BOAC must have had a requirement to link all the countries of the empire. Its Comets passed through Sydney twice a week bound for Auckland, New Zealand, where Whenuapai airport was unable to handle 707s and DC-8s. It was a leisurely service originating in London with eight intermediate stops. BOAC also operated Comets to Melbourne-Essendon. The opening of Auckland's Mangere airport at the end of 1965 ended Comet operations to Australia. 707s flew to Auckland and Melbourne was dropped from the network. Photographer not known. Photo dated by the Petersham water tower finished in 1965.

Scrapped a couple of months after this photo. Following BOAC and East African, Dan-Air used her for three years till 1973 and donated it to the Air Scouts at Lasham

This Apprentice Training aircraft was a A familiar part of the Heathrow maintenance area scenery in the 70s. Here still connected to its tuba-like mufflers, it was moved out onto the field in 1980 as fire practice trainer and broken up after the mid-eighties. Registered to de Havilland May 1957 and to BOAC in Oct 1959; to Mexicana late 1965 becoming XA-NAB and returned to BOAC in Dec 1969.

'DO awaits its next load while Guppy F-BTGV taxies into the early mist behind on one of its early Airbus wing flights. The Comet joined BOAC in 5.59 and wad bought by DA in 5.66. It was one of the first to face the scrapper's axe, getting the chop at Lasham in 6.74

The former G-APDR was bought by Mexicana in 12.64 and sold to Channel Airways for spares in 6.71. Seen here very much down and out on the Stansted fire dump, she was broken up soon after this

BOAC Comet 4 at Manchester after diverting from a foggy Heathrow when operating their schedule from Johannesburg with intermediate stops on route.

Delivered new to BOAC as G-APDC in September 1958. Sold in November 1965. Bought by MSA as 9M-AOD and later 9V-BAT. To Dan-Air as G-APDC in August 1969.

Delivered to EAAC as VP-KPK in September 1960. Re-registered 5H-AAF in April 1964. To Dan-Air for spares in January 1971.

Delivered to BOAC as G-APDM in May 1957. Leased to MEA from March 1967 until June 1967. Also wears Air Liban titles.

An attempt to fly from Southend to Chivenor for the NATO Day in Auster G-AMFP took us overhead Lasham. Due to headwinds we never made it to Devon... this dodgy shot was taken with a 400mm hanging out in the slipstream. The 1959-build Comet was reduced to spares by Dan-Air by 3.73, while their Ambassador (G-ALZO) ultimately went on to be superbly restored at Duxford. Soon after this, it became the only survivor of the type in the world with the scrapping of G-ALZP at West Malling