Shorts Stirling ideas

[PR19_Kit]

They did that Real World, I think some were used during the Berlin Air Lift.

[DarrenP]

transports or American engines

[PR19_Kit]

Transports. They were flown by the Belgian airline, Trans Air.

[DarrenP]

RAF had been using them so not surprised

[McColm]

As already discussed, a kitbash using Avro Shackleton MkIII parts. Wings and cockpit off the Shack. Machine guns replaced with lumps and bumps.

[Captain Canada]

I could see that working. I still have to look to see if I have a second one. Pretty sure I do !

[The Wooksta!]

they were used as transports and glider tugs. so some of that might be an idea maybe commercial airliner either pre or post war?
Transport in various theatres and civil/military
ELINT aircraft
Airborne command post
AEW/nightfighter director aircraft
Maritime Patrol?
Dambuster
Grandslam

the Sunderland was fitted with more powerful American engines could the same be done with Stirling?

Couldn't have been used as an airliner pre war as the prototypes were only just flying. Plus Shorts were selling the Empire class flying boats, with greater range and passenger space.  Comfort was more important in those days than stuffing people in like sardines (Stellios and Leary, I'm looking at YOU!).

ELINT role? Stirlings in use with various bits of radio spoofery and used by several squadrons of 100 Group late in WWII.

AEW?  Ceiling limited this, you'd be better off with a Lancaster or a refitted transport.  Ditto airborne command post.

Maritime patrol is a possible but as they were found to be obsolescent in the bomber role, they were used more for the paradrop/transport role.  See Stirling mk V.  Besides, the availability of the Liberator, with better range and load carrying capacity, made this redundant.

Dambuster is a non starter due to the design of the bomb bays, limited to the design of pre war 1,000lb bombs.  Halifax had similar problems, hence they were used more for the transport and paradropping roles late war.

Grand Slam?  If the Stirling struggled to get to any sort of altitude with it's normal load of ha'penny bangers, I doubt it could carry a BFO bomb like Grand Slam, even if it'd had the structural redesign to accommodate said bomb.  Even the Lancaster struggled with Grand Slam and the aircraft had to be significantly lightened - two turrets deleted and the rear down to two guns only.  IIRC, even the navigator's seat went and was replaced with a wicker chair!  Lancaster could carry GS due to the fact that the original Manchester had been designed to carry two torpedoes, hence the long roomy bomb bay giving it the development potential that the Stirling and Halifax lacked.

US engines?  For what Stirling was doing late war with Hercules, why bother buying US engines?  Most RAF aircraft that used US engines did so early on when supplies of Hercules/Taurus/Merlins was limited to more key types.  

[pyro-manic]

What about Soviet service? Maybe re-engined with Shvetsov radials, all-over green, with winter distemper camouflage added? High altitude performance not as big an issue in the East. Maybe RAF in India as well.

SAAF, Kenyan etc. if Italian colonial forces made a better show of things in East Africa, and the Wellesleys couldn't hack it.

[Captain Canada]

Definitely need more Stirling builds around here. Real or imagined.

[McColm]

The RAF did consider using the Stirling as a tanker aircraft to refuel the Sunderland. Even the Empire Class flying boats were used in the civvie side to refuel other flying boats. Pan Am used its Boeing Clipper in the same role.
The Stirling idea was dropped in favor of the B-24 Liberators for RAF Coastal Command.

[pyro-manic]

Gunship. About a dozen .303s and a couple of 40mm sticking out the side. Maybe wads of small-ish frag bombs too. CBI theatre, for jungle-bashing in support of the army. Could combine it with paratrooper role - clear a drop zone by shooting up a clearing, then dump the paras into the resulting wreckage. Maybe a string of transports with a gunship ahead and behind?

[McColm]

I think they would make good gliders.

[Gondor]

I think they would make good gliders.

Absolute rot.

Gliders need a very high lift to weight ratio to work which usually means a very long wing not the Short stubby things fixed to the fuselage on the Stirling!

Gondor

[kitnut617]

I think they would make good gliders.

It would glide like a brick ----

[Captain Canada]

Didn't somebody build a Shorter Sterling ?