32 scale model in the Corgi diecast range of models. Well, I can dream...

[@radiosnail]

Built the Airfix kit of this when I was a child. I used to chat to a bloke on ham radio who'd been an apprentice at Short's Rochester factory. ONe of his jobs had been with making control line pulleys. In the first dept, the hole in the middle had to be precise to the "thou". Elsewhere he was told to ream the hole out if it did not fit! Imagine the difference the Stirling could have made in the North Atlantic hunting u boats? Lack of ceiling wold not have mattered.

[@stewartellinson8846]

The whole "they should have kept this....." rigmarole can get very tedious, but I do think it's such a shame that no complete Stirling survives. From pictures, they look simply majestic.

[@blaggercoyote]

My dad was a Stirling pilot during WW2 and would be able to confirm that it was capable of absorbing a lot of damage!

[@skidplate4150]

Excellent Ed.

[@stewartjones2173]

My mother's first husband was a navigator on a Stirling and went out and never came back. They used to call them " flying coffins" because they couldn't get above the ack-ack.

[@Renshen1957]

I built the 1/72 model of the bomber. One of the features of the Short Stirling was also the bomb bays in the wings.