The forgotten four engine heavy of Bomber Command | The Short Stirling

**This is a remake of an old video. Some information has been updated.

The Short Stirling is often overshadowed by the Lancaster and Halifax, however it stilled played a significant role in the British war effort during the Second World War. Designed from the outset as a four engine bomber, the Stirling would be upgraded and developed so that it saw extensive service in a range of roles throughout World War Two. This ranged from being used a bomber, glider tug, transport and training aircraft. This is the story of Britain’s first four engine monoplane bomber from concept to its final flight.

Links:

Thanks to the following:
- Imperial War Museum
- World War Photos
-Australian War Memorial
-San Diego Air and Space Museum

Links:

Disclaimer: All comments that are not from The Antique Airshow in the comment section are not opinions of The Antique Airshow.

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Sources: (Not complete, as I did not record all when doing the original video)
Profile Publications: The Short Stirling by Geoffrey Norris
The Encyclopedia of Aircraft of World War II by Paul Eden

#aviationhistory #shortstirling #rafbombercommand #raf #planes #ww2history #history #worldwartwo #britishhistory #aircraft #flying #aviation #ww2 #ww2aircraft

0:00 - 2:23 - Specification B.12/36
2:23 - 3:35 - Short S.31
3:35 - 4:09 - Prototype
4:09 - 5:35 - Stirling Design
5:35 - 6:32 - Into Combat
6:32 - 7:09 - Stirling Mk.II
7:09 - 7:48 - Combat
7:48 - 8:20 - Victoria Cross
8:20 - 9:06 - Stirling Mk.III
9:06 - 10:15 - Stirling Mk.V
10:15 - 10:58 - Stirling Mk.V
10:58 - 12:38 - Conclusion

[robg]

Hi, ex-Short Brothers engineer here! I trained in the Belfast factory, starting in 1980 and I can well remember listening to the old sweats who had worked on the Stirling during WW2. They spoke with pride, but were sad at how the Stirling had been hampered by the Air Ministry.

[iantonkin]

Proud to say that my Dad was a pilot of the Stirling G for George which is shown at the 25 second mark. It was taken in a series of photos in April 1942 at the 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit based at the time at Waterbeach. Prior to this Dad had piloted Wellington's at 115 Sqdn.
On completion of Conversion training, Dad was posted to 214 Sqdn when they changed their aircraft to Stirlings and was amongst the first in that Sqdn to fly Stirlings operationally. After taking part in the first 2 1000 Bomber Raids, he was shot down on a mine laying op over the Friesian Islands crashing on the island of Memmert. The whole crew fortunately survived which was quite unusual. It was Dad's 17th op. He spent the rest of the war in a number of POW camps .
He rarely spoke of his experiences but when he did, he spoke very highly of the Stirling and its manoeuvrability and robustness.
Dad was Royal Australian Air Force joining in 1940 and after training and receiving his wings, was sent to England and attached to an RAF Sqdn ( as above 115 on Wellington aircraft ... again thought favourably of).
Many he knew in the early 1940s who flew on ops ( never missions .... that was American terminology) did not survive.
Lest we forget.

[BackTheBike]

Dad was a Lancaster pilot. The Stirling was always one of my favorite Airfix kits and looked great alongside the other heavies I built as a child.

[eddysmythe]

My father was shot down over Germany in a short Sterling. Though it never had the glamour associated with the Lancaster, he claimed it was a very strong and reliable plane. They had to carry out cork screw manoeuvres to evade an enemy fighter on one occasion and it was more than up to the task.

[dalemartell]

My great uncle ( Pilot Officer Gordon Joshua Dennison RCAF) my grandfather’s brother, went MIA in a Stirling from 199 Squadron RAF on the night of 15/16 September 1944 over the North Sea. To this day it is classified but the thought is they were dropping agents into Holland. Lest we forget…

[kikufutaba]

I just love the look of this aircraft. The short wings and tall landing gear. It is so ungainly it is beautiful.

[joeschenk]

Thanks for a video on the RAFs forgotten third heavy bomber. The Stirling carried the fight to the enemy before the more well know Halifax and Lancaster, she and her brave crews need to be remembered!👍

[GrinnenBaeritt]

Only "forgotten" by those who probably didn't know what a Halifax was either. For those of more tender years, it's the fascination with types particulalry the Lancaster and Spitfire that causes this (and many, many other types) to be "Over-shadowed". A thing cannot be forgotten if it was never taught. Thanks for the video.

[AlexLancashirePersonalView]

My father Albert Bishop Lancashire flew as radio op/ navigator in the war. It was his favorite plane. He flew in several different types of plane and survived 90 trips. Died in 2003 in France. His pilot was called Vernon "Stinky" Miller a Canadian whos name Vernon I inherited as my middle name.

[yvetteinfrance]

Hi my uncle FS Leslie Hyder, was co-pilot on the mentioned mission with Ron Middleton, He was awarded the DFM, only passed away a few years back.

[wessexdruid]

Not forgotten in this neck of the woods - my grandfather worked 12 hour shifts, 7-day weeks at the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge building them (he was a toolmaker, like many in my family).
The Stirling became a glider tug once the Lanc was produced in enough numbers to take most of the bombing load and was involved in airborne ops from D-Day to Market Garden. It was also used to airdrop supplies to the various resistances across occupied Europe.

[craigwoodhouse]

My old man use to know a old guy who was a tail gunner on the Sterling and he use the say you could do aerobatics in the Stirling and it could almost dogfight in it. He held them in very high regard.

[Paulvanacker]

My favourite of the RAF 4 engine bombers. I love how high up it stands on the ground and that long fuselage. Ugly is beautiful. Nicely presented video, thank you.

[stevenhoman]

What an excellent topic. The much beloved but largely forgotten Short Sterling. The information about the awkward stance of this craft, with very large tyres and long landing struts now makes some sense. All of its deficits would however have been better addressed by extending the wing's in the first place, I believe.

[dbaider]

A massive aircraft. The huge chord of the wings tried to compensate for the short span but that just made it more draggy. It is not forgotten at all!

[asic]

Excellent video. Sad that there is not a single surviving aircraft.

[joewright]

For what its worth. I always thought the short Sterling was a beautiful airplane. It's a shame it's not more respected.

[lycian]

I’ve been looking into the Stirling for some years after I discovered I had an uncle that flew in it (149 Squadron). Didn't know that the plane was developed into a cargo carrier.
Thanks for the video.

[Fernando-vbti]

Never ever forget… thank you for your service 😊

[mdog]

Thanks for making this video about an aeroplane pretty much ignored by most Youtube WW2 documentary producers who seem to prefer to make endless videos about Lancasters and Spitfires instead. Huge respect to the brave airmen who flew this machine in bomber streams where they stood out as the 'low hanging fruit' for German night fighters and flack gunners.