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de Havilland Comet 4B
The Comet 4B is a version of the Comet 4 series, the four-jet airliner with its engines buried in the wing roots. It is 118 ft long with a 107 ft 10 in wingspan, a shorter wing than the 114 ft 10 in span of the Comet 4, and stands 29 ft 6 in tall. Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets power it. The Science Museum Group holds Comet 4B G-APYD, built at Hatfield in 1960 and painted in Dan-Air colors. Its empty weight is 35,540 kg, about 78,350 pounds.
- Engines
- Four Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets under the wings
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Specifications
| Length | 118 ft 0 in (35.97 m) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 107 ft 10 in (32.87 m) |
| Height | 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m) |
| Status | Retired in 1980 |
History
The Comet 4 series flew first in 1958, after the Comet's early crashes, and BOAC ordered 19 of the first Comet 4 model. By then the Douglas DC-8 and Boeing 707 dominated the jet airliner market, and larger airlines began phasing out their Comets in the early 1970s. Dan-Air, a British charter airline, bought many of the survivors and flew its last regular Comet service, a Gatwick to Frankfurt round trip, on October 31, 1980. Its farewell enthusiasts' charter followed on November 9, 1980. The last civil Comet to fly was a 4C, which went to East Fortune in September 1981.
Last operators
- Dan-Air