There are many photos of the Bristol Bombay prototype, K3583. L5857 was the last of 50 production aircraft, delivered by Short & Harland, Belfast in June 1940, still without engines. Photo believed taken circa May 1941. L5857 was lost in an air raid at Kufra, Libya, on 25 September 1942. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

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 Bombay prototype first flew on 23 June 1935. 'Within a few days, it was proudly on display at the annual RAF Hendon air display, wearing a large number 9 painted on the side so that visitors could identify it from the list of new types in the official printed programme.' Photo from: Smithsonian Institution

The Bombay was a bomber-transport designed for use in the Middle East and India. This is the prototype, first flown in 1935. The original caption claims the plane was taking British observers from Hendon to Germany on 22 September 1937 to see German military manoeuvres. The background does look like Hendon we think. Fifty production aircraft were only delivered from 1939. The type formed the basis for the 1945 Bristol 170 Freighter.

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.