Editing Short Stirling (section)

===Production===
Prior to the [[Munich Agreement]] of 1938, Shorts had received a pair of orders for the Stirling, each for the production of 100 aircraft; however, as a result of Munich, the [[Minister of Aircraft Production|Ministry of Aircraft Production]] (MAP) enacted 'Plan L', under which Stirling orders were rapidly increased to 1,500 aircraft.<ref name = "norris 7"/> In addition to contracts extending the projected work at [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] and [[Belfast]]; some of the additional contracts were placed with [[Austin Motors]] to be produced at their [[Longbridge plant|Longbridge facility]] and with [[Rootes Group|Rootes]], which were to manufacture the type at their new [[shadow factory]] in [[Stoke-on-Trent]]. At its height, manufacturing activity on the Stirling was being performed at a total of 20 factories.<ref name = "norris 7"/> According to Norris, while the aircraft's design had incorporated an inherent ability for production of the Stirling to be broken down, in practice, strict supervision of the work remained necessary.<ref name = "norris 7"/> To coordinate the dispersed production approach adopted for the Stirling, Shorts and MAP operated a travelling team of 600 production engineers and [[draughtsmen]] who routinely travelled throughout the United Kingdom to the manufacturing facilities involved.<ref name = "norris 7"/>

[[File:British WW2 bombers comparison.png|thumb|Diagram comparing the Stirling (yellow) with its contemporaries - the [[Avro Lancaster]] (blue) and the [[Handley Page Halifax]] (pink)]]
On 7 May 1940, the first production Stirling conducted its first flight.<ref name = "norris 4"/> According to Norris, initial rates of production were disappointing, and were in part due to delays in the delivery of machine tools and [[forge|forging]]s. It has also been alleged that production of the Stirling was negatively impacted by a decision by [[Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook|Lord Beaverbrook]], the MAP, which had ordered a change in priority from four-engined bombers towards fighters and twin-engined aircraft to replace those lost during the [[Battle of Britain]].<ref name = "norris 7 10">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|pp=7, 10}}</ref> In August 1940, series production of the Stirling commenced at the Rochester factory.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}

Production of the Stirling was delayed by the ongoing bombing campaign of the Luftwaffe.<ref name = "norris 10">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|p=10}}</ref> The area, which included a number of major aviation firms, was heavily bombed in the opening days of the Battle of Britain, including one famous low-level raid by a group of [[Dornier Do 17]]s. A number of completed Stirlings were destroyed on the ground and the factories were heavily damaged, setting back production by almost a year. Some production was moved to Austin's Longbridge factory at [[Cofton Hackett]] just south of [[Birmingham]], the Longbridge production line eventually produced nearly 150 Stirlings.<ref>[http://www.austinmemories.com/page6/page6.html "Cofton Hackett production."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823143313/http://www.austinmemories.com/page6/page6.html |date=23 August 2012 }} ''austinmemories.com''. Retrieved: 27 December 2009.</ref>

From this point on, the Belfast factory became increasingly important, as it was thought to be well beyond the range of German bombers. However, Belfast and the aircraft factory were subjected to [[Belfast Blitz|bombing by German aircraft]] during the [[Easter]] week of 1941. To meet the increased requirement for its aircraft during the war, satellite factories near Belfast were operated at Aldergrove and Maghaberry, producing 232 Stirlings between them. In 1940, bombing damaged Supermarine's factory at Woolston and the incomplete Type 316 prototypes. In November 1940, development of the 316 was formally cancelled, leaving the Stirling as the only B.12/36 design.

The first few Stirling Mk.Is were furnished with Bristol Hercules II engines, but most were built with more powerful {{convert|1,500|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Hercules XI engines, instead.