The de Havilland DH 106 Comet jet airliner was much faster than earlier piston aircraft, slicing hours off journey times and making the world smaller still. The model could hold 36 passengers and, here, one traveller on the inaugural flight enjoys ample legroom and a slap-up meal with wine. However patrons’ confidence in the aircraft model plummeted in the coming years as it suffered a series of crashes.
