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de Havilland Comet
The de Havilland Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner. It began fare-paying service with the British Overseas Airways Corporation on May 2, 1952, flying from London to Johannesburg. A series of crashes, traced to metal fatigue spreading from the window frames, grounded the fleet in 1954. The redesigned Comet 4 series appeared in 1958, and in October 1958 two Comet 4s made the first transatlantic jet flights with fare-paying passengers. The museum figure for the Comet 4 series, which includes the 4B and 4C, is 74 aircraft built.
The variants side by side
| Variant | Range | Seats | Length | First flight | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comet 4B | – | – | 118 ft 0 in (35.97 m) | – | Retired in 1980 |