AAF at Bassingbourn - Short Stirling Bomber

Here are six photographs found quite by chance among a set of 300 negatives discovered on a bottom shelf at a flea market.
Enjoy these. They are quite rare.
Never.

Would you like to see one of these Short Stirling Bomber up close? Well, you can't. There are none left in existence. None.

Built by Short brothers, the Stirling was a four engined bomber in use at the start of World War II. It had a relatively short service life as a bomber, from 1941 to 1943 when it was replaced by the Halifax and Lancaster. It was then used to spread chaff, mines and decoys. Here is a link to a page with some very interesting information about the Short Stirling Bomber.

It was late in the day.
Our photographer cast a long shadow.

Looks like the photographer took about ten paces to the right for the next two frames.

Our photographer took four photographs from almost the same spot.

Steve Birdsall on Flickr says: The B-17G in the background is LL T Tennessee Tess, 44-8357, from the 401st Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, a PFF aircraft with the group letter on the tail over-painted in black. Could the Stirling have been at Bassingbourn to demonstrate new or improved RAF blind-bombing equipment, provide training or to "compare notes" with their American counterparts . . . ?

anyjazz65 says: Thanks Steve! Well spotted! The B-17 data I’m sure will help date this photograph and this event what ever it was. I’ve read that the Short Stirling Bomber was cannibalized so much that there were none left at the end of the war.

It’s a good bet that the presence of the Avro York, the Lancaster and the Stirling in this set were part of some kind of cross training. There are twenty-one shots of the Avro, ten of the Lancaster and only six of the Stirling. Pictures of the Lancaster include shots on the ground and in the air. The photographer mentions in his negative file notes that four shots are the “Lancaster buzzing with two left props feathered.” The photographer mentions in his notes on five of the Lancaster shots that it is the “125 Mission Lancaster.” It was probably on some kind of exhibition tour.

This set of seven photographs of this Short Stirling, a very rare aircraft indeed, is part of a book of negatives found at a flea market in 2008.

Included are
a P-61 Black Widow "Wabash Cannonball II,
a 125 mission Lancaster "S for Sugar",
the B-17 “Ack Ack Annie”,
and a bazooka equipped Piper Cub.

Look at these and be amazed.

Somewhere in England 1944

The Lancaster Bomber "S for Sugar"

Ack Ack Annie

Piper Cub with Bazookas!

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Turn it OVER! There's something on the back! Page One

