28th July 2006.
| STIRLING PROJECT NEWSLETTER No. 8 (2005/06) | |
| Patron: The Lord Mackie of Benshie, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., LL, D. |
Please contact:
Brian Harris D.F.C., Dibdene, Shamley Green, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0AU Tel: 01483 892626 |
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28th July 2006. |
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2006 FRIENDS AND FAMILY DAY at RAF WYTON. |
| For the third year, members of the Stirling Aircraft Society joined the Stirling Project team at RAF Wyton to display the Project’s Stirling components in various stages of restoration., in particular, Ron Lunney’s almost complete working throttle box. This year, we were able to field no fewer that four members of Stirling aircrews who were available to talk to the visitors. For Henry Payne and Jim Mills of the Stirling Aircraft Society, it was their first visit to the Project Workshop base, which they both enjoyed. Ron Lunney and Brian Harris were the Project‘s aircrew members. There was a pleasant surprise when Richie Doel, Project member and ex-RAF Wyton arrived all the way from Yeovilton, bringing news that John Lathwell of the restoration team is returning to the area of Wyton, from Yeovilton, and hopes to rejoin the local restoration team. Everyone enjoyed the flying display which this year included a number of flypasts by the Lancaster bomber and the Red Arrows, as well as a later mark of Spitfire in pristine condition. In spite of the hot weather, and reverberations of the brass band in the hangar, it was another good opportunity to publicise the Project and the Society in a joint event. Sadly none of our lady members were able to attend this year but we hope to see them all again at the 2007 open day. |
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A lady visitor views the virtually completed FN5 front turret, |
Ex-7-Squadron navigator Ron Lunney, whose amazing patience and |
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Time and effort have been required to obtain the correctly-dated instruments for the now completed pilot’s instrument panel. |
Committee members on duty, L to R: Louis Brown- |
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Four ex-Stirling aircrew on the Stirling Project stand. Photo by Derek Hahn, Treasurer, Stirling Project.Front row, L to R: Engineer Jim Mills, (229 Sqdn.) Pilot Henry Payne, (229 Sqdn.) Rear row, L to R: Navigator Brian Harris DFC, (XV Sqdn.) Navigator Ron Lunney, (7 Sqdn.) |
FLYPAST REMEMBERS THE STIRLING. |
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SHORT STIRLING BUILDERS AT ROCHESTER. |
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Mr. H.V. Spencer of Gravesend sent the Chairman a wartime photograph of a group of Shorts workers taking a break. Among them is his wife (2nd from the right). She died in 1994. Unfortunately, he is unable to find the photograph of her actually working on a Stirling. Anyone recognizing themselves is requested to drop us a line, maybe with an up-to-date photo. |
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A GENEROUS GIFT FROM THE YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM. (Stirling exhaust collector rings) |
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KIND WORDS FROM FIGHTER COMMAND ABOUT STIRLINGS. |
An extract from FIRST LIGHT by Geoffrey Wellum.(Penguin Books 2002) (pp 272-3) Reproduced by permission of Penguin Books Ltd. Two months before the outbreak of WWII, seventeen-year-old Geoffrey Wellum became the youngest Spitfire pilot in the prestigious 92 Squadron. Over the coming months, he and his fellow pilots played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain. Apart from terrifying dogfights with Me109s, he escorted bombers over Northern Europe. In this extract from his book, he describes escorting Stirlings. The Stirlings gave the whole concept the shot in the arm that we needed. After the Blenheim, which was only a light day bomber in the first place, the Stirlings seemed huge with their four engines and utterly unstoppable. Trip after trip, there they would be, in their rigid formation, first of all three of them, and then later six, ploughing on through the flak, which at times was very heavy indeed, straight as a die up to their target. Down would go the bombs, a lot of bombs, with devastating effect and the slow unhurried turn of 180 degrees back towards the coast again. The only slightly disconcerting thing was that they flew mainly at about 8000 feet, which didn’t seem very high to us. Should you be in the close escort, you just had to wade through the flak with the bombers, although we of course were weaving about whereas the Stirlings pressed on straight and level regardless. Brave men, these bomber boys. We almost take for granted the invincibility of the Stirling. One day 92 Squadron is close escort to three of the big bombers