A photographic print of Industry, Aircraft - Miscellaneous, Post-War

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THURSDAY APRIL 6TH 1950. "COMET" AT 490MPH WILL BE MONEY MAKER. Latest performance figures released by De Havilland's [illegible] their "Comet" jet-propelled airliner show that she cruises at 490 mph and has a range of 2140 miles with 36 seats and that she will be a big profit-earner in spite of the consumption of her four "Ghost" engines. It is claimed that the will be cheaper to operate than piston-engined craft because with new high speed she can do more journeys. Travelling a greater distance in the hour with a given payload reduces the cost of carrying a ton payload one mile, the estimate being that she will be 20% cheaper to run than most modern piston-airliners and will be able to fly half as many/more ton-miles in the year. Since her first flight in July the "Comet" has made 110 flights and has broken the records in flights to Rome and Copenhagen and back. Of the "Comets" under construction 14 are for the BOAC, two for the Canadian Pacific Airlines for the Vancouver-Hong Kong route via Alaska, the Aleutians and Tokyo, and two for the Ministry of Supply for development tests. This latest photos taken at De Havilland's Hatfield works, shows: Centre section drill jig showing part of a "Comet" wing. Industry - Aircraft