Stirling in Combat / Jonathan Falconer

Loved or loathed by its crews, the Stirling was a British bomber aircraft that engendered strong feelings in those who flew it and serviced it. When it first entered RAF service in 1940, the Stirling was a symbol of British defiance and the nation's ability to inflict injury from the air on an enemy who, until then, had seemed unassailable. Sadly, for a number of reasons its rugged bulldog image did not live up to expectations, but the Stirling provided a much needed boost to British morale when it needed it most in the dark days of 1940-1941. The Short Stirling was introduced into RAF service in August 1940 and by July 1946 a total of 2,371 had been built. At the zenith of its operational career in 1943, twelve squadrons were equipped with the Stirling, but with the introduction of the Halifax and Lancaster to most main force and Pathfinder squadrons by the end of 1943 the Stirling was relegated to second-line duties and lightly defended short-range targets. It was also used for Special Duty operations and as a glider tug and paratroop transport. The author has interviewed dozens of former Stirling people whose detailed eyewitness accounts tell the story of the aircraft in RAF service. These accounts are supported by a rich selection of photographs drawn from a range of official and private sources.