Stirling Photo - Any thoughts?

[Peter Clare]

Its Ok Adam, I'm the same with tanks

[Martin Bull]

Please don't take this as 'proof positive', but this may be a photo of Stirling IV LK246 '8Z-S' as flown by Wing Commander H E Angell, DFC - the C.O . of 295 Squadron.

The additional glazed panels which can clearly be seen above the bomb-aimer's panel are unusual. There is a photo of the port side of LK246 in the most interesting little book 'Rivenhall - The History Of An Essex Airfield' by B A Stait ( Alan Sutton Publishing, 1984 ) which contains much information about 295's activities.

[Paul Reed]

Thanks for that lead, Martin. I will get a copy of the book you mention.

I wonder if this aircraft is just back from the Rhine Crossing, given the damage?

[Peter Clare]

Short Stirling IV serial No. LK246. One of 360 delivered between January 1944 and January 1945 by Short & Harland, Belfast.
Struck off Charge 5 June 1947.

[phylo_roadking]

If you look closely at the aircraft in the rear of the pic on the right....you can see the towing gear mounted where the rear turret should have been?

[GPRegt]

The Stirling was used as a frontline glider tug for all NWE ops.

Steve W.

[Paul Reed]

Thanks for those additional comments - you've reminded me this is something else I need to chase up!

[kfz]

Originally Posted by phylo_roadking

If you look closely at the aircraft in the rear of the pic on the right....you can see the towing gear mounted where the rear turret should have been?

Are you sure, Looks like a canvas cover over the perspex to me, see the twin guns????

Kev

[phylo_roadking]

There's TWO objects protruding; the top might be the guns, but the lower, shorter "thing"....?

[Harry Ree]

The Stirling had a number of design deficiencies and inadequate performance return which eventually, as new squadrons, particularly Lancaster squadrons were equipped, ruled the Stirling out of front line bombing squadron duties.Nevertheless it fitted in well into secondary duties of the range already mentioned.It was an aircraft which could be readily released for SOE duties whose "directors" often were denied the use of the main core bombers, namely the Lancaster and the Halifax.

The Stirling had a restricted service ceiling due to its very low aspect wing of 17-18000 feet which along with its disavantage of being only able to carry a 400lb bomb as its maximum bomb size due to the bomb bay being "sectionised" resulted in its demotion from front line bombing operations.

The Stirling was last used on Bomber Command operations on 8 September 1944 when 4 aircraft from No 149 Squadron,operating out of Methwold bombed the "fortress" of Le Havre.I am sure that our Aussie members will note that it was a RAAF pilot who was flying the last Stirling to bomb over Le Havre.

The most famous squadron and the first to be equipped with the Stirling was No 7 Squadron at RAF Oakington.There is a well known publicity photograph of Winston Churchill visiting the squadron which we now know was at Oakington to view this new bomber which must have been shot about October- November 1940 (they received the aircraft at RAF Leeming the previous August.) In the background is a Stirling whose steep ground angle is remimiscent of the obsolete HP Heyford.

Overall, a bomber that the RAF was pleased to utilise at a time when it did not have anything much better.It filled the gap until the Halifaxes and Lancasters entered squadron service.Its entry to the RAF heralded the requirement for a different dimension in flight training, requiring a Flight Engineer to assist the Pilot by the undertaking of engineering duties associated with the close supervision of the power plant, fuel tanks and rate of consumption.