Robert Parker Posted June 7, 2015 Author Share Posted June 7, 2015 Hi All, Just a quick update. I have filled ,sanded and applied a coat of sanding sealer to the wings and I have also weighed all of the sections and so far, the weight so todate including flight battery, servos, u/c in fact everything except the cowls and canopies come out at 7 1/2lbs so that leaves me with 1/2lb for the tissue and dope plus painting and some scale detailing ie air intakes and the like before I reach my initial guestimated weight of 8lbs or less. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 hey David, thats interdit, especially with difficult words ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David TOUREILLE Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I apologise Ernie, I didn't know how to say it in English, so I wrote it in my native language. It means: She really looks impressive, beautyfull and more... Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Hi David, That's very kind of you for your translation. I have not had time to download google sketch up yet, the weekend went so fast. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Hi David, Ooh la la Don't be sorry, it's a beautiful language. You should hear what I do to it erniie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Hi All, The waiting is over, the top secret order has arrived......... Just look at my latest editions to the Stirling I'm so impressed with the quality of workmanship and the attention to detail even at 1/16th scale Need to bring the fuselage along a bit now, though any work this weekend will be out of the question being Father's day....mmmmm and I can't play with my toys??? Front turret with gunner Mid upper turret Rear turret co-pilot, navigator and bomb aimer, pilot AWOL for now. I'll need to up my finishing quality to do these guys justice. A big thank you to Sean at Real Model Pilots, a bit of a wait but I can see that Sean is a bit of a perfectionist and they were well worth the wait. That's all for now Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 They certainly are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hello Robert I have just started the rc plane hobby and came across this thread when searching for info on the Stirling. First off I am blown away by what you have done/are doing, the level of skill and the attention to detail, research etc is fantastic . Not sure is you have finished yet but I can,t wait to see the end product. I was basically doing some research on my grandad who passed away some time ago in the 70's. He apparently worked at Shorts in Rochester I thought working on the Sunderland but my dad thinks he was more involved in building Stirlings. The jury is out and am checking with an uncle who may know more. I could never do what you are doing but would be interested to know if there any other kits available if the Stirling, probably not I assume as that's why you have had to do all the hard work from scratch but I thought I would just ask. Apologies if that is a stupid question. Keep eel up the good work and keep the thread going until you are done. Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hello Michael, Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your comments, it has been a challenge stretching some of my drawing and building skills some of which to be honest have not been used for a couple of decades or so and thinking how it will go together and putting it on paper and then tweeking the plans during the building process to get things right. In answer to you question are there any kits, there are no kits of the Stirling that I know of other than the plastic ones Airfix etc, there is a plan of a rubber powered Stirling with a wing span of 36" I think. You say that you could never do anything like this, well I would have said the same when I first started into RC planes back in 1990. I'm still working on the Stirling, albeit slowly at the moment, saying that I have finished doping the wings and faired in the turret positions now that I have them in fact the fuselage is ready to be tissued and doped but I'm letting the "dust settle" as my wife has flexed her vocal chords about the smell of the dope and the fact that I'm taking over the house / garden with my planes.... The research that I did was all on google and of course fellow members of this forum who have been a great help and supportive. Good luck with your research about your grandad and starting up in the hobby. I will keep the thread going and post some flying shots when the time comes, I'm really looking forward to that day but I'm not going to rush it. All the best Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Just as a point of interest, Stirlings were also built by the Austin Motor Co. In Longbridge. They were shipped to Elmdon (Birmingham) Airport by lorry in sections, assembled and test flown from there before delivery to the squadrons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Hello Robert I found out from my uncle that my grandad worked extensively on the Sunderland, may be not the Stirling at all but we won't know that for sure entirely possible he did some time on Stirlings at some point I guess. I wonder if anyone who worked at Shorts during the war is still alive Imagine the stories they could tell. Anyway that doesn't make me less interested in your model it remains awesome, and I will follow the thread with interest as long as you agree to build a Sunderland next. Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Colin thanks, I find the whole story of these things fascinating, and the whole effort really during that war to build planes and other essential equipment in such a short space of time, the coordination involved, everything. A great shame that no Stirlings survive today which makes what Robert is doing the more special. Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hi Michael, I have looked at a couple of my books and have found the following information on where the Stirlings were built as follows: Short Brothers, Rochester Kent. Shorts took over the Rochester airport site in 1945-35 where they opened a factory to build landplanes. In 1938, the company constructed a major new factory extension for Stirling production at what had become known as the "airport works". Stirlings were built and test flown from the airport site which by 1942 had an 11,000 strong workforce. Short Brothers & Harland, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The need for dispersed production in the British aircraft industry had been recognised long before the outbreak of war in 1939 and Shorts were not alone in seeing sense of not putting all of their eggs in one basket. The requirement for increased and dispersed production had seen the Air Ministry establish an aircraft manufacturer in Northern Ireland in 1936 by creating a merger between Belfast shipbuilder Harland & Wolff and Shorts (Rochester and Bedford), called Shorts Bros and Harland, at Queen's Island on the River Lagan (where RMS Titanic was fitted out). Stirling production began in June 1940 with the first aircraft rolling off the production line four months later. The adjacent airfield at Sydenham (now George Best Belfast City Airport) was used for test flying and before long Stirlings were being assembled and test flown from nearby Aldergrove, Long Kesh and Maghaberry. Short's other big project, the Sunderland flying boat, was also built in Belfast. Austin Motors, Longbridge, Birmingham. Austin Motors' Longbridge site was enlarged in the late 1930's by the building of an Air Ministry shadow factory at Cofton Hackett. Known as "the Aero" to it's workers, the massive East Works was where Stirlings were built in sections (fuselages, wings etc) and then transported by road to Autin's second shadow factory (Austin Airframes) at Marston Green for final assembly into complete aircraft. They were then towed along a concrete road across the Birmingham-Coventry railway line to Elmdon airfield for air testing (owing to the short runway at Longbridge the Stirling and later the Lancaster could not be flown out from the factory airfield.) . Longbridge produced during the war more than 1,000 Fairy Battles, over 300 Hawker Hurricanes, and some 300 Lancasters. Shorts, South Marston, Swindon, Wilts. Stirling production was interupted when Shorts Rochester factory was bombed in August 1940. The Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) quickly recognised the need for further dispersed production and much of the Stirling manufacturing was switched to Swindon in Wiltshire in 1941. fuselages were built at Blunsdon and fitted out at Sevenhampton, while other parts, including the wings were manufactured in No 24 Shop at Swindon Railway Works and at a garage in the town centre. These parts were transported to South Marston on the North side of Swindon (where some of the wings were made) for assembly in a new MAP shadow factory, which was originally intended for Phillips and Powis Ltd who were building Miles Master trainers. an airfield for flight testing was needed, so two 1,000 yard concrete runways were constructed to the West of the factory. The first Stirling was flown off for delivery to the RAF at the beginning of 1942 and soon the South Marston factory was completing 16 bombers a month. Gloster Aircraft Co, Brockworth, Gloucestershire Twenty-seven Stirling MKIs and a single MKII were assembled here between July and November 1941 to take up some slack at Rochester after it was bombed. Hope this helps with you research, My books are, Stirling in Combat, Stirling Wings- The Short Stirling Goes To War and Haynes Short Stirling, Owners workshop manual, all written by Jonathan Falconer. I must admit for my next model the Sunderland is a hot contender although the Lockheed constellation is catching my attention and Cliff Bastow is doing a great job of his on his thread and I'm following closely. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Robert Thanks for all that information. One thing that stood out in that for me was reference to making 16 bombers a month from the Swindon factory. See the scale of these operations for me is just unbelievable, that's another Stirling every two days. Could we do that now if we had to? I guess we could but it's hard to imagine. Well i'm biased but in my opinion the Sunderland has a more interesting shape to it than the Lockheed but I,m sure both would make nice models. Thanks again Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hi again Michael, Just thought you might like a few photos of the production lines of the Stirlings Looking at the photos I would doubt very much if we could return to factories on a scale like this. Indeed modern warfare has changed considerably since then there are no front lines to speak of just insurgents and not all armies wear a uniform. On a more upbeat note, I have not ruled out a Catalina, plenty of curves there!!!! Regards Robert Edited By Robert Parker on 01/07/2015 19:54:53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eflightray Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I was looking on Wikipedia at the Stirling, and was amazed at how long, and big, the fuselage was. There is a comparison chart of the Stirling, Lancaster, and Halifax -- **LINK** on the right hand side, scroll down a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hi elfightray, I've seen that and also created my own by placing by TN 72" Lancaster fuselage on top of my Stirling fuselage and that was before I added the extra 2 1/2 inches for the rear gun turret (back on page 5 I think). Shorts also designed a "Super Stirling" at 101ft long and a 135ft 9in wingspan (the regular Stirling was 87ft long and a wingspan of 99ft). Fitted with four Bristol Centaurus radial engines with a maximum take off weight of 104,000lbs. Estimated performance included a top speed of 300 mph and a range of 4,000 miles, with a bomb load of 10,000 lbs over 2,300 miles or 23,500 lbs over 1,000 miles. Armament was to be upgraded from 8no 0.303in machine guns to 10No 0.50in machine guns to give it more of a punch, four in each of the rear and mid upper and two in the nose. The Air Ministry rejected this project in 1942. That would have been quite an aircraft indeed. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Thanks for those pictures Robert, you couldn't get much more into that factory, rows of 4 planes and 3 maybe 4 deep that you can see. They are really good pictures. Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Sir Arthur Harris had a dim opinion of the Stirling and didn't want to see any further development of it. None of the design change proposals were accepted. Apparently one of the objections to it was that the design reflected Short's flying boat practice and the build was slow and labour intensive. It's a stunning plane in many ways, but the record shows that it's bombing efficiency and high loss rate were real issues and the desire to supersede it in the bombing role as soon as possible was right. It gave "sterling" service as a glider tug and transport, so there is no disgrace in its'record, like so many other things it was overtaken by events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Sterling's also gave good service as a mine layer off the enemy coast where crews were greatfull for it's ability to out turn the JU88's sent to intercept them. Have thought the Short S31 half scale test aircraft would be a fun model,built to test the Sterlings aerodynamics during development. It was later used as a company hack and several allied fighters who thought they were doing a practice intercept on a full size Sterling were supprised when the S31 whipped around and was on their tails! Model could be made with retract or fixed UC as when the S31's original retractable one was damaged in an accident and rather than scrap it a simple fixed unit was fitted. Edited By john davies 8 on 02/07/2015 20:30:12 Edited By john davies 8 on 02/07/2015 20:30:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Hello Robert You probably have a copy already but the profile publications number 142 on the shorts Stirling by Geoffrey Norris has some nice pictures, but I mention this specifically as on the centre pages are excellent colour drawings of a mark III which I thought would be useful for your model as it shows the paintwork designs from the top, bottom, sides and front. The bottom looks all black. best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Hi Michael, I don't actually have that publication, and yes most of the Stirlings had a black underside, although I have one picture of a Stirling with camouflaged sides and black under side of wings and fuselage and along side the Stirling is a Halifax with black sides and under surfaces, the text states that they show night and day camouflage. Also shown is a Sunderland with white / light under surfaces and camouflage sides for convoy and anti - submarine work. Taken from "The New Book of Knowledge War Supplement", 1939 - 1942, printed by Waverley. Passed on to me by my father when I about 12 years old, some 40 years ago. I have been looking at the Sunderland, reading about it and looking at the plans I have along with the connie, still a close horse race. Also, I have been working on my Chipmunk which is coming on well now just some finishing off to do here and there and covering. I needed a little distraction but I will get back to the Stirling fairly soon. Yesterday I received more tissue and dope which I had under ordered. I have made some scale bits such as pilot seats, throttle quadrant, navigators table and chair plus access ladder to the cockpit, there seemed a lot of open space in there. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lewing Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Hello Robert If you wanted that publication it's like an A5 16 page booklet which I found on eBay I think and was fairly inexpensive under £10, which I guess is a lot more than the 2 shillings it cost when new. Anyway if you want it and can't get on the Internet for any reason I am happy to lend you my copy while the build is going on - I could stick it in the post to you. Best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Hi Michael, Thank you very much for your offer that is very kind of you. However, Martyn K, has put me onto a link for the same publication, which I have now downloaded. Although, I have only quickly looked through it does look to be very interesting and I'll enjoy reading it when life at home settles down as everything seems to be coming to a head with end of school activities and summer holidays looming up. Once again thank you for your offer and thank's to Martyn for the link. Although I have opted for a MKIII there are still a few choices I still have to make and I'll keep you all posted. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Hi All, I have just returned from a two week holiday in Greece and my batteries are fully charged and now back building the Stirling bits. Before my break I had managed to distract myself and built a chipmunk almost ready to cover mainly because I just kept putting off making the cowls and canopies. Well, I'm now in a positive frame of mind and have made the cowls over the last two evenings, simple really just needed a bit of thought. I had not drawn these on my plans so made them up as I went along and drawn on the plan as built. So how did I go about them. 1/16th ply disc Sides made from 1/2 balsa Topped of with another layer of 1/2 balsa shape roughly cut by saw Now the fun (messy / dusty) bit using a bolt through the backing ply and ply washers at 2" diameter to stiffen it up a bit and switch on and applied sanding block and paper. Once done I removed the front excess balsa by inserting a knife onto the rotating cowl (don't try this at home!!! all toes and fingers still present, did the same with the ply backing after reversing the bolt). I bought the drill especially for this process. The end result 4 front halves of the cowls. just need to wrap the ply around the nacelles and glue to the front halves. They look good when I placed over the motors, I'll show you all next time. I hope to fit the ply tomorrow and glue them in place. Then it is onto the canopies. That's all for now Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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