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Short Brothers |
Short S.29 Sterling Mk III
Mk III
The Stirling Mk III was the ultimate bomber version of the aircraft. The engines were improved again, this time to the 1,635 hp Hercules VI. The climb rate at low altitude was somewhat reduced, but above 12,000 feet it could still manage 300 feet per minute, double the climb rate of early Mk Is. A second improvement was the use of a more streamlined dorsal turret – the FN50A. Maximum speed increased from 216 mph to 270 mph. However the service ceiling was still low, at 16,500 feet, at a time when Bomber Command preferred to operate at 20,000 feet. The narrow bomb bays still remained, restricting the type of bombs the Stirling could carry. The Mk III entered squadron service in January 1943. By the end of that year the Stirling had been removed from front line bombing duties, although still had a role to play carrying out electronic countermeasures.
The Stirling Mk III was the ultimate bomber version of the aircraft. The engines were improved again, this time to the 1,635 hp Hercules VI. The climb rate at low altitude was somewhat reduced, but above 12,000 feet it could still manage 300 feet per minute, double the climb rate of early Mk Is. A second improvement was the use of a more streamlined dorsal turret – the FN50A. Maximum speed increased from 216 mph to 270 mph. However the service ceiling was still low, at 16,500 feet, at a time when Bomber Command preferred to operate at 20,000 feet. The narrow bomb bays still remained, restricting the type of bombs the Stirling could carry. The Mk III entered squadron service in January 1943. By the end of that year the Stirling had been removed from front line bombing duties, although still had a role to play carrying out electronic countermeasures.