RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

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Bob Wilton
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RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Bob Wilton »

I am led to believe that a Stirling was flown to Russia after WWII and that someone has now located it and wants to bring it back to the UK.The aircraft is supposed to be in two parts in a storage building.Can anyone shed any light on the identity of this aircraft?

Bob
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Pilotdreamer
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Pilotdreamer »

I belive this is true but a few years back the diplomatic relations between Russia and Britain were poor so the plan to bring her home was called off or it could be just one of the many mysterys which always seems to surround any thing to do with the Stirling.
Bob Wilton
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Bob Wilton »

Pilotdreamer wrote:I belive this is true but a few years back the diplomatic relations between Russia and Britain were poor so the plan to bring her home was called off or it could be just one of the many mysterys which always seems to surround any thing to do with the Stirling.
Lets hope that they get it back one day,as all the others were scrapped,and it would be nice to have restored to its former glory and put in a museum.

Bob
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by K4KittyCrew »

I concur with Bob's comments. To find a Stirling to restore would have to be classed as the 'Holy grail'.
John
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by K4KittyCrew »

While searching for details of Stirling in Russia, I came across this site - Stirlings in Egypt ( the bright green text is tough one's eyes ) ..... anyway, I thought this may be another avenue.
John

http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_251.shtml
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by K4KittyCrew »

Another link with comments of Stirlings in Russia.
John
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sourc ... EEo1K7spMQ
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Upkeep
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Upkeep »

There have been similar rumours for quite a while of a Lancaster in storage in Russia. I don't suppose this would be the same source ? Although I agree it would be terrific to find a Stirling.
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Pilotdreamer »

I always find it strange that after the war somebody some where never said to to somebody, that we have so many airfields that will never be needed again, we might as well use a couple to store equipment ,aircraft ,tanks etc,that could be used to show future generations.The fact that no complete Stirlings exist is nothing short of a an insult to to the many men and women who flew and serviced her.I once asked a well known warbird restorer how much it would cost to build a flying Stirling and he told me it could be done for about 100000000 dolars to re-engineer the desighn, as all desighn papers have been destroyed or lost.Anybody out there with some spare cash available to carry this idea out?.I would rather give money to see a aircraft fly than stuck in a museum without ever having to get into the sky.
Bob Wilton
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Bob Wilton »

Pilotdreamer wrote:I always find it strange that after the war somebody some where never said to to somebody, that we have so many airfields that will never be needed again, we might as well use a couple to store equipment ,aircraft ,tanks etc,that could be used to show future generations.The fact that no complete Stirlings exist is nothing short of a an insult to to the many men and women who flew and serviced her.I once asked a well known warbird restorer how much it would cost to build a flying Stirling and he told me it could be done for about 100000000 dolars to re-engineer the desighn, as all desighn papers have been destroyed or lost.Anybody out there with some spare cash available to carry this idea out?.I would rather give money to see a aircraft fly than stuck in a museum without ever having to get into the sky.
Pilotdreamer,

When I worked in the motor industry,I spent three days at the Jaguar Plant at Castle Bromwich.Whilst there I was told that they made Spitfires in WWII. Also I was told that Fords Dagenham made them too.I cannot remember which,but the production jigs are still in one of the cellars at one of the plants,and the person who told me had seen them. Maybe, there are Stirling and lancaster jigs stored away gathering dustsomewhere?

Bob
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Re: RUSSIAN SHORT STIRLING

Post by Stirling Project »

We at the Stirling Aircraft Project have done this rumour to death. The jury's still out on whether it exists or not, but the resounding response from the Russian authorities is Niet!

We've tried many different avenues to investigate this, even getting the RAF Chief of the Air Staff to ask his Russioan counterpart but to no avail.

Regarding jigs etc, we've looked far and wide and although we've found drawings of the pilots seats, control columns and sundry cockpit items, there isn't much else to go on. Our associated thread on here details progress thus far on recreating the forward fuselage of the old girl and I have to say it's a big old thing and more complex than you'd think

John
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