[98][99] With no witnesses to the disaster and only partial radio transmissions as incomplete evidence, no obvious reason for the crash could be deduced. [47] In 1969, when the Comet 4's design was modified by Hawker Siddeley to become the basis for the Nimrod, the cockpit layout was completely redesigned and bore little resemblance to its predecessors except for the control yoke. [17] The majority of hydraulic components were centred in a single avionics bay. [38], Several of the Comet's avionics systems were new to civil aviation. Hall's team began considering fatigue as the most likely cause of both accidents and initiated further research into measurable strain on the aircraft's skin. de Havilland Comet 1 jet airliner . For the 1930s racing aircraft, see, "Comet (aircraft)" redirects here. [27], The Comet was an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane powered by four jet engines; it had a four-place cockpit occupied by two pilots, a flight engineer, and a navigator. The Imperial War Museum Duxford has a Comet 4 (G-APDB), originally in Dan-Air colours as part of its Flight Line Display, and later in BOAC livery at its AirSpace building. The skin thickness was discovered to be insufficient to distribute the load across the structure, leading to overloading of fuselage frames adjacent to fuselage cut outs. [44], The cockpit was significantly altered for the Comet 4's introduction, on which an improved layout focusing on the onboard navigational suite was introduced. [77][78] A slightly longer version of the Comet 1 with more powerful engines, the Comet 2, was being developed,[79] and orders were placed by Air India,[80] British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines,[81] Japan Air Lines,[82] Linea Aeropostal Venezolana,[82] and Panair do Brasil. [144] In 1960, as part of a government-backed consolidation of the British aerospace industry, de Havilland itself was acquired by Hawker Siddeley, within which it became a wholly owned division. Most commonly quoted are the 'square' passenger windows. As a young woman, Thorne . The most extensive modification resulted in a specialised maritime patrol derivative, the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, which remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 2011, over 60 years after the Comet's first flight. [81][82] When the redesigned Comet 4 entered service, it was flown by customers BOAC, Aerolneas Argentinas, and East African Airways,[178] while the Comet 4B variant was operated by customers BEA and Olympic Airways [178] and the Comet 4C model was flown by customers Kuwait Airways, Mexicana, Middle East Airlines, Misrair Airlines and Sudan Airways. The trip took 33 hours. PASSENGER: London-Miami London-New York London-Montreal-Chicago London-Tel Aviv London-Anchorage-Tokyo-Osaka Hong Kong-Tokyo-Honolulu-San Francisco Manchester-Glasgow Prestwick-Montreal-Toronto London-Montreal London-Toronto The Abell Committee, named after chairman C. Abell, Deputy Operations Director (Engineering) of BOAC, consisted of representatives of the Allegation Review Board (A.R.B. Institution of Electrical Engineers 1978, p. 89. [111][185] The Royal Canadian Air Force also operated Comet 1As (later retrofitted to 1XB) through its 412 Squadron from 1953 to 1963. The route was London, Frankfurt, Beirut, Karachi, Delhi, Calcutta, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo. [105] The first pieces of wreckage were discovered on 12 February 1954[106] and the search continued until September 1954, by which time 70 percent by weight of the main structure, 80 percent of the power section, and 50 percent of the aircraft's systems and equipment had been recovered. They were bound for Idlewild via a stop at Gander, Newfoundland, which would be commonplace on eastbound flights. (Pan Am's DC-6B was scheduled for 46 hours 45 minutes). [98] The Comet fleet was immediately grounded once again and a large investigation board was formed under the direction of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). BOAC Comet 4 British Airways Source: Duxford Aviation Society Soon after, Boeing launched its first long-haul narrowbody jet, the four-engine Boeing 707, using the lessons learned from the. As the aircraft could be profitable with a load factor as low as 43 percent, commercial success was expected. [63] Upgraded Avon engines were introduced on the Comet 3,[63] and the Avon-powered Comet 4 was highly praised for its takeoff performance from high-altitude locations such as Mexico City where it was operated by Mexicana de Aviacion, a major scheduled passenger air carrier. "Report of the court investigation on the accident to COMET G-ALYV", "B.O.A.C. The Ministry of Supply was interested in the most radical of the proposed designs, and ordered two experimental tailless DH 108s[N 5] to serve as proof of concept aircraft for testing