Short Stirling Mk.V
Stirling production transfered from bomber to assault transport, and then to a pure transport.
The Mk.V again started from the basic Mk.III, but now all armament was removed, with the tail turret being fared over. The nose section was significantly changed, with a perspex nose cap added. The whole nose section was hinged, to open to allow the loading of cargo using a moving beam with a block and tackle. A large rear cargo door was also added to the starboard side. Inside, up to 40 passengers or 12 stretchers and 14 seated patients could be carried, and so the windowing was increased for the whole of the passenger compartment.
An order was placed for 160 aircraft, and the first was delivered in late 1944. The Mk.V aircraft dispensed with the Bomber Command colour scheme, and all were delivered in the Day Fighter scheme. Once the war had ended the aircraft started to be paint stripped, and the Mk.V's ended their days in bare metal. But the service life of the Mk.V's was not long, and by July 1946 all had been retired.