********************************************************************** SHORT S.29 STIRLING C.Mk.V (CIVIL CONVERSIONS ONLY) UPDATED 28 JULY 2009 and put into registration order ********************************************************************** These aircraft taken from the batch of 162 Stirling C.Mk.V delivered to the RAF between Sept 1944 and Dec 1945. Serialled PJ878 - PJ923 PJ935 - PJ959 PJ971 - PJ999 PK115 - PK158 PK171 - PK186 ************************************************************************************* ABBREVIATIONS USED BELOW = BT = Sale Date (i.e bought ) Canx = Cancellation Date CofR = Certificate of Registration (Number of) DD = Delivery Date GIA = Ground Instruction Airframe RD = Registration Date TFD = Transferred References AB-IX, A-B RAF Serials PA-RZ. A-B Stirling File. Putnams Short book. Alan Faupel, Bernard Martin, John Davis, Luc Wittemans and several others References to other sources are included where known NOTE SHORT constructors numbers S = Rochester built SH = Belfst built NO SBSH numbers were used at this time to my knowledge! c/n SH1405 PJ958 S.37 Silver Stirling cvtd by Shorts for civil use to Spec C.18/43 at Belfast and flown in 5.45. Not given civil regn. DD 45 ATTDU (Air Transport Tactical Development Unit) DD 45 TCDU (Transport Command Development Unit) DBR 19.12.45 Overshot landing, undercarriage collapsed when swung to avoid bomb dump at Harwell. 5797M TFD GIA - later scrapped Nine airframes from store at 273 MU, Polebrook and one from 23 MU, Aldergrove sold to the Air Ministry on behalf of Trans Air for 2,000 including spares. Unconfirmed reports states 12 were sold but the extra airframes could have been as spares. All were Belfast built. SHORT S.29 STIRLING C.Mk.V c/n SH1525 PK172 DD 45 No RAF service recorded SOC 11.4.47 Test flown 12.4.47 at Polebrook To Shorts Belfast for inspection, returned 16.4.47 to Polebrook. BT11. 4.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame (PHOTO) Original Belgian CofR stated ex-pk136, amended to PK172 OO-XAC DD18. 6.47 RD25. 6.47 (CofR 691) Association de Personnes Transair (Jaune and Vanderveken) Operating as Transair, Melsbroek,Brussels Test flown 26.6.47 for Belgian CofA Noted 14.8.47 at Stansted (with grapes from italy?) RD27.10.47 Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels WO 22.12.47 after take off from K un-ming (NOTE corrected spelling). China, en route for Shanghai. Second Pilot killed, and
other crew injured, but 35 passengers unhurt. Reported as operated with AB Aerotransport (possibly meaning Air Transport, as they definitely were the operators). Pilot Wing Commander Morrison, Flight Engineer Morgan. Canx 5.3.48 c/n SH1535 PK180 DD 45 No RAF service recorded SOC 15.5.47 but Test flown 13.5.47 at Polebrook to Shorts Belfast for inspection. BT15. 5.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame Original Belgian CofR stated ex-pk135, amended to PK180 OO-XAD DD25. 5.47 to Brussels via Gatwick RD 2. 6.47 (CofR 679) Association de Personnes Transair (Jaune and Vanderveken) Operating as Transair, Melsbroek, Brussels First Aircraft delivered to Trans Air Noted 13.6.47 on Melsbroek-Manston charter for Bergamo but delayed by engine failure. RD27.10.47 Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels Canx 2.10.48 as sold to Egypt AF by Tangiers Trading Cy. c/n SH1536 PK181 DD 45 No RAF service recorded BT25. 8.47 DD28. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame. (PHOTO) Test flown 28.8.47 at Polebrook OO-XAE DD29. 8.47 RD 3.11.47 (CofR No 738) Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek (Sold by Transair to the above) Flown 21.4.48 to Shanghai, arriving 9.5.48 returned to Brussels with 29 passengers. On 27.7.48 left Blackbushe for Castel Benito and Cairo (Farouk Field, arriving 28.7.48 on 29.7.48 noted training Egyptian crews. Canx 2.10.48 as sold to Tangiers Trading Cy (for delivery to Egypt AF) C/n SH1301 PJ900 DD 9.44 RAF 46 Sqn, then to Shorts SOC 21.7.47 to Civilian Procurement Authority BT21. 