The Jet’s Turbulent Beginnings
The front fuselage wreckage of Comet G-ALYP salvaged off the island of Elba
Air travel has been a dream of humanity since our earliest ancestors gazed up to the heavens. From an earthbound species just a little over 100 years ago, to thousands of airliners cruising the skies daily, our journey to the sky has not been without complication.
The first jetliner to carry paying passengers was the futuristic, elegant DH 106 Comet. Its streamlined body, innovative engine design, and promise of luxury were a dream come true. However, the Comet’s rise was marked by tragedy that would change the world of engineering forever.
Interesting Information
Accident Report on the Accident to Comet G-ALYV
Accident Reports on the Accidents to Comet G-ALYP and Comet G-ALYY
Images
Row 1, L to R: The airboat flown with the first paying passenger; the prototype of the DH 106 Comet, the pressure tank used in accident investigation with Comet fuselage inside
Row 2 L to R: The hole left by explosive cabin decompression of the test plane; the reconstruction of the Elba crash; Representation of the recovered portions of the Elba crash
Row 3 L to R: The front fuselage of the recovered Elba wreckage; The ADF windows with splits recovered from the Elba crash; Diagram illustrating points of failure on the Elba crash
All images from Accident Reports by the British government except for the Benoist XIV airboat, which is from the Florida Photographic collection.
Sources
World’s First Commercial Airline | The Greatest Moments in Flight - Space.com
The crashes that changed plane designs forever - BBC.com
Comet’s Tale - SmithsonianMag.com
Lesson Learned - FAA.gov
Milestone Case Histories in Aircraft Structural Integrity - National Aerospace Laboratory NLR
Structural Design Concepts: Overview of Safe Life and Damage Tolerance - Vextec.com
De Havilland DH-106 Comet - Aviation Safety Network
Aircraft That Brought The Future - de Havilland Comet - Aerotime Hub