swept-wing configurations in both low-speed and high-speed flight. Here we have a superbly illustrated trade card, depicting a B.O.A.C. Without support from the Ministry of Transport, the proposal languished as a hypothetical aircraft and was never realised. [18] The cockpit included full dual-controls for the captain and first officer, and a flight engineer controlled several key systems, including fuel, air conditioning and electrical systems. [52], Operationally, the design of the cargo holds led to considerable difficulty for the ground crew, especially baggage handlers at the airports. ", Withuhn, Bill. [31][60] These were tested on 30 flights, but the Ghosts alone were considered powerful enough and some airlines concluded that rocket motors were impractical. A BOAC Comet 1 at London Airport in 1955. Winchester, Jim, ed. First flying on 27 July 1949 the revolutionary jet powered airliner first entered service with BOAC in May 1952. The next was at Karachi on 2 March 1953 when a Canadian Pacific Airlines Comet, on its delivery flight to Sydney, had a similar crash killing all on board, including some Australians. BOAC de Havilland Comet 1 Jet Airliner Colour Card FB12P: $4.86. [13], In September 1946, before completion of the DH 108s, BOAC requests necessitated a redesign of the DH.106 from its previous 24-seat configuration to a larger 36-seat version. [82] In response, Canadian Pacific cancelled its remaining order for a second Comet 1A and never operated the type in commercial service. The American jets were larger, faster, longer-ranged and more cost-effective than the Comet. For the era, it offered a relatively quiet, comfortable passenger cabin and was commercially promising at its debut in 1952. The event would open up new opportunities for the aviation industry, leaving a legacy over six decades later. [175][N 24], The last two Comet 4C aircraft produced were modified as prototypes (XV148 & XV147) to meet a British requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft for the Royal Air Force; initially named "Maritime Comet", the design was designated Type HS 801. [24], The prototype was registered G-ALVG just before it was publicly displayed at the 1949 Farnborough Airshow before the start of flight trials. Although sales never fully recovered, the improved Comet2 and the prototype Comet3 culminated in the redesigned Comet4 series which debuted in 1958 and remained in commercial service until 1981. G-ALYP Author. [102], In water-tank testing, engineers subjected G-ALYU to repeated repressurisation and over-pressurisation, and on 24 June 1954, after 3,057 flight cycles (1,221 actual and 1,836 simulated),[113] G-ALYU burst open. . [161] Following the Comet 1 disasters, these models were rebuilt with heavier-gauge skin and rounded windows, and the Avon engines featuring larger air intakes and outward-curving jet tailpipes. [82] American carriers Capital Airlines, National Airlines, and Pan Am placed orders for the planned Comet 3, an even-larger, longer-range version for transatlantic operations. On 4 October . As BOAC introduced the world to the Comet 4 and air travel to the world at the dawn of the jet age, they left tyre tracks across a game park in Kenya, a trail of sparks at both Stansted in Essex and Rome, stripped trees of their leaves in Rome (again), and reduced the elevation of a hill outside Madrid by a foot or so. [140] Olympic Airways was the only other customer to order the type. [191][192] In 2012, with the planned closure of RAF Lyneham, the aircraft was slated to be dismantled and shipped to the RAF Museum Cosford where it was to be re-assembled for display. [29], The original Comet was the approximate length of, but not as wide as, the later Boeing 737-100, and carried fewer people in a significantly more-spacious environment. ", Prime Minister Winston Churchill, 1954. The De Havilland Aircraft Company DH106 Comet was the World's first pressurised commercial jet airliner and it was the source of enormous national pride. The COMET 4 remained in BOAC trans-Atlantic service though as new north American destinations . Airline Mug BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation 5" Ceramic. [N 22][163] A total of 12 of the 44-seat Comet 2s were ordered by BOAC for the South Atlantic route. [73] Flights on the Comet were about 50 percent faster compared to advanced piston-engined aircraft such as the Douglas DC-6 (490mph (790km/h)) According to Charles Woodley's 'BOAC, an illustrated history' the Comet 4 was used on routes to South America from 1960 on. ", "De Havilland Comet 4C G-BDIX Interior View Scottish Museum of Flight. Fuselage alloys detailed in Directorate of Technical Development 564/L.73 and DTD 746C/L90. [157], The Comet 1 was the first model produced, a total of 12 aircraft in service and test. Proctor, Jon, Mike Machat and Craig Kodera. After design modifications