The de Havilland DH.106 Comet was the world's first jet airliner to enter commercial passenger service. Its swept low wing, four buried jet engines, pressurized cabin, and high cruising altitude transformed expectations for long-distance travel. Early structural failures exposed destructive pressure-cycle fatigue and led to an unprecedented full-scale investigation; the substantially redesigned Comet 4 restored the type to service and also supported military and research work.
Alerts for directly linked future launches and major activity.