7.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame (PHOTO) OO-XAH RD24. 7.47 (CofR 701) Association de Personnes Transair (Jaune and Vanderveken) Operating as Transair, Melsbroek, Brussels (c/n quoted as SBSH.13017) RD27.10.47 Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels Canx 29.10.48 as sold to Egypt AF by Tangiers Trading Cy. c/n SH1490 PK136 DD 45 A&AEE Boscombe Down (PHOTO) BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame Test flown 26.9.47 at Polebrook with second test on 2.10.47. Deld 5.10.47 to Gatwick OO-XAK DD 6.10.47 RD 3. 5.48 (CofR 767) Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek Canx 2.10.48 as sold to Tangiers Air Charter Co.Ltd (Archive 1/80) (Should read Tangiers Trading Cy. For delivery to Egypt AF) c/n SH1537 PK182 DD 45 No RAF service recorded BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame Test flown 28.2.48 at Polebrook OO-XAL RD 1. 6.48 (CofR 770) Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels DD30. 9.47 Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek On 11.6.48 made forced landing at Macassar, Celebes with engine trouble, damage repaired, thence to Singapore and Darwin. Damaged 18.8.48 Overshot runway on landing at Bovingdon 4 crew and one
passenger unhurt. Repaired DD 1.10.48 Brussels-Cairo for Egyptian AF Canx 29.10.48 On sale to Tangiers Trading Cy (INCORRECTLY Reported canx that date to Czechoslovakia (Archive 1/81) c/n SH1508 PK148 DD 45 RAF 51 Sqn OO-XAM BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame Reserved for Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels Painted as such but NTU G-AKPC RD 6. 1.48 (CofR 12115/1) Airtech Ltd, Thame For ferry flight on a permit to Fly Polebrook to Thame for overhaul in Jan/Feb 48 but no UK CofA prepared or issued. Canx 26.5.48 as sold abroad (but scrapped 11.48 at Thame (A-B Stirling) Inspected by Belgian CAA 6.8.48 for permit to fly to Egypt (No permit date known) Also reported as having flown Brussels-Tripoli-Cairo on 12.8.48 c/n SH1522 PK157 DD 45 RAF 242 Sqn BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame OO-XAR Reserved for Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels painted as such but NTU Inspected 11.8.48 by Belgian CAA for permit to fly to Egypt (No permit date known). Delivered to Egypt? Fate unknown c/n SH1514 PK153 DD 45 RAF 242 Sqn then 46 Sqn DD 45 No.23 MU Aldergrove (PHOTO) BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame OO-XAS Reserved for Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels painted as such but NTU Test flown 2.4.49 at Aldergrove (NOT Polebrook) DD 5. 4.49 and parked at Blackbushe (noted there 13.8 & 27.9.49) until - Flown 13.10.49 to Brussels for inspection by Belgian CAA. Permit issued 14.10.49 to S.W.Rogers for dely to Madrid, Spain 14.10.49 and on to A North African airfield en route to ISRAEL! (Archive 1/80 + John Havers/Luc Wittemans) c/n SH1528 PK174 DD 45 RAF 51 Sqn BT25. 8.47 Airtech Ltd, Thame Test flown 27.4.49 at Polebrook OO-XAV Reserved for Air Transport Co SA, Melsbroek, Brussels painted as such but NTU DD30. 4.49 and parked at Blackbushe (noted there 27.9.49) until scrapped 1949 at Blackbushe (Small explosion reported during BU due to fuel vapour in tanks)(archive 1/80 A-B Stirling File) Inspected by Belgian CAA and permit issued 14.10.49 to S.W.Rogers for dely to Madrid, Spain DOES THIS REFUTE THE REPORT OF BEING BROKEN UP??? PHOTOGRAPHS There follow pages of photographs are taken from the Air-Britain The Stirling File and an article in Aeroplane Monthly dated November 1982 These are NOT for publication, but are included here to illustrate our research into these Belgian Stirlings. I also have a copy of this article if anyone would like to see a copy of that. (All these items kindly added by Bernard Martin).
The Following Photos provided by Peter Wright 28 Jul 09 OO-XAE at Elmdon (Birmingham) 11.7.48 and XAK Singapore circa 1948