Short Stirling RAF Bomber

[casey jones]

I am flying the Short Sterling RAF Bomber by Mr Ted Cook, The nose of the airplane is
flying downward at a almost 45 degree angle and the tail is way up, I have tried to
correct this but without success. In the cockpit I am almost looking straight down at
the ground. I am very surprised that no one has caught this. Any solutions?

Cheers

Casey

[harrybasset]

I've just been flying the Stirling in FSX and it flies normally for me. It's full of character with that marvellous undercarriage taking forever to fold up and tuck away.

[Navtech]

I just made a quick test (FS2004) and indeed the attitude is weird when level flying (autopilot engaged)
Must be possible to correct this with a modification of the air file IMHO

[AndyG43]

I just made a quick test (FS2004) and indeed the attitude is weird when level flying (autopilot engaged)
Must be possible to correct this with a modification of the air file IMHO

It might look a little odd, but it's actually correct. The wing angle needed to ensure the take off run was not too long meant that the Stirling had a nose down attitude in flight; it wasn't unique in this, the attitude of the Whitley was even more pronounced.

[Dev One]

Don't forget though at max weight & at high altitude you need more angle of attack than at low level, so it should even itself out & the fuselage be more horizontal.
Keith

[Navtech]

it wasn't unique in this,

Yes .. I don't know for the Stirling
I know that the FW 190 was flying with a nose down attitude ... hence a very good front visibility .. not like on the ground

[Blackbird686]

I don't have Ted's model, but maybe re-configuring the payload might straighten her out? Also, try some elevator trim and back off the throttles... Condition the props to about 85% (or so..), experiment until the angle improves to your liking. The plane may fly a little slower, but at least you'll be straight. Be careful... don't stall!!! I have Alphasim's old Halifax installed and it looks similar to the Sterling, except for the tail. Too slow in the Halifax and she drops like a hot rock without warning..

BB686:USA-flag:

[Navtech]

This can be interesting to modify the air file (with AirEdit)

From Bob Chicilo AirEdit tutorial
Record 1545: This record can be edited so that an aircraft flying at cruise speed and
level, that normally has the nose too high, will fly with the nose level. This may be able
to be done some other way, but if there is such a way I am unaware of it at this time.
EDIT:
Unfortunately it's no such record in the Stirling air file !

[srgalahad]

It might look a little odd, but it's actually correct. The wing angle needed to ensure the take off run was not too long meant that the Stirling had a nose down attitude in flight; it wasn't unique in this, the attitude of the Whitley was even more pronounced.

There was (maybe still be here - or lost in a past forum crash) a lengthy thread about the need to "fix" the various B-52 models for the same apparent reason. In that instance, because there are more photos of the Buff in Flight, it was soon realized that it's the wing that flies, not the fuselage which is just along for the ride and a nose-low attitude is normal.

The Stirling was hampered by a need for the span to be short enough to fit into existing RAF hangars but still have tall gear for prop clearance so the designers bent, folded and twisted until they got what you see. Indeed, trim and power settings will alleviate most of the apparent attitude 'oddness' as will a reduction in speed.


Back in my teens a friend's father who flew both Hastings and Stirlings during the war often commented on the unusual attitude for the crews when transitioning to the Short, and yes - raising the nose to 'feel normal' meant reducing power to maintain altitude, which led to loss of speed which led to... oops

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

[Navtech]

A quick correction for the attitude of the Stirling:
I used the B-24 Liberator (Alphasim) air file instead and have good result ..

[Dev One]

Using the Liberator file ----- now thats cheating!!!
Keith

[ThinkingManNeil]

Another airplane that was seemingly headed in two directions at once: the Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley...

Attachment 94765

Damned ugly, to boot...

N.

[Matt Wynn]

i actually like the Flying Barn Door (Whitley, on account of the bomb bays opening due to weight of the bombs and kept closed by bungee cords! )

[SSI01]

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind exists a quote from a Lancaster pilot who said they always felt marginally relieved when being briefed for a raid when they knew Stirlings would be with them in the bomber stream. The Stirlings, with their lower ceiling and slower speed always drew the night fighters and flak first, which meant the delayed arrival of both at the higher height bands occupied by the Halifaxes and Lancs. I heard the figure of 18,000 being used as the Stirling's max ceiling at all-up weight.

[Jagdflieger]

I've read that about the lower ceiling of the Stirlings too and the explanation about wing width and RAF hangars seems to be spot on.

While not about Sirlings per se, Len Deighton's book "Bomber" is a great read and gives one some insight into RAF bomber operations as well as Luftwaffe "Nachtjaeger" operations. I guess it's what you would call fictional-history, but it is well grounded in fact and substance with a great cast of characters and is a smashing good read.

[SSI01]

Concur wholeheartedly. I have a hardcover copy myself which has been read many times. In common with Deighton's other works (including, I believe, a non-fiction work on Bomber Command, which I also have) it is well-researched and written.

[DickB]

Just came upon this thread. I have converted Ted's Stirling to FSX as an AI model. The nose down attitude is even more pronounced when the a/c flies as AI in FSX - nearer 45 degrees. I eventually corrected it by setting the empty weight in the aircraft.cfg to 60000. The a/c now takes most of a 5700 ft runway to takeoff (also probably pretty accurate at that weight), but in cruise it now flies just slightly nose down as it should.

I have to say I've never been a great fan of the Stirling (I'm a Lanc man), but I really like this model.

[SPman]

Worked with a Site Supervisor in NZ many years back, who was a Navigator on Stirlings - shot down returning from a raid on Cologne in 43 - 4 bailed out - 2 drowned when they landed in a lake.... spent the rest of the war in a POW camp.