De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C, XS235 / 6473, MoD(PE)
This picture is © Martin Laycock and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: XS235
Construction Number: 6473
Military Unit: A&AEE
Model De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C
Operator: MoD(PE)
Airport: RAF Fairford (FFD / EGVA), UK - England
Airshow: Fairford - IAT - 1993
Photographer: Martin Laycock
Date Taken: 24/07/1993
Date Submitted: 15/06/2010
Photographed in the static display at IAT93 'Canopus' made her first flight on the 26th September 1963, she was delivered on the 2nd December that year direct to Boscombe Down. For the next thirty-three years she led a gentle life as a trials aircraft only flying a total of 8,300 hours. Used as a flying laboratory for radio, radar and navigation trials with the Aeroplane and Armament Evaluation Establishment she was named after the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and Argo Navis. Sadly she was deemed too expensive to maintain and was put up for auction in May 1997. There were fears at the time that she might end up being bought by an American collector, fortunately Michael Portillo MP, in his last act in government intervened and cancelled the sale. She was then flown to Bruntingthorpe on the 30th October 1997 becoming the last ever flying Comet. Now in the care of the British Aviation Heritage Collection she is kept in taxying condition. She was placed on the civil register as G-CPDA with the intention of returning her to airworthy condition. Unfortunately this didn't come to pass and that now seems like an unlikely proposition.
Picture ID:1238015