were implemented, Comet services resumed on October 4, 1958 with Comet 4s. BOAC COMET 4 Captains Folder Africa routes original 1960s document - EUR 54,29. The inaugural flight was filmed, and a video and transcript is below: Now in great ships of the sky, British captains and their crews wing their way half around the world to Australia in 33 hours, almost 13,000 miles. [114] The fuselage frames did not have sufficient strength to prevent the crack from propagating. G-ALYP a/f 6003. This artificial feel was the first of its kind to be introduced in any aircraft. At about 10:51 GMT, the aircraft suffered an explosive decompression at . [169] The Comet 3 was destined to remain a development series since it did not incorporate the fuselage-strengthening modifications of the later series aircraft, and was not able to be fully pressurised. BOAC installed 36 reclining "slumberseats" with 45in (1,100mm) centres on its first Comets, allowing for greater leg room in front and behind;[30] Air France had 11 rows of seats with four seats to a row installed on its Comets. [28], One of the most striking aspects of Comet travel was the quiet, "vibration-free flying" as touted by BOAC. ", "Report of the Public Inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on the 10 January 1954, to the Comet aircraft G-ALYP, Part IX (d). [98] Prime Minister Winston Churchill tasked the Royal Navy with helping to locate and retrieve the wreckage so that the cause of the accident could be determined. Rival manufacturers heeded the lessons learned from the Comet when developing their own aircraft. [188] Other fatal Comet 4 accidents included a British European Airways crash in Ankara, Turkey, following instrument failure on 21 December 1961, a United Arab Airlines Flight 869 crash during inclement weather near Bombay, India, on 28 July 1963, and the terrorist bombing of Cyprus Airways Flight 284 off the Turkish coast on 12 October 1967. Cunningham: "[the Comet] flew extremely smoothly and responded to the controls in the best way de Havilland aircraft usually did.". On 10 January 1954, 20minutes after taking off from Ciampino, the first production Comet, G-ALYP, broke up in mid-air while operating BOAC Flight 781 and crashed into the Mediterranean off the Italian island of Elba with the loss of all 35 on board. Davies and Birtles 1999, p. 22 (Route map illustration). Unlike drill riveting, the imperfect nature of the hole created by punch-riveting could cause fatigue cracks to start developing around the rivet. [69] While BOAC gained publicity as the first to provide transatlantic jet service, by the end of the month rival Pan American World Airways was flying the Boeing 707 on the New York-Paris route, with a fuel stop at Gander in both directions,[136] and in 1960 began flying Douglas DC-8's on its transatlantic routes as well. [83][84] Qantas was interested in the Comet 1 but concluded that a version with more range and better takeoff performance was needed for the London to Canberra route. [151][152], Aeronautical-engineering firms were quick to respond to the Comet's commercial advantages and technical flaws alike; other aircraft manufacturers learned from, and profited by, the hard-earned lessons embodied by de Havilland's Comet. "A BOAC de Havilland Comet jet airliner, en route to Johannesburg from London, breaks its journey at Entebbe Airport, Uganda, 1952." (Ministry of Information official photographer) The de Havilland Comet was the first commercial jet airliner and its introduction had revolutionized the industry. [18] Tracing fuselage failure points proved difficult with this method,[18] and de Havilland ultimately switched to conducting structural tests with a water tank that could be safely configured to increase pressures gradually. [63] All production Comet 2s were also modified with thicker gauge skin to better distribute loads and alleviate the fatigue problems (most of these served with the RAF as the Comet C2); a programme to produce a Comet 2 with more powerful Avons was delayed. The span was 115ft (35m), and overall length 93ft (28m); the maximum takeoff weight was over 105,000lb (48,000kg) and over 40 passengers could be carried. On the 10 th December R. Clear commanded test flights from Hatfield. However, no mail was flown to or from Frankfurt on the outward flight. Witnesses observed the wingless Comet on fire plunging into the village of Jagalgori,[92] leading investigators to suspect structural failure. The return flight left Tokyo on the 4th arriving at London on the 5th. [171] In BOAC colours, G-ANLO was flown by John Cunningham in a marathon round-the-world promotional tour in December 1955. On the Eastern route there was a 22% increase in traffic but on the Southern route only a 2% increase." [150] Cunningham likened the Comet to the later Concorde and added that he had assumed that the aircraft would