Middle East Stirlings?

Thanks for the responses.

Voytech.

I think I was thinking of the Day Fighter scheme you mentioned.

Ballykellybrat.

thanks for that, sounds like you’ve probably answered the question. Most appreciated.

regards,

kev35

“Production Stirling Mk Vs were finished in Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey & had Azure Blue undersurfaces” – M J F Bowyer, The Stirling Story. Suggest it is this scheme (also seen on Halifax CVIIIs) faded by the sun. Later Mk Vs were aluminium finish.

This looks more like a Halifax.

Thanks for the clarification.

Perhaps the aircraft are in the dark green/grey scheme and it is the intense sunlight which is making them look lighter. All the Squadrons mentioned above were UK based during that time period so perhaps that lends itself to the theory that it is in a European scheme and just looks lighter.

Kev, what do you mean by ‘European scheme’? UK-based transport aircraft would be finished in Temperate Land, I believe, which consisted of Dark Green and Dark Earth. I suspect the ‘dark green/grey scheme’ you refer to is Dark Green/Ocean Gray, but that was the Day Fighter scheme, which did not apply to transport aircraft.

Here’s another picture.

This looks more like a Halifax.

Here’s another picture.

If this Stirling is a Mark V, then they were operated by 46, 51, 158, 196 and 242 Squadrons. This was all towards the end of the war and in the immediate post war period. I believe they were used for trooping flights to the Middle and Far East and were capable of carrying 40 passengers?

A close look with a magnifying glass makes me think the markings are definitely RAF and the aircraft bears the letters LH in white on the nose. There may be a serial near the tail but it is too indistinct to read and there appear to be no Squadron codes.

The camouflage colours appear to be desert to me, the under surfaces being in a lighter colour than either of the top sides colours. Perhaps the aircraft are in the dark green/grey scheme and it is the intense sunlight which is making them look lighter. All the Squadrons mentioned above were UK based during that time period so perhaps that lends itself to the theory that it is in a European scheme and just looks lighter.

Regards,

kev35

Mark.

Thanks for that. But if I understand the link correctly, the Egyptian Air Force didn’t start receiving Stirlings until the summer of 1948? I have the logbook of the chap who took the photo’s and his last entry was April 1947 and he was home by the July.

Regards,

kev35

Kev,

Could they be Egyptian Air Force.

Markings are very similar in b/w.

Mark

http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_251.shtml