Stirling rear view 2
Amongst the three wartime four-engined heavy bombers of the RAF, the Stirling was the sole aircraft designed to meet the requirement from the outset. Despite its stability during flight and unexpected manoeuvrability, the aircraft’s weight necessitated a wing of short span to accommodate the standard pre-war hangars with door openings of 100 ft (30.48 m). The wing area was the primary constraining factor that caused the Stirling to have a poor operational altitude when loaded.