by Chris Davey (Illustrator), Mark Postlethwaite (Cover Art), Chris Davey (Illustrator), Mark Postlethwaite (Cover Art), Jonathan Falconer (Author)
Of the RAF's trio of four-engined heavy bombers in World War 2, the mighty Short Stirling was the first to enter service in August 1940. From its first raid in February 1941, the Stirling was at the forefront of the British night bombing offensive against Germany before unacceptably high losses forced its relegation to second-line duties later in the war. In its modified form as the Mark IV the Stirling fulfilled vital roles with the RAF as a paratroop transport and glider tug on D-Day, at Arnhem and on the Rhine crossing as well as flying countless Special Duties operations over Occupied Europe and Norway. Its last gasp was in 1948-49 when a handful of Mk Vs were acquired by the Royal Egyptian Air Force to bomb Israel in the First Arab-Israeli War. Containing numerous first-hand combat accounts from the crews that flew the bomber and detailed profile artwork, Short Stirling Units of World War 2 uncovers the history of one of the RAF's greatest World War 2 bombers.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 96
Edition: 1
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 19 Apr 2018
ISBN 10: 1472820428
ISBN 13: 9781472820426
Book Overview: A fully illustrated history of the the Stirling, a heavy bomber that also saw service on 'Cloak and Dagger' operations with the Special Operations Executive, as a paratroop/glider transport on D-Day, at Arnhem and on the Rhine Crossing, and as a Radio-Countermeasures (RCM) platform.
There is a lot of information in these pages and thoughtful analysis as well. The color profiles, for which this series is famous, live up to their reputation as always. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to modelers and aviation history enthusiasts alike. It gives a nice look at what is an undeservedly overlooked aircraft. - IPMS / USA
.. .good text and photos plus a series of really great color profiles. Four stars. - Air Classics Magazine