SHORT STIRLING

The Short Stirling heavy bomber was the first four-engined bomber to be introduced into service with the RAF.

Whilst originally designed in the late 1930’s by Short Brothers in response to the Air Ministry’s request for a long distance, high payload capacity four engined bomber, it did not enter service until early 1941.

This was largely due to the impact of the Luftwaffe bombing campaign over the British mainland which targeted key industrial centres - especially those involved in aircraft manufacture.

These centres were heavily bombed during the Battle of Britain forcing the Air Ministry to disperse aircraft production across the country to reduce their losses. 

One factory which suffered significantly from Luftwaffe attacks during the early days of the Battle was the Short Stirling factory at Rochester.

During a daring low-level Luftwaffe raid on the area, a group of Dornier Do 17’s were able to completely destroy a large number of Stirling which had just rolled off the assembly line leaving the factory severely damaged and setting back production by almost a year.

Other factories were quickly set up including a major plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland but this too was attacked, forcing the Air Ministry to establish a number of satellite factories to maintain production.

In late 1941, Canada also began to produce the Short Stirling bomber under licence and by the end of the war in Europe over 2370 heavy bombers were produced.

RAF pilots were said to have praises the aircraft for its ability to out -turn enemy night fighters and its rugged contraction which enable it to sustain significant damage and still return home.

The one thing they didn’t like however was the Stirling’s relatively low ceiling capability which left it susceptible to anti-aircraft batteries and enemy fighters.

The Stirling's low ceiling was largely due to its reduced wingspan, which coupled with the weight of its heavy engines and large bomb load, made it increasingly more difficult to participate in later high altitude bombing missions and gradually the new four engined Avro Lancaster with its extended wing plan began to shoulder the role as Britain's primary heavy bomber.

With a crew of seven, unlike the Avro Lancaster, the Stirling was flown by two pilots supported by a flight engineer, navigator/bomb aimer, a forward turret gunner, an upper turret gunner and a tail gunner.

The Stirling’s segmented bomb bay could carry a combined ordinance mix of over 6340 kg making it the largest payload of any comparable bomber of the day and with its tight turning circle and manoeuvrability the aircraft played a pioneering role in the formation of RAF’s initial ‘Pathfinder squadrons.

 By May 1943, it was not uncommon to see raids on Germany being conducted by over 100 Stirling bombers at a time and the Stirling also played a pivotal role in the first 1000 plane night time raid on Cologne. 

Time and time again the Stirling proved itself to be able to take significant punishment from enemy fire with one Stirling suffering a head-on collision with a Bf 109 fighter over Hamburg and still managing to return to base.

Unfortunately its low ceiling continued to frustrate RAF planners as when the Stirling was included in multiple aircraft raids with the higher altitude capable Lancaster’s, Wellingtons and Halifax's  German fighters would invariably concentrate on the Stirling’s resulting in significant losses to the RAF.

Another factor that began to contribute to Stirling losses was its incredibly high landing gear which could collapse under a full fuel and bomb load with devastating consequences.

Eventually, the Short Stirling found itself repurposed as a mine laying aircraft as the RAF had begun to drop significantly larger ordinance which simply didn’t fit in the Stirling compartmentalised bomb bay.

It also found itself taking a lead role in Britains Special Operations Executive, making low level agent parachute drops and resupply missions to the growing number of armed resistance movements operating across occupied Europe.

During the D-Day landings at Normandy and Operation Market Garden in Holland, the Stirling was used as a heavy troop transport glider tug as well as dropping thousands of its own Allied parachutists over the battle areas.

All Short Stirling Instruments listed below come complete with a detailed, custom-built Scale Model of the Short Stirling Aircraft on its Magnetic Display Arm; Mango Wood Display Stand & Plaque, plus Printed Fact Sheet featuring photo of instrument in aircraft cockpit - as shown in this Avro Lancaster example opposite:

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  SHORT STIRLING TYPE VII 5D/1065 BOMB RELEASE TIMER DISTRIBUTOR PANEL

  Air Ministry stamped Short Stirling Type VII 5D/1065 Bomb Release...

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  SHORT STIRLING, AIR MINISTRY BOMB SELECTOR CONTROL PANEL

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  SHORT STIRLING AIR MINISTRY TYPE C, 22C/452 FLYING HELMET & Mk VIII FLYING GOGGLES

  Incredibly rare, Short Stirling Type C 22C/452 Air Ministry, Flying...

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  SHORT STIRLING LEFT & RIGHT BEAM INDICATOR

  Rare Air Ministry AM Crown stamped, Short Stirling Left/Right Beam...

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  SHORT STIRLING TYPE B, 5c/372 AIR MINISTRY & CROWN STAMPED MORSE CODE SENDER KEY

  Short Stirling bakelite, Air Ministry Crown stamped Type B 5c/372...

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  SHORT STIRLING SANGAMO BEAM APPROACH INDICATOR

  Air Ministry AM Crown stamped RAF Beam Approach Indicator installed...

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