Editing Short Stirling (section)

===Crew accommodation===
[[File:Aircrew_walking_beneath_tnose_oaShort_Stirling.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|Aircrew in front of Short Stirling Mark I, N3676 of No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit at [[RAF Waterbeach]] in 1942]]
Under typical operations, most variants of the Stirling were flown with a crew of seven, performing several different roles. It was flown by a pair of pilots, who were supported by a [[navigator]]/[[bomb aimer]], a front [[gunner (artillery)|gunner]]/[[wireless]] operator, two further gunners, and a [[flight engineer]].<ref name = "flight 100">{{Harvnb|''Flight'' 29 January 1942|p=100}}</ref> The flight engineer and wireless operator were housed in a cabin just forward of the [[leading edge]] of the wing, and directly forward of them was the navigator's station. The two pilots were contained within a fully glazed flight deck positioned level with the forward end of the bomb cells; the provision of a separate flight engineer's station led to the cockpit having a relatively simple appearance in comparison with the majority of the RAF's bombers.<ref name = "norris 6"/>

The cockpit containing the flying officers was provided with numerous controls and features; to the left of the first pilot were the controls for the [[auto-pilot]] and a P.4 [[compass]]; the pilot was also provided with a [[Lorenz beam|beam approach indicator]] (to aid nighttime landings) and [[Radio direction finder|DF visual loop indicator]] in addition to the standard flight controls.<ref name = "norris 6"/> Switches for the [[Flap (aeronautics)|flap]]s and position indicators were located on a central panel set between the two pilots, while the master fuel cocks were set above these on the roof; throttle and mixture controls were also normally positioned between the pilots. Only limited engine instrumentation was provisioned for, such as engine speed indicators and boost gauges.<ref name = "norris 6"/>

The navigator/bomb-aimer would perform the latter of these roles in a [[prone position]] within the aircraft's nose.<ref name = "norris 6"/> For bomb-aiming, a drift sight, camera, and steering control over the auto-pilot were provided; directly above this position was the front turret position of the bomber. Just aft of the wireless operator's position, the centre section of the wing cut across the fuselage; the space above this was used for storing [[oxygen]] tanks while the space below was used as a rest [[bunk bed|bunk]].<ref name = "norris 6"/> Behind the rest area, the uninterrupted deck ran across the full length of the bomb cells to the location in which the retractable ventral turret was installed upon early production aircraft; the internal area aft of this position was used to store flame floats and reconnaissance [[flare]]s, as well as an escape hatch, [[Aircraft lavatory|lavatory]], rear turret position, and the crew entry door on the port side.<ref name = "norris 6 7">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|pp=6–7}}</ref>

The Stirling was armed with nose and tail [[Gun turret#Aircraft|turret]]s (the latter was notable for the wide angles of fire) along with a single retractable ventral ("dustbin") turret located just behind the bomb-bay. This proved almost useless due to cramped conditions, with the added distraction that the turret tended to drop and hit the ground when taxiing over bumps.<ref name = "norris 6 7"/> The retractable turret was removed almost from the start and temporarily replaced by beam hatches mounting pairs of machine guns, until a twin-gun dorsal turret could be provided.<ref name = "norris 7">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|p=7}}</ref> This turret designated the FN.7A also had problems; it had a metal back fitted with an escape hatch which turned out to be almost impossible to use.

The Stirling Mk.III, introduced in 1943, was similar to the Mk.I with the exception of the improved {{convert|1,635|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Hercules VI or XVI engines, which improved maximum speed from {{convert|255|to|270|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The Mk.III used a fully glazed dorsal turret (the same [[Nash & Thompson|FN.50]] as in Lancaster) that had more room and an improved view. Early Mk.III Stirlings were fitted with a [[M2 Browning|12.7 mm Browning]] machine gun in the rear escape hatch (behind a [[Poly(methyl methacrylate)|perspex]] shield) to ward off German night fighters using the [[Schräge Musik]] system.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Mackay|first=Ron|title=Short Stirling in action|date=1989|publisher=Squadron/Signal Publications|isbn=0-89747-228-4|location=Carrollton, TX|pages=15–20|oclc=21336415}}</ref>  Later Stirlings were fitted with an improved, low-drag [[remote control|remotely-controlled]] FN.64 ventral turret or a [[H2S (radar)|H2S]] radar.<ref name="Barnes p377-8">{{Harvnb|Barnes|1967|pp=377–378.}}</ref>  Mk.III Stirlings also were fitted with [[electronic countermeasure]] systems such as ventral antennas for the [[No. 515 Squadron RAF#Mandrel|Mandrel]] jamming system as well as a ventral "window" [[Chaff (countermeasure)|chaff chute]] to jam [[Freya radar|Freya]] and [[Würzburg radar|Würzburg]] radars. Mk.III Stirlings were also fitted with a ventral antenna for the [[Blind Approach Beacon System]] which was a [[Instrument approach|blind-landing]] aid and a [[Monica (radar)|Monica]] rear warning radar in the tail turret.<ref name=":0" />