The Short Stirling; First of the British Big Boys

00:00 - Intro
01:02 - Genesis
02:31 - Specification
04:09 - Catapult launch
04:31 - Hanger Doors
08:31 - Supermarine 317
09:22 - Production starts
11:00 - Size!
11:32 - First flight
12:19 - Weight and altitude issues
13:30 - Production issues
15:28 - Into service
17:17 - Problems
18:42 - City smasher
20:09 - Bomber Harris ire
21:43 - Variants
25:08 - Post war
26:22 - Conclusion

Huge thanks once again to JD at Dinger aviation for his help with this video.

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[EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

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

[johnlester]

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.

[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

[robertanthony]

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.

[johnlathwell]

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.

[flargus]

There's something about the Stirling thats just... Right.

Thanks for the update!

[meansofproduction]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Ray-tgsj]

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.

[aoge]

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

[greenseaships]

*Half HOUR video on the Stirling*


BLESS YOU ED. BLESS YOU!!

[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!

[paulkirkland]

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.

[gussiebunny]

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.

[keithmclean]

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.

[RobertWilliams-uskw]

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

[andrewdale]

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