The Dove was a popular aircraft and is considered to be one of Britain's most successful postwar civil designs, in excess of 500 aircraft being manufactured between 19. The design, which was a monoplane successor to the pre-war Dragon Rapide biplane, came about from the Brabazon Committee report which, amongst other aircraft types, called for a British-designed short-haul feeder for airlines.

Though the de Havilland Comet served until 1981, there were four versions of the aircraft.Įven though the Comet's story ended tragically, the plane's design and look had a significant impact and helped lay the road for modern air travel's enormous success and popularity.The de Havilland DH.104 Dove is a British short-haul airliner developed and manufactured by de Havilland. The damage was big to the Comet name, and it was never able to regain its previous commercial success. The Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) created a court of inquiry in Farnborough to investigate this. A detailed inquiry was requested by the Secretary of State for Civil Aviation on what caused the disappearances. Problems such as insufficient welding led to a substantial airplane redesign.Īfter barely eighteen months in service, two airplanes vanished within three months of each other. This was the first time that metal wear had been identified as the root cause of the problem.Īfter the incidents, the de Havilland Comet was pulled from service as engineers and technicians worked to fix its structural problems. There have been several incidents in which an airplane broke apart mid-flight. There were three fatal crashes involving Comet aircraft in the first year of operation. Whereas the de Havilland Comet was developed solely by engineers to offer passengers the most pleasant and luxury travel experience imaginable, today's planes are far more focused on the economy.

Utilizing a combination of old and new building methods, the structure was built using rivets and a process called Redux bonding.ĭe Havilland pioneered this method with the Hornet and Dove aircraft in order to lower the weight of the aircraft while maintaining its structural integrity.īecause plane travel was still mostly limited for the rich, there weren't many seats available. The aircraft's weight and fuel consumption have to be maintained to a minimum in order to accommodate the greatest number of passengers and cargo possible. Operating the first jetliner fleet made BOAC the pride of the world's airlines. Ghost's original inspiration came from the de Havilland Goblin engine, which powered the de Havilland Vampire and the first Gloster Meteor.ĭue to its extended service intervals and simple construction based on Sir Frank Whittle's early designs, the Ghost was well-suited for civil usage.Īn airplane with a range of 4000 kilometers (2,500 miles) could transport 36 people at a speed of 700 kilometers per hour (450 mph).

The de Havilland Engine Company Limited produced four Ghost turbojet engines for the aircraft. Other aircraft manufacturers were left far behind, as a new age of civil flying had begun. The first commercial jet service began on May 2nd, 1952, when the de Havilland Comet was put into service by BOAC. Only 36 passengers could be carried aboard the Comet, which had a smaller seating capacity than what we've come to expect from modern jetliners. With its futuristic-looking exterior, the Comet looked to offer a degree of luxury that passenger jets hadn't yet achieved.Īlistair Hodgson, the curator of the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, says that the de Havilland Comet made 'everything else obsolete' by flying higher and faster than any other aircraft at the time. The de Havilland Comet, which was built at Hatfield, some 30 miles north of London, was a groundbreaking piece of aviation history. On July 27th, 1949, the prototype's first flight took place. De Havilland came up with the idea for the 'Comet' in 1943, and the first prototypes were built in September 1946. That changed with the introduction of the first jet airliner by de Havilland in 1949. Until 1949, commercial aviation was dominated by huge propeller-driven aircraft. From propeller-driven biplanes to jet-powered monoplanes, military aircraft design evolved rapidly between 19.

De havilland comet