Short Stirling fuselage sections

Dutch Stirling

Great pics Cees

I know the French will not part with theirs, but any news on the fate of the Dutch fuselage section?

Elliott,

The Dutch Stirling section is on public display now at Deelen, and I spoke to one of their volunteers last week. He mentioned that it is the centre piece of a display about Market Garden. I also understand that since it was discovered about seven or eight fuselage frames were found as well as a nose turret without perspex and things are still turning up. This section and the French section cannot however be used for a restoration as the frames have been severed above floor level so for a restoration all frames would have to be replaced. I was told that the French section was also wildly hacked about at the bottom.

There is another section in the UK of a Stirling that was used as a shed but this was also just part of the fuselage. This was reported in FlyPast in the late eighties/early seventies. Cotswolds Aicraft Restoratin Group discovered it I think, serial was N6000 (from memory).

Look at the pic, Always make sure you check gardens with large bushes. This was how the Stirling section looked before they realised what it was.

Cheers

Cees

Gosh, those are major bits of Stirling. Are either being restored?

Seeing this gives me hope that eventually someday enough bits may be brought together to rebuild a Stirling – I hope so very much. As Propstrike said, there’s enough to make a start and create a small miracle like the reconstructed Halifax.

Here are some photo’s of the Dutch and French (the last one) fuselage sections. If I remember correctly there was also another section recovered by CARG at Innsworth, anything more to be had in the UK other than LK488?

The Stirling gap needs to be filled.

Cheers

Cees

If you look carefully you can see the escape door – a pic of which was posted in the last week or so on this forum – in situ at the back end of the French section!

Here are some photo’s of the Dutch and French (the last one) fuselage sections. If I remember correctly there was also another section recovered by CARG at Innsworth, anything more to be had in the UK other than LK488?

The Stirling gap needs to be filled.

Cheers

Cees

Great pics Cees

I know the French will not part with theirs, but any news on the fate of the Dutch fuselage section?

The fuselage is relatively simple compared to the wings -it’s a pity that no great wing sections survive. Let’s hope one turns up.

What fascinating relics . Remember, the Elvington Halifax reconstruction started from a section not much bigger than those.