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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Comet
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The world's first commercial jet aircraft, manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company and put into service by *BOAC in 1952. With flight times suddenly halved, it promised a golden age for both the manufacturer and the airline. Three unexplained crashes in 1953-4 put an end to this hope. After months of investigation it was discovered that the cause was metal fatigue (a problem foreseen in Nevil *Shute's No Highway six years earlier). A redesigned Comet was back in the air in 1958, in time to operate the first transatlantic jet service just a few days ahead of its ultimately more successful rival, the Boeing 707.
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