In November 1951 the Comet 1 was on high demand, and airlines were keen to have Comets in their fleets:
- Air France ordered 3 Comet 1A
- Royal Canadian Air Force ordered 2 Comet 1A, an increased all-up weight + greater fuel capacity

The end of October bring 2 interesting facts about the Comet:
- 25/10/149 the prototype of the C1 did its 1st overseas flight, London 🇬🇧 to Castel Benito (now Tripoli, Libya 🇱🇾)
- 31/10/59 the C 4C had it 1st flight; then entered service with Mexicana in 1960.
It was the most popular Comet variant.

"Yesterday" 4th of October 1958, the Comet 4 enabled BOAC to inaugurate the first regular jet-powered transatlantic services.

Between London and New York, albeit still requiring a fuel stop at Gander International Airport (Newfoundland) on westward North Atlantic crossings.

About Comet's history, September: in '49 a prototype of the C1 registered as G-ALGV flew at the Farnborough airshow, in '52 G-ALYZ C1 started cargo operations to South A. simulating passenger schedules, in '58 C4 got airworthiness, delivered to BOAC and initiated first transatlantic services.

Me late on this precise date: the first production aircraft (G-AMXA) flew on 27 August 1953.
A total of 12 of the 44-seat Comet 2s were ordered by BOAC for the South Atlantic route.
All but four Comet 2s were allocated to the RAF with deliveries beginning in 1955.

In August '53 BOAC scheduled 9-stop London to Tokyo flights by Comet, for 36 hrs, compared to >46h Pan-Am DC6B.

The 5-stop flight from London to Johannesburg scheduled for 21h 20m.

In summer '53, 8 Comets left London each week: 3 to Johannesburg, 2 to Tokyo, 2 to Singapore and 1 to Colombo.

On the 27th of July...

...1882 Sir Geoffrey de Havilland was born (Founder)
...1917 John Cunningham was born (Chief Test Pilot)
...1949 Comet's first prototype flew (G-5-1)
...1950 Comet's second prototype flew (G-5-2)

What a day in aviation history.
All linked together indeed.

John 'Cat's Eyes' Cunningham CBE, DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Bar, AE (27/7/17–21/7/02) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) night fighter ace during the Second World War and a test pilot.
After WWII he was a key figure within the industry, working for De Havilland as Chief Test Pilot and as aviation consultant.

The Comet 3 flew for the 1st time on 19/7/54.
It was a C2 lengthened by 15,5ft / 4.70m, powered by 4 Avon M502 (10,000 lbf / 44 kN), w/ wing pinion tanks and greater capacity/range.
Remained a development variant without fuselage-strengthening modifications and not capable to be fully pressurized.

The Comet4 was ordered by BOAC for 19 units in March '55, but also American operator Capital Airlines needed some; 14 units in 1956 with plans to begin service in 1959.
However, due to financial difficulties and was eventually absorbed into United Airlines in 1961 and the order never fulfilled.

1. On 27/6/1959 the first C4B flew and BEA began Tel Aviv to London-Heathrow services on 1/4/60. Designed for short-mid range operations

2. On 30/6/1953 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were guests on a special flight of the Comet hosted by Sir Geoffrey and Lady de Havilland.

In water tank testing, engineers subjected G-ALYU to repeated repressurisation and over-pressurisation, and on 24/6/54, after 3,057 flight cycles (1,221 actual and 1,836 simulated), G-ALYU burst open.

Step by step the knowledge acquired led to understand better metal fatigue and its implications.

Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS (27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965) was an English aviation pioneer and aerospace engineer.

He was the founder of the company De Havilland that produced many of the most stunning aircrafts of the past century: the Moth, the Mosquito, the Comet...

66 years ago, on 15/5/1959, opened to the public the De Havilland Aircraft Museum.
Located in Salisbury Hall (Shenley | London) offers one of the best collection of civil and war planes that marked aviation history forever.
So...happy Bday 🎁🎈🪄🪅🎊🎉

- 14 March '97 a C4C (XS235) "Canopus" made the last documented flight

- 16 March '50 C1 prototype set a record: London to Rome with an avg speed of 447mph, returning avg of 453mph thanks to favoureable winds

- 22 March '51 a 2nd prototype of C1 (G-ALZK) was loaned to BOAC for route proving

Development flying and route proving with the Comet 3 (G-ANLO) allowed accelerated certification of what was destined to be the most successful variant of the type, the Comet 4.

BOAC ordered 19 Comet 4s in March 1955, while American operator Capital Airlines ordered 14 Comets in July 1956.

Today in Comet's history, marks the first pressurized flight.

In 1950 during development tests, the cabin was pushed (litterally) to offer inside a breathable altitude of 8,000 ft (2.400 mt) while cruising outside at a real height of 40,000 ft (12.100 mt)

Good morning | Bonjour | Guten morgen | Buen día | おはよう| Buongiorno👋👋👋👋

Geoffrey Raoul de Havilland Jr., OBE was born on 18 February 1910, he was a British test pilot.

He first flew at the age of 8 months, carried in his mother's arms in a plane piloted by his father Sir de Havilland Sr.

After G-ALYP crashed on 10/1/54close to Elba island, an investigation followed by the Royal Navy with a recovery operations.
First pieces of wreckage were discovered on 12/2.
A forensic reconstruction stated: no apparent fault in the aircraft was found.
Comet flights resumed on 23 March.

Another masterpiece of technology harnessed by humans: and what a shame that a politician, usually prone to look just at today and not at tomorrow, at the end kicked-in the start of its demise.

Really a missed opportunity by pure blindness.

In February 1945, 80 years ago, the Brabazon Committee accepted the proposal from De Havilland company

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.

End of January brings back one more fact about Comet's history: on 22 January 1952, the fifth production aircraft, registered G-ALYS, received the first Certificate of Airworthiness awarded to a Comet, six months ahead of schedule.

9/1/1951:
The earliest production aircraft, registered G-ALYP ("Yoke Peter"), first flew "today" and was subsequently lent to BOAC for development flying by its Comet Unit.

9/1/2000:
Sir Arnold Alexander Hall died.
He led the RAE-team that discovered the cause of Comet 1 jet airliner crashes.