Aircraft - Aviation - Balloons - Helicopters

Jul. 07, 1954 - The Comet III takes to the air. Britain's latest aircraft under test.: The Comet III made a surpirse 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 distance up to 2, 600 miles without refuelling and has a cruising speed of 500 m.p.h.the test crew were greated by cheers from technicians - workers and officials of the company when they stepped form the machine after the flight. Captain Cunningham said Everything worked perfectly'. Photo shows Mr. John Cunningham (extreme left - wearing lounge suit) and the and the test crew boarding the Comet III as Hatfield Aerodrome for the test flight yesterday

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Aerodrome Airborne Bigger Boarding Cheers Comet Comets Cruising Cunningham Earlier Everything Faster Fifty-eight Hants Hatfield Lasting Maiden Minutes Ninety Perfectly Refuelling Remained Seventy Stepped Technicians Tests Undergo

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