change aviation, which it subsequently did. [13] Sprite fittings were retained on production aircraft. BOAC's trans-Atlantic COMET 4 services .. on the London/New York/London route (only) were relatively short-lived .. being replaced by B707-420's in competition with PAN AM B707-320's on this most prestigeous of airline routes and from around 1961. Peggy Thorne, pictured left, in her BOAC uniform ahead of the first transatlantic jet engine flight in 1958 and the crew on board the BOAC Comet. [34][N 11] For passengers used to propeller-driven airliners, smooth and quiet jet flight was a novel experience. "[125] "DeHavilland went to oval windows on the subsequent Marks because it was easier to Redux them in,(use adhesive) - nothing to do with the stress concentration and it's purely to remove rivets." [8] First-phase development of the DH.106 focused on short- and intermediate-range mailplanes with small passenger compartments and as few as six seats, before being redefined as a long-range airliner with a capacity of 24 seats. Two of these were found to be caused by structural failure resulting from metal fatigue in the airframe, a phenomenon not fully understood at the time; the other was due to overstressing of the airframe during flight through severe weather. On its return leg from Singapore it landed at Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport at 15:10 hrs local time. Armour had to be placed around the engine cells to contain debris from any serious engine failures; also, placing the engines inside the wing required a more complicated wing structure. The first in a dramatic series of crashes of the DH106 Comet was at Rome on 26 October 1952 when a BOAC aircraft failed to get properly airborne in taking off. 14.". [40], The Comet had a total of four hydraulic systems: two primaries, one secondary, and a final emergency system for basic functions such as lowering the undercarriage. The overall flight takes under 30 hours. [146] On 14 March 1997 a Comet 4C serial XS235 and named Canopus,[147] which had been acquired by the British Ministry of Technology and used for radio, radar and avionics trials, made the last documented production Comet flight. Soon after, the de Havilland Comet became the first commercial jetliner, and it set Great Britain up to be one of the most influential nations in the development of commercial aviation. [164] The first production aircraft (G-AMXA) flew on 27 August 1953. [9], "During the next few years, the UK has an opportunity, which may not recur, of developing aircraft manufacture as one of our main export industries. [82], Since retirement, three early-generation Comet airframes have survived in museum collections. ", "Behaviour of Skin Fatigue Cracks at the Corners of Windows in a, "The Comet Accidents: History of Events: Sir Lionel Heald's Introductory Summary at the Enquiry", "Comet Resurgent: A decade of D.H. Jet Transport Design", Film of BOAC De Havilland Comet 3 G-ANLO at Vancouver International Airport in December 1955, "The Comet Accidents: History of Events," a 1954, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=De_Havilland_Comet&oldid=1141173174. Was: $999.99 57% off. "Jet Jubilee (Part 1)". The low-mounted engines and good placement of service panels also made aircraft maintenance easier to perform. [5] Out of all the Brabazon designs, the DH.106 was seen as the riskiest: both in terms of introducing untried design elements and for the financial commitment involved. $75.00. [43] A pressurised refuelling system, developed by Flight Refuelling Ltd, allowed the Comet's fuel tanks to be refuelled at a far greater rate than by other methods. BOADICEA COMPUTER SYS at the best online prices at eBay! [109], On 8 April 1954, Comet G-ALYY ("Yoke Yoke"), on charter to South African Airways, was on a leg from Rome to Cairo (of a longer route, SA Flight 201 from London to Johannesburg), when it crashed in the Mediterranean near Naples with the loss of all 21 passengers and crew on board. [119], It was also found that the punch-rivet construction technique employed in the Comet's design had exacerbated its structural fatigue problems;[98] the aircraft's windows had been engineered to be glued and riveted, but had been punch-riveted only. [69] [70] [71] The final Comet from BOAC's initial order, registered G-ALYZ, began flying in September 1952 and carried cargo along South American routes while simulating passenger schedules. Smith, Adrian. [116] Based on these findings, Comet 1 structural failures could be expected at anywhere from 1,000 to 9,000 cycles. Ordered by Kuwait Airways, Middle East Airlines, Misrair (later United Arab Airlines), and Sudan Airways, it was the most popular Comet variant. "[57], "I don't think it is too much to say that the world changed from the moment the Comet's wheels left the ground. #dehavilland #comet #dehavillandcomet #boac #route #londontotokyo #schedule #1953 #todayinhistory #unitedkingdom #uk #japan #flag . ", "Metal to Metal Bonding For Aircraft Structures: Claims of the Redux Process. 