Editing Short Stirling (section)

=== Structure ===
[[File:Three Stirling bombers taking off, Great Britain.jpg|left|thumb|Flight of [[List of conversion units of the Royal Air Force|No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit]] Short Stirling aircraft]]
The construction of the Stirling shares considerable similarity to the earlier [[Short Empire]] [[flying boat]]s.<ref name = "norris 3"/> The [[cantilever]] mid-mounted wing, which employed a two-[[spar (aeronautics)|spar]] structure covered by [[aluminium]] alloy sheeting that was flush-[[rivet]]ted to the internal spars and [[rib]]s, was one instance of design similarity.<ref name = "norris 5">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|p=5}}</ref> The wing housed three large [[self-sealing fuel tank]]s within the spar truss, along with a fourth non-self-sealing fuel tank within the [[leading edge]] of the [[wing root]], which provided for a combined tankage of 2,254 gallons. Up to six ferry tanks could also be installed within the wing bomb cells to add another 220 gallons.<ref name = "norris 5"/> Significant attention was paid to reducing [[Aerodynamic drag|drag]] – all rivets were flush headed and panels joggled to avoid edges – but camouflage paint probably negated the benefit.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}} The wing was fitted with [[Gouge flap]]s similar to those of the flying boats.

The fuselage of the Stirling was distinct from Short's flying boat lineage, being constructed in four sections and employing continuous [[Longeron|stringer]]s throughout each section, as opposed to interruptions of the stringers at every frame as per established practice at Shorts.<ref name = "norris 6">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|p=6}}</ref> The four sections were joined using tension bolts through the webs of the end frames. The lower sides of the centre-section spar booms aligned with the main deck of the aircraft, which was supported upon the three longitudinal girders which formed the three parallel bomb cells.<ref name = "norris 6"/> The bomb cells were sub-divided into 19-foot compartments sufficient to accommodate conventional 500&nbsp;lb bombs or 2,000&nbsp;lb [[Armour-piercing shell|armour-piercing]] bombs but nothing bigger.<ref name = "norris 6"/>

[[Hydraulics|Hydraulic]] power was used for various purposes throughout the Stirling.<ref name = "norris 6 7"/> The nose and dorsal turrets were powered by a duplex pump driven by the inner port engine, while the dorsal turret was powered by a single pump driven by the inner starboard engine. Pulsations in the hydraulic lines were smoothed out by a series of recuperators; German fighter pilots soon learned that by shooting at the area around [[roundel]]s painted on the fuselage, two of the three turrets could be disabled and the recuperators were moved in later models of the Stirling to reduce their vulnerability.<ref name = "norris 7"/>

The first production model of the Stirling was powered by the [[Bristol Hercules|Bristol Hercules II]] [[radial engine]], which were housed in fully [[monocoque]] [[nacelle]]s.<ref name = "norris 5"/> Upon the availability of the improved Hercules XI engine, new [[welding|welded]] steel-tube framework engine mountings were incorporated, further changes were implemented to the installation of the power units were subsequently made by Bristol. [[Hydraulics|Hydraulic]] control of the [[throttle]] was a source of slow responsiveness and irritation and often proved dangerous during take-offs.<ref name = "norris 5 6">{{harvnb|Norris|1966|pp=5–6}}</ref>