Aircraft - Aviation - Balloons - Helicopters

Jul. 20, 1954 - 20-7-54 The Comet III takes to the air. Britain latest aircraft under test The Comet III made a surprise maiden flight yesterday from the De Havilland airport at Hatfield, Hants. The machine is a bigger, faster long range version of the earlier Comets. It remained airborne for ninety minutes under the control of the De Havilland Chief Test Pilot Group Captain John Catseyes Cunningham. Before the machine is put into service it will have to undergo tests lasting about two years. It is built to carry from fifty-eight to seventy six passengers over distances up to 2, 6000 miles without refueling and has a cruising speed of 500 mph the test crew were greeted by cheers from technicians, workers and officials of the company when they stepped from the machine after the flight. Captain Cunningham said Everything worked perfectly. Keystone Photo Shows: The Comet III in flight during her maiden test at Hatfield yesterday

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6000 Airborne Bigger Cheers Comet Comets Cruising Cunningham Distances Earlier Everything Faster Fifty-eight Greeted Hants Hatfield Lasting Maiden Minutes Ninety Perfectly Refueling Remained Seventy Stepped Technicians Tests Undergo

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