The first Bombay production aircraft crashed at Martlesham Heath on 23 August 1939. The three crew were killed. Photo from: Bristol

Produced in Belfast, the Hereford was a variant of the Hampden powered by Napier Dagger engines, as the Hampden's Bristol Pegasus was expected to be in short supply. The Dagger was unreliable and the Hereford was used for training. L6057 was assigned to No 16 OTU at Upper Heyford when it crashed on 8 August 1941, but apparently it was based at Aldergrove in Northern Ireland as it swung into its Ballycassidy River on take-off from the St Angelo satellite airfield at Enniskillen.

Production of the Bombay transport took place at the new Short & Harland factory in Belfast - Sydenham. The first series aircraft, L5808 flew in March 1939 and this photo of the fourth is stamped 21 November 1939. The plant was owned 50% each by Short Brothers and Harland & Wolff, whose shipyard is seen against the backdrop of the Black Mountain. This photo was published with this background erased by the wartime censor. Photo from: Short & Harland

A Bombay of No 216 Sqn in the desert environment it was designed for, at the 'Marble Arch' as the Allies called it. This was the Arco dei Fileni, built on the border between Tripolitania and Cirenaica by Mussolini in 1937 and demolished by Gaddafi in 1973. The airstrip here was suitable for large aircraft. Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45 suggests the Lutwaffe called it Arco Philanorum, but that was not the usual Italian name of the arch. The IWM caption suggests the photo was taken soon after the first fighters of No 239 Wing landed here on 18 December 1942. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

The first of 50 production Bombay I transport aircraft built by Short Brothers & Harland at Sydenham. Seen taking off from the airfield with a Railway Air Services DH.86 Express by the hangars. From SB&H 60 years ago.