Shorts Stirling MkI, OJ-H, 149 Sqn, Middleton VC

Rawdon ‘Ron’ Middleton, born on the 22nd July 1916 in Sydney Australia, enlisted in the Royal Australian Airforce in October 1940. Middleton was posted to RAF 149 Squadron in 1942 starting as a second pilot before being given command of his own Stirling later that year. His first raid was to bomb the Fiat works at Turin. After a perilous flight across the alps the crew had to overfly the target three times at low level to identify it. In doing so the aircraft was badly damaged by flak and Middleton was seriously injured. Despite being injured Middleton supported his crew in re-directing the aircraft back to Britain promising to get his crew home. When they reached the English coast he ordered the crew to bail out then steered the aircraft into the sea to avoid endangering any civilians. Sadly his body was then later washed ashore. He was later posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his devotion to duty.

Features

• Rotatable Propeller
• Optional Undercarriage Down
• Guns, Missiles, Torpedoes, Rockets and Bombs
• Detailed Crew Figurines
• Rotatable Turret
• Photo-etched Aerial
• Opening Bomb Bay Doors

• Scale:  1:72
• Wingspan:  415mm
• Era:  World War II

• Age Suitability:  14+