Stirling
jetex #136: the problem, late-1942, was not the inadequacy of Stirling quality but of quantity. British Strategy was for Strategic Bombing as the Second Front NOW!, but despite the wholesale re-casting of the auto industry into 4-Motor shadows, deployment was languid. Minister of Aircraft Production Llewellin was fired and fervent nationaliser Sir R.Stafford Cripps put in, 11/42.
Harris wrote to him, 30/12/42: Stirling Production Group had “virtually collapsed (makes) no worthwhile contribution to our war effort in return for their overheads (should be) wholesale sacking of the incompetents who have turned out (c)50% rogue a/c from (Harland…'T)he incompetent drunk’ who ran (Short.)” C.Bryant,S.Cripps,Hodder,1997, P330; C.Messenger,Bomber Harris,Arms&Armour,1984,P92.
RSC put in AWA to displace Short at S.Marston Agency Factory from the last 108 Stirling III; Oswald Short was evicted from his own patch,11/1/43, but the firm's sloth was irredeemable. RSC sought to implement Defence(General) Regln.78: appropriation to ensure efficiency. War Cabinet Minutes W.M.(43).41,16/3/43,P121, WSC: “is it worth (a Commons) row?” RSC: “Some (production problem cases) are very big concerns. Present difficulty is with the Bristol Co. (on absent Buckingham. Hard) to put a Controller (in: they are scarce. If we resolve the position at Short, it will with others) be easier to make voluntary arrangements.” WSC: “very well, go on then and have your row: it may hamper MAP in future.” Bevin: “I think it will upset the industry”; “I don’t” said RSC. Short's was nationalised and put under Harland management. Stirling remained in (low volume, later in transport variant) production; notions of changeover to Lancaster lapsed as volume grew from the existing Lancaster Production Group.
Stirling was not all bad: : “it could not make a decent operational height (a) pig (on) taking off and landing (but) in the air it was a darling - it could turn inside a Spitfire” D.Richards,The Hardest Victory,Hodder,94,P.311. Not, I suggest, the greatest blunder.