Comet C1
The de Havilland Comet of Britain was
the world's first commercial jet airliner. It is infamous
for being the first to experience the metal fatigue
of jet aircraft due to high flight altitudes.
Design work began in 1946 under Ronald Bishop and the
intention was to have a commercial aircraft by 1952.
The DH 106 Comet first flew on July 27, 1949. At the
controls was De Havilland test pilot, John Cunningham.
The design was similar to other airliners except that
four of the new, albeit underpowered, de Havilland Ghost
50 Mk1 turbojets were mounted within the wings, in pairs
close to the fuselage. This was thought to prove the
aircraft more aerodynamic when flying at high speeds.
The airliner underwent almost three years of tests
and fixes and the first commercial flights did not begin
until January 22, 1952 with BOAC. It became an instant
hit with the elite market to whom it was aimed. The
first passenger flight was in May from London Heathrow
Airport to Johannesburg. The airliner proved to be around
twice as fast as contemporary craft and with almost
30,000 passengers carried in the first year over fifty
Comets were ordered.
The arrival of the Comet had brought with a need for
a longer runway, and in 1956 the main runway was therefore
extended from 6,000 feet to its present length of 7,830
feet. This necessitated the demolition of 2 hangars
on the north side of the airfield, and also the movement
of the main gate from the north side to its present
position on the south-west of the Station.
In 1976 the Station became the largest operational
base in the RAF with the arrival from Cyprus of Number
70 Squadron with its Hercules. There were now 6 Hercules
squadrons and one Comet squadron based here. In addition,
the Hercules Operational Conversion Unit, Number 242,
transferred from Thorney Island, and the Hercules deep
servicing organisation moved in from Colerne.
This state of affairs did not last too long, for in
the six months from 30 June 1976 Numbers 36, 48 and
216 Squadrons all disbanded, leaving 4 operational Hercules
squadrons at Lyneham.
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