Here are a few photographs with interesting notations on their reverse. Some were really hard to read for me. If you have a different interpretation of any of them let me know in a comment and I will adjust the caption.	The GIRLS This is the most popular page. Why do you suppose that is? CLICK HERE to RETURN to THE MAIN INDEX PAGE
	ed ed says: i see from the internet that there was a jonas byrd milner born in 1878. i wonder what date-ish this photo might be. there is a photo of jonas byrd milner in 1920 here: www.okgenweb.org/~photogallery/Pioneers/jonas milner.html (later) here he looks very like the guy in your photo: familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/i/l/Don -O-Milner/PH... (his father joel was apparently a friend of wild bill hickock...!) With the help of ed ed we contacted a direct descendant of Jonas Milner and he gave us this information and story: HOW REMARKABLE AND EXCITING- THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY DAD. DAD, JONAS, AND PEARL ( HAD THOUGHT HER NAME WAS BLUE) COURTED, AND ABOUT 1897 STARTED FROM ALLEN, OK (I.T.) TO ADA, OK TO GET MARRIED. SOME 9-10 MILES OUT OF ALLEN, A BLIZZARD THEY ENCOUNTERED, WAS SO FIERCE THAT CAUSED THEM TO SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY INDIAN VILLAGE. THEY CRAWLED INTO A TEEPEE TO FIND A LONE BUCK THAT JUST GAVE A FEW DISTURBED GRUNTS OF COMMUNICATION. AFTER SOME HOURS, THE SNOW LET UP AND THEY CAUTIOUSLY, BACKED OUT OF THE TEEPEE AND RETURNED BY THEIR BUGGY TO ALLEN AND WERE NEVER MARRIED. MAYBE THE BAD BEGINNING WAS CONSIDERED AN OMEN BY PEARL. IT WAS SAID, THEREAFTER, THAT SEVERAL FRIENDS OF JONAS MILNER, IN HUMOR, REFERRED TO HIM AS "INDIAN jONAS". I WAS ONLY 5 WHEN MY DAD DIED, SO HAVE RELISHED SUCH STORIES IN TRYING TO LEARN MORE OF HIM THROUGH THE YEARS.
	After the above connection we found another photograph that is related to the family. Here is a note from a relative: AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS PHOTO ALSO IS RELATED IN THE MILNER FAMILY. THE MALE SUITOR WAS NATHAN NEWTON STAFFORD, WHOM MARRIED ESTHER MILNER, A SISTER OF JONAS MILNER. NATH WAS A PROMINENT MERCHANT IN EARLY ALLEN, OK. THEIR DAUGHTER, DORIS MARRIED AMOS CLARK AND LATER RESIDED IN ARDMORE UNTIL THEIR DEATHS IN THE LAST 4-6 YEARS. I SUSPECT THESE PHOTOS CAME FROM HER GENEALOGY AND FAMILY GLEANINGS. On the reverse: "One of Dad's girls. Papa's girlfriend before he married Nannie- Waiting for Esther to grow up. He decided that when Nannie was 13 that he wanted to marry her."
	And another! "Al (Milner) & John Case Al C. Milner & John Case"
	"I have checked the man on the right that is my husband. The one with the checked shirt and the gun in his hands."
	"This is a picture of the Gavin High and me, myself and I on the steps. Signed Lucille Feb - 27 yr - 1928" Note that on the front is written "Loucille"
	"Klara Kohl Hannah Talomon Berlin im Mai 1918" Best I could do. If you translate it another way let me know.
	This one and the next are from the same roll of film. "Dead Dark brown hair Blue eyes use the one which is best suited same picture man X Mrs. Amy Kreps 629 W. Frisco"
	"Dead Dark brown Hair Blue eyes use the one which is the best suited both the same man marr X Mrs. Amy Kreps 629 W. Frisco"
	Eugene E. ELdridge age 3 yrs 1862 A.D.
	If someone can read this let me know what it says. All I can read is: "Loli" Update! Now our special on-staff linguist has contributed the following suggested translation: “With love to Mama. Ole! This is your daughter – that one who is not Olviola.
	"Kingsford Smith's plane being overhauled by soldiers at Wheeler Field."
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	"Melvin Charles Hess (Pat) 3 Evelyn Jeannette Hess (Hon) 1 Alberta Anna Hess (Sis) 6"
	"Mother Badger Dad Badger Bert Sheillz Mrs "" Their little girl Justine Krenbadge Bill Law"
	Sorry, I can't read this one. 07-28-52 Update! Again our special on-staff linguist suggested this translation: Affectionately – With my nephews Salvador the young ones and (Jo?) Beside their old uncle Andreas
	Transcribing as well as I can. You can see I am not too good at reading the handwriting of others. "Back row Bertha Selma George's girl Georgia Elmer Bonckoff Louis Aufdubn Next Row Tommy Bornluff Aunt Delle Marna Billi Bornslof Berths Girl Effis Bomloff Sharon Joe Brown Blethia Hosford in front"
	"Daisy Dearing Eldorado Ark. 1898"
	I have no idea.
	"Only some truck drivers and some five ton coal truck"
	"Ruth Stevensen and myself wading one day when were on a long hike."
	This is by far my most popular found photograph. It is Googled several times every day. It has been visited and viewed thousands of times. It is part of a large set of photographs titled "Dee and the Business School" Also click through to the Flickr Set and read all about it. "Mr Bell To the sexiest teacher in school whom I like very well Be good and please don't ever show this picture to anyone in school. I've enjoyed writing to you this summer but you can't let (your wife) find out! Ha!Ha! That's all I can say. But at least ya know I luvs ya! Lov ya always Horse"
	Well the reverse seems blank. But wait! I think I see something written there. Hm. A little photoshop magic and what do we have?

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The GIRLS All images are the property of Lost Gallery and the author. Permission must be granted for their use. All rights reserved.