UK - Duxford - Comet airliner door detail

A detail of an ill-fated Comet airliner door now confined to the ground at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, England. Peeling paint and a make-shift padlock shows this museum piece's age and exposure to the outside elements. A year after entering commercial service the Comets began suffering problems, with three of them breaking up during mid-flight in well-publicised accidents. This was later found to be due to catastrophic metal fatigue, not well understood at the time, in the airframes. The Comet was withdrawn from service and extensively tested to discover the cause; the first incident had been incorrectly blamed on adverse weather.

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Filename: comet_door01-07-08-2000_1.jpg
Copyright: Richard Baker
Image Size: 4252x4252 / 2.7MB; comet aeroplane plane aircraft airliner jet doorway door old past bygone era ill-fated peeling paintwork museum design curved curves rivets heritage locked padlocked padlock de havilland DH 106 1940s forties 40s technology british grounded fuselage duxford cambridgeshire relic Europe EU UK Britain England & an a at of for with and in or
Contained in galleries: Richard Baker - All pics

A detail of an ill-fated Comet airliner door now confined to the ground at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, England. Peeling paint and a make-shift padlock shows this museum piece's age and exposure to the outside elements. A year after entering commercial service the Comets began suffering problems, with three of them breaking up during mid-flight in well-publicised accidents. This was later found to be due to catastrophic metal fatigue, not well understood at the time, in the airframes. The Comet was withdrawn from service and extensively tested to discover the cause; the first incident had been incorrectly blamed on adverse weather.