1963 De Havilland DH106 Comet 4C 'Canopus', serial number 6473, G-CDPA, formerly XS235, was the last Comet to remain flying and is now the only surviving Com. [5][N 6] With no time to develop the technology necessary for a proposed tailless configuration, Bishop opted for a more conventional 20-degree swept-wing design[N 7] with unswept tail surfaces, married to an enlarged fuselage accommodating 36 passengers in a four-abreast arrangement with a central aisle. [131], Development flying and route proving with the Comet 3 allowed accelerated certification of what was destined to be the most successful variant of the type, the Comet 4. BOAC Comet 4 Captains Folder Africa routes original 1960s document Comet 4[edit] 304755204133. The inquiries into the accidents that plagued the Comet 1 were perhaps some of the most extensive and revolutionary that have ever taken place, establishing precedents in accident investigation; many of the deep-sea salvage and aircraft reconstruction techniques employed have remained in use within the aviation industry. On 11 March 1943, the Cabinet of the United Kingdom formed the Brabazon Committee, which was tasked with determining the UK's airliner needs after the conclusion of the Second World War. [9] Several unorthodox configurations were considered, ranging from canard to tailless designs;[N 4] All were rejected. [190] A Comet C2 Sagittarius with serial XK699, later maintenance serial 7971M, was formerly on display at the gate of RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, England since 1987. The flight to Johannesburg lasted 18 hours and 40 minutes. Comet Lost: Services Suspended. 1945 November: The government announced plans for post-war air services which would be provided by three state corporations: BOAC to continue to operate routes to the Empire, Far East and North America, British European Airways ( BEA) to operate services to Europe and domestically within the United Kingdom, and British South American Airways [170] Assigned in 1961 to the Blind Landing Experimental Unit (BLEU) at RAE Bedford, the final testbed role played by GANLO was in automatic landing system experiments. [97][N 17], Just over a year later, Rome's Ciampino airport, the site of the first Comet hull loss, was the origin of a more-disastrous Comet flight. Birtles, P.J. The De Havilland Comet was used on BOAC's transatlantic crossing Credit: Getty I t all started with a newspaper. [82][187], Pilot error resulting in controlled flight into terrain was blamed for five fatal Comet 4 accidents: an Aerolneas Argentinas crash near Asuncin, Paraguay, on 27 August 1959, Aerolneas Argentinas Flight 322 at Campinas near So Paulo, Brazil, on 23 November 1961, United Arab Airlines Flight 869 in Thailand's Khao Yai mountains on 19 July 1962, a Saudi Arabian Government crash in the Italian Alps on 20 March 1963, and United Arab Airlines Flight 844 in Tripoli, Libya, on 2 January 1971. The design had progressed significantly from the original Comet 1, growing by 18ft 6in (5.64m) and typically seating 74 to 81 passengers compared to the Comet 1's 36 to 44 (119 passengers could be accommodated in a special charter seating package in the later 4C series). (Pan Am's DC-6B was scheduled for 46 hours 45 minutes.) Crews on this route were given military status due to the operations in military regions. In September 1972 the airlines of BOAC and BEA began a merger, eventually forming British Airways on 31 March 1974. This was short lived as later that year Britannias took over that route. [168] The variant added wing pinion tanks, and offered greater capacity and range. Trischler, Helmuth and Stefan Zeilinger, eds. BOAC South Pacific Route Menu, New York - 204250723949 Menu. Now from a BOAC 1971 Timetable. Investigators did not consider metal fatigue as a contributory cause. [182] Channel Airways obtained five Comet 4Bs from BEA in 1970 for inclusive tour charters. BOAC Flight 781. Entering service in 1969, five Nimrod variants were produced. Although the 707 was winning most of the major airline orders, BOAC, flying Comet 4s, still managed to achieve the first commercial transatlantic crossing in a jet airliner - twice. ", Tony Fairbrother, manager, upgraded Comet development. [75], In 1953, the Comet appeared to have achieved success for de Havilland. "The Dawn of the Jet Age in Austerity Britain: David Lean's The Sound Barrier". As a result, the Comet was extensively redesigned, with oval windows, structural reinforcements and other changes. All airline customers for the Comet 3 subsequently cancelled their orders and switched to the Comet 4,[63] which was based on the Comet 3 but with improved fuel capacity. This was a mere 24 hours after the Port Authority of New York granted approval for passenger jet services following concerns over noise. In 1949 BOAC introduced the first of what was termed an 'all-land' service using Canadair Argonauts on their London to Hong Kong/Tokyo route, via Rome, Cairo, Basra, Karachi, Calcutta, Rangoon and Bangkok. 