My late father was a Navigator on Stirlings in 1942 and I think all his operational trips had a crew of 8. On one occasion, the first 1000 bomber raid on Cologne, they even had a 9th crew member, AVM Baldwin C in C No 3 Group Bomber Command. My father was shot down twice - the first in a friendly fire incident in May 1942 involving the ill fated Turbinlite operation at Tangmere, The second over Holland in June 1942 when 3 of the 8 crew were killed. My father was eventually taken prisoner and ended up
in Stalag Luft 3 along with the second pilot, Des Plunkett who
went on to have a major role in the Great Escape.