on an operation to Lens. The flak has been very heavy indeed and at times so close that not only can I see the angry red flashes in the middle of the bursts but on several occasions I actually hear the crack as it goes off above the noise of the engine. I find the situation somewhat disturbing. It is just as we have completed the homeward turn after the bombs have gone and we are on the way back to the distant French coast that I notice the merest trickle of thin grey smoke coming from the starboard inner engine of the Stirling on my side of the formation. The smoke persists and he shows a tendency to lag a bit behind his two chums. I sense trouble and drop back with my number two to give him cover should any 109s decide to interfere. I wonder why he doesn’t feather that engine. I think I’ll call up and suggest that I should cover the big brother. I do and get an affirmative. The smoke is quite definitely increasing in volume and density and not all that slowly, either. I don’t feel happy with the way things are developing one little bit. I fly over the top of the wounded bomber. Gosh, what a size. Didn’t realise they were quite so big. I can just make out the figures of the tiny heads of pilots in the cockpit. Thank goodness I’m not in their predicament; not yet, anyway. Back across the tail, covering as best I can, and it’s then that I notice at the very base of the smoke, where it comes out of the engine, a bright, white, magnesium light. Oh, Christ, I think the poor bastard’s on fire. The light gets bigger. Smoke is coming from all round the cowl gills of the engine. I just can’t tear my eyes from this impending disaster, but I must. Enemy fighters could well be attracted to this little enactment like flies around a jam jar. It’s all clear at the moment, thank goodness. Even the flak has ceased. Just as well, we’re a way back from the main formation, straggling and horribly naked. A look at the poor old Stirling and I’m horrified at the speed with which the fire has spread. Flame is pouring out from the gills all around the engine. The airscrew is windmilling and the fire encroaches over the wing itself. There’s no stopping this one. We’re going to lose one good Stirling. I feel so helpless and shocked at what I am witnessing. The whole process is so deliberate. Flames steadily advancing along the wing and even as I watch the momentum speeds up and the fire gains rapidly. The huge aircraft rolls over to starboard, slow but relentless. Over still further, the whole wing now engulfed in an ugly, angry great mass of very dark red fire. Rolling over still at a slowly increasing rate, the nose drops towards the ground in what is the start of its death plunge. Down it goes, the flames triumphant, the Germans no doubt jubilant. It’s a frightful sight. Good God, what a way to die.
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TONY NELSON'S NORFOLK MODEL AIR FORCE. TONY NELSON, the builder of several very large flying model aircraft has sent us an updated picture of his Stirling. We all await the day when it takes to the air. |
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PROGRESS ON STIRLING INSTRUMENT PANELS. |
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The metal panels shown above plus the pilot’s instrument panel ( shown earlier) were cut for us by Martin Phillips in exchange for a Spitfire seat. The instruments were then installed by John Lathwell. |
ITEMS FOR SALE |
Books: We have available, copies of the book “The Stirling Story” by Michael Bowyer at a cost of £20:80 including postage in the UK and packing |
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We also have copies of the memoirs of Lord Mackie, our patron who was a WWII Stirling navigator. This costs £17:50 inclusive of P&P in the UK. |
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Videos: Also available are copies of the VHS video “Remember the Stirling”, produced by our Chairman, which records the progress of the Stirling from 1941 to Arnhem. |
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From the RAF’s biggest and slowest bomber to its smallest and fastest. Brian Harris has produced videos depicting the Stirling and the Mosquito in action, including colour sequences taken while serving on Mosquito 627 Pathfinder Squadron. This costs £17:50 inclusive of P&P in the UK. |
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The price of each of the above videos is £16:00 including P&P in the UK. (Not available on DVD.) |
Stirling Project / Stirling Aircraft Society Calendar for 2008. The Stirling Project and the Stirling Aircraft Society will collaborate on a joint calendar for 2008. This will be A4 size with top-half pictures and the dates on the lower half, one for each month. The pictures will feature the paintings of the artist Clive Kemp as well as black-and white wartime photographs. This will be something rather special to hang on the kitchen wall. |
