stirling bomber with us markings july 1943

[Empiricist]

Originally Posted by brewerjerry

Can anyone suggest what advantage a stirling may have had over a b-17.

Triple tow!

Remember please that the USAAF glider pilots were trained in triple tow, whereas their British colleagues from the GPR not. Remember also that since late 1920s the US military aviation VIPs hated gliders and nothing changed during WWII. The USAAF's decision-makers responsible for bombers have never agreed to detach them for gliders towing, although in the ZI all bombers were tested successfully as towing planes.

Most likely Stirling would be able to tow three such light gliders as the CG-4As. That's very interesting what you mentioned about the US-marked Stirling. Before D-Day various untypical tests were done as, for instance, parachute jumps from the gliders in double tow.

Regards

[Buckeye30]

Bearing in mind the date ( late July) this MAY have reference to Operation STARKEY ( Aug. 16--9 Sept.) a combined exercise involving US-British-Canadian forces as a prelude to the actual invasion in 1944.
As mentioned above possibly a glider-tug attached to Ninth TCC with temporary US insignia ( as on British Horsa gliders used by AAF ).
Special markings were authorised for other types involved eg. white noses on Whirlwinds and Bostons, and white-black wing bands .
Just a thought.................Nick