Sapa lends support to Stirling aircraft project

Sapa’s aluminium extrusion company in the UK helped in the reconstruction of a Short Stirling Bomber aircraft used in World War II. The project is a tribute to the people who designed, maintained and flew the historic aircraft.

Sapa Profiles UK worked alongside The Stirling Aircraft project team to help construct a forward fuselage section, which incorporates the main crew stations in the plane.

The extrusion supplied by Sapa is located at the bottom of the fuselage bomb bay and attaches to the bottom of the frame, where the outer bomb doors are attached. The extrusion is an integral part of the bomb bay structure and acts as the main keel of the fuselage.

First of its kind

The Stirling Project and Sapa's Steve Nash (right)The Short Stirling Bomber was the first operational four-engine bomber for The Royal Air Force. A total of 2,383 were constructed, but none survived the war.

The Stirling project was launched in 1997 under the chairmanship of a former XV squadron navigator with the aim to recreate the plane and necessary drawings.

“I feel it is our social responsibility to contribute to such projects, to recognize both the invaluable service, and in many cases, the lives given by the pilots and crews during World War II,” says sales director Steve Nash (right) of Sapa Profiles UK, pictured with Richard Doel of the Stirling project.