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Peter_L
Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 2680 Location: New Brunswick. Canada.
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 6:59 pm Post subject: De Havilland Comet Report |
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Those of age may well remember the Comet airliner crashes and the popular press stories that quoted "Square Windows" as being the cause. Strangely enough these reports missed the fact that many aircraft had "squarish windows" in the cockpit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvx-r2itrE |
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Churchill Johnson
Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Rayleigh Essex
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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I vividly remember headlines in paper, i am sure it was Daily Mirror "count to seven and the Comet has flown a mile". |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4765 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
If that was a Comet 1 cruise was 400 Knots 460mph so 7.83 sec per mile
Comet 2 430 kn and Comet 3 and 4 450 kn _________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016 Posts: 1956 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Depends on how quickly one counts to seven? _________________ Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016 Posts: 1956 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2021 11:39 am Post subject: |
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I flew as a passenger {!} in a Comet [Middle East Airlines] back in early 1969.
Aden-Jeddah-Beirut. _________________ Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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Miken
Joined: 24 Dec 2012 Posts: 544
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2021 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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As a small boy in the early 70's The second type of aircraft i ever flew in was a Dan Air Comet with Mum and Dad to Spain for a fortnight. We sat over the wing and i remember it being extremely noisy as of course the engines are in the wing roots.
The first aircraft i flew in was a channel hop in a "Carvair" which was a car carrying derivative of the DC4. |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4115 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2021 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Square windows are so much harder to clean...all those corners! |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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Churchill Johnson
Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Rayleigh Essex
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:08 am Post subject: |
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A film made in 1951 staring james stewart, No Highway in the Sky, was about metal fatigue in the tail of an aircraft. |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1130 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:01 am Post subject: |
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No highway in the sky was based on Neville Shute's book No Highway that was almost prophetic in it's dealing with metal fatigue in airframes. Neville Shute was actually Neville Norway, co-founder of Airspeed Aircraft and so was a very highly qualified aviation author.
Keith _________________ 1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution |
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roverdriver
Joined: 18 Oct 2008 Posts: 1210 Location: 100 miles from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:08 am Post subject: |
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Very interesting video. I well remember the controversy surrounding the Comet.
Incidentally, Neville Shute wrote "No Highway In the Sky" in 1948. As well as a prolific author, he was involved with aircraft professionally. Several of his books have aeronautical themes.
Thanks Keith D. We were writing at the same time!
Yes, Peter, Slide Rule is IMHO a "must read" for anyone interested in mechanical things. _________________ Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.
Last edited by roverdriver on Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7124 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:11 am Post subject: |
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He also wrote "Sliderule" which is effectively his autobiography and fascinating.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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PapaJoe
Joined: 09 Nov 2020 Posts: 73 Location: Massachusetts USA
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting the Comet video, Peter. In the early 90s, I attended the USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation School. As a part of the "Material failure" curriculum, we studied the Comet accidents to illustrate the effects of stress concentrations on metal failure. At that time, the Comet pressure vessel breach was blamed on the square windows. I had never heard of the subsequent study blaming the rivet holes for the failure. Very interesting.
Regards,
Joe _________________ Owned: 1917 Ford Model T Touring
1929 Ford Model A Roadster
1967 Harley (Aermacchi) Sprint SS
Coveted: Ford Model Y Saloon |
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