Short Stirling

Short Stirling

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06/28/2002. Remarks by Carlo Soliani: "Short Stirling B. Mk.IV (RAF Serial LK-5?3 or LK-5?9). This aircraft belongs to a batch of 429 Stirling produced by Austin Motors (394 Mk.IV and 35 B. Mk.IV). The Mk.IV was a general purpose aircraft (personnel transport, freighter, glider tug), while the aircraft depicted in the photo is a B. Mk.IV that still retained the attitude to bombing missions (hence the prefix "B."). The last Stirling B. Mk.IV was completed in the autumn of 1944. All Mk.IV and B. Mk.IV had a nose with transparent fairing, instead of the front turret like the preceding versions. In the photograph, under the fuselage is clearly visible the bubble-shaped fairing (not installed in standard Mk.IV), that could receive the radar navigation and blind-bombing device (typically the H2S system). There are no Squadron identification letters: the marking "V3" on the nose could be the individual code of the aircraft."

05/21/2003. Remarks by Chris Pinn: "The location is RAF Shawbury, most probably in late 1944. The control tower in the background was still standing in 2003 and is documented on the excellent 'UK Control Tower' website. The Stirling shown was attached to the Central Navigation School, which explains the addition of the H2S navigation radar. A second Stirling from this unit, LK508, was identical in appearance and carried the nose marking U3."

07/22/2003. Remarks by Chris Pinn: "Michael JF Bowyer's book 'The Stirling Story' clearly identifies this aircraft as LK 589. There were only two Stirlings marked like this: LK 589 marked as V3 and LK 508 marked at various times as either U3 or W3 (!) LK 589 was built as a Mk III, but later converted to a Mk IV. Both aircraft made trans-Atlantic flights. Stirlings equipped with H2S radomes were also operated by No 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Stradishall. This even included LK508 at which time it carried the codes AK-S bracketing the fuselage roundel."


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06/28/2002. Remarks by Carlo Soliani: "Short Stirling B. Mk.IV (RAF Serial LK-5?3 or LK-5?9). This aircraft belongs to a batch of 429 Stirling produced by Austin Motors (394 Mk.IV and 35 B. Mk.IV). The Mk.IV was a general purpose aircraft (personnel transport, freighter, glider tug), while the aircraft depicted in the photo is a B. Mk.IV that still retained the attitude to bombing missions (hence the prefix "B."). The last Stirling B. Mk.IV was completed in the autumn of 1944. All Mk.IV and B. Mk.IV had a nose with transparent fairing, instead of the front turret like the preceding versions. In the photograph, under the fuselage is clearly visible the bubble-shaped fairing (not installed in standard Mk.IV), that could receive the radar navigation and blind-bombing device (typically the H2S system). There are no Squadron identification letters: the marking "V3" on the nose could be the individual code of the aircraft." 05/21/2003. Remarks by Chris Pinn: "The location is RAF Shawbury, most probably in late 1944. The control tower in the background was still standing in 2003 and is documented on the excellent 'UK Control Tower' website. The Stirling shown was attached to the Central Navigation School, which explains the addition of the H2S navigation radar. A second Stirling from this unit, LK508, was identical in appearance and carried the nose marking U3." 07/22/2003. Remarks by Chris Pinn: "Michael JF Bowyer's book 'The Stirling Story' clearly identifies this aircraft as LK 589. There were only two Stirlings marked like this: LK 589 marked as V3 and LK 508 marked at various times as either U3 or W3 (!) LK 589 was built as a Mk III, but later converted to a Mk IV. Both aircraft made trans-Atlantic flights. Stirlings equipped with H2S radomes were also operated by No 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Stradishall. This even included LK508 at which time it carried the codes AK-S bracketing the fuselage roundel."