Patron: The Lord Mackie of Benshie, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., LL, D.
Chairman: Brian Harris D.F.C., Dibdene, The Green, Shamley Green, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0UA
Secretary: Dr. Geoff Edwards, Redcroft, St. Nicolas Ave., Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 7AQ
Treasurer: Derek Hahn FCCA, 16 Cromwell Place, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU5 7LF
e-mail:info@stirlingproject.co.uk
Registered Charity No.1077113

Please contact:
Brian Harris D.F.C.,Dibdene, The Green, Shamley Green, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0UA
Tel: 01483 892626

We are delighted to announce our move to workshop facilities in No.1 Hangar at this
RAF station near Huntingdon, north of Cambridge

The move could be likened to a change from " a stable to the Savoy". The equipment move was handled by committee members who worked slave-like and suffered aching arms and bad backs. Our accommodation includes a canteen, so refreshments came to the rescue! Thanks go to Giuseppe Lombardi, and John Lathwell whose initiative helped to acquire this wonderful facility. The move is particularly appropriate as Stirlings of XV Squadron operated from here in 1941-43.

The Project’s workshop

It is situated alongside No. 1 Hangar which is large enough to accommodate three Stirlings simultaneously.

A View of the Workshop Interior.

ACQUISITIONS.

Over the past year, the Stirling Project has made a number of valuable and interesting acquisitions. These include hardware to be incorporated in the eventual Stirling rebuild, and equipment to be used in the new workshop. In addition, we have acquired items for an eventual museum display. Our thanks go to the Chairman, the Acquisitions Officer and all others whose vigilance and initiative, over the past year, have secured these items, several of which will now be illustrated and described.

ITEM 1: THE GUILDFORD MODEL ENGINEERING SOCIETY MAKES A DONATION TO THE STIRLING PROJECT

On the left, Chairman of G.M.E.S. Derek Darnell is being thanked by Brian Harris for the hand-operated forklift capable of raising one ton. This comes in return for a talk to be given by Brian about the Stirling Bomber and the Stirling Project at the Society’s clubhouse in Guildford. The forklift is already fully operational in our new workshops at Wyton.

ITEM 2: A USEFUL EXCHANGE

Our Acquisitions Officer Martin Smith has successfully negotiated an exchange with Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. The Stirling project has received a throttle box, (above left) recovered from a downed Stirling, in exchange for a RAF radio transmitter(right) of the type used in control towers during the Battle of Britain Considerable skill and hard work will be needed in the repair of the throttle box. Restoration work has already begun, with Giuseppe Lombardi, Louis Brown and John Lathwell making good use of drawings prepared by Peter Howell and Louis Brown.

ITEM 2: AUTOMATIC PILOT Mk. VIII
"George"

ITEM 3: THE FRAMEWORK OF
A PILOT'S SEAT

This item was kindly donated by a Dutch University

We are indebted to the Ulster Aviation Society
for the gift of this seat.

ITEM 3: A SET OF EIGHT "DAMBUSTER" SOUVENIR WALL PLATES

Memorial to Air Gunners.

Another memorial to WWII servicemen has been lodged with Peterborough Museum. It is a tribute to air gunners who fought in the turrets of fighters and bombers throughout the war. The memorial - a bronze statuette of a gunner, dressed as he would be for operations - was handed over by ex W/O Dennis Barsby, Chairman and Secretary of the Air Gunners' Association (Peterborough Branch) to Martin Howe, Curator.

ITEM 5: Dr. Ian Carney, also of Guildford Model Engineering Society, has donated an altimeter to the Project.

ITEM 6: Two pairs of rudder pedals and two red doorhandles for a Stirling have been received from John Reid of Lancashire.

ITEM 7: AN ELSAN.
This vital piece of equipment was donated by Ian Foster and his team, from HP57 Rescue.

The two photographs below show our Chairman on the Victoria Statue opposite Buckingham Palace filming the Coronation in 1953. He and his partner hired nine cameramen to film the procession on its route around London. Scenes in the Abbey were included. Colour copies in 16, 9.5 and 8mm were sold around the world. The original of this historic film has been assigned to a film agency who made it available to television programme makers. Sections have recently been seen on television in programmes featuring the Jubilee. The agency have already made a four-figure donation to the Stirling project and have indicated that a further percentage payment may be due.