2 December: The inaugural flight of a BOAC Comet 4 aircraft on the London to Johannesburg route took place. On 3 March 1953, a new Canadian Pacific Airlines Comet 1A, registered CF-CUN and named Empress of Hawaii, failed to become airborne while attempting a night takeoff from Karachi, Pakistan, on a delivery flight to Australia. Hill, Malcolm L. "de Havilland's Comet: Pushing the Boundaries.". The Feb 1959 OAG shows eight transatlantic Comets a week out of London, plus 10 BOAC Britannias and 11 DC-7Cs. [149], According to de Havilland's chief test pilot John Cunningham, who had flown the prototype's first flight, representatives from American manufacturers such as Boeing and Douglas privately disclosed that if de Havilland had not experienced the Comet's pressurisation problems first, it would have happened to them. [39] Many of the control surfaces, such as the elevators, were equipped with a complex gearing system as a safeguard against accidentally over-stressing the surfaces or airframe at higher speed ranges. This simply meant that the planes landed on solid ground at airports rather than water. The Comet 4 was ordered by two other airlines: Aerolneas Argentinas took delivery of six Comet 4s from 1959 to 1960, using them between Buenos Aires and Santiago, New York and . [82][178][181] BEA's Comet 4Bs were chartered by Cyprus Airways, Malta Airways and Transportes Areos Portugueses. Las mejores ofertas para BOAC DE HAVILLAND COMET 4 LAVATORY ORIGINAL VINTAGE B.O.A.C. BOAC would go on to dominate the London-New York route in the 1960s and early 1970s with Pan Am, but when it came to airliners the Americans were the long-term winners. [133][134] The base price of a new Comet 4 was roughly 1.14 million (24.81 million in 2019). After analysing route structures for the Comet, BOAC reluctantly cast about for a successor, and in 1956 entered into an agreement with Boeing to purchase the 707. The need to inspect areas not easily viewable by the naked eye led to the introduction of widespread radiography examination in aviation; this also had the advantage of detecting cracks and flaws too small to be seen otherwise. 192 Squadron RAF Comet 2R beyond repair on 13 September 1957, and three Middle East Airlines Comet 4Cs were destroyed by Israeli troops at Beirut, Lebanon, on 28 December 1968. [20] One window frame survived 100psi (690kPa),[21] about 1,250 percent over the maximum pressure it was expected to encounter in service. [20], The first prototype DH.106 Comet (carrying Class B markings G-5-1) was completed in 1949 and was initially used to conduct ground tests and brief early flights. All but four Comet 2s were allocated to the RAF, deliveries beginning in 1955. [29][59] Two hydrogen peroxide-powered de Havilland Sprite booster rockets were originally intended to be installed to boost takeoff under hot and high altitude conditions from airports such as Khartoum and Nairobi. The Comet gave BOAC four years lead in modern jet airliners over the rest of the world. "[174], The Comet 5 was proposed as an improvement over previous models, including a wider fuselage with five-abreast seating, a wing with greater sweep and podded Rolls-Royce Conway engines. With a clientele composed mainly of wealthy people, luxury was the name of the game for these flights. When retired in 1973, the airframe was used for foam-arrester trials before the fuselage was salvaged at BAE Woodford, to serve as the mock-up for the Nimrod.[172]. [199], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, This article is about the jet airliner. [50] The chemical bonding process was accomplished using a new adhesive, Redux, which was liberally used in the construction of the wings and the fuselage of the Comet; it also had the advantage of simplifying the manufacturing process. While Captain Alan Gibson was taking . The 2R ELINT series was operational until 1974, when replaced by the Nimrod R1, the last Comet derivative in RAF service. : This photo of Super VC10 G-ASGD taken in Mexico in 1972 shows the Speedbird livery without Cunard titles. [49] At its introduction, Comet airframes would be subjected to an intense, high-speed operating schedule which included simultaneous extreme heat from desert airfields and frosty cold from the kerosene-filled fuel tanks, still cold from cruising at high altitude. Free shipping. Simons, Graham M. "Comet! ), BOAC, and de Havilland. G-ALYR a/f 6004. Its introduction into BOAC service in May 1952, was greeted as the dawning of a new age in passenger travel. 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