Publicity
' forget' does seem indeed to be on a thankfully different water supply.
The existence and first flying of the Comet was not exactly a secret akin to the F-117...quite a few 'first flights' have been carried out in either 'unexpected' or quiet situations when the press hanging around would have been a pain and indeed an unwanted extra pressure - any last minute snag would be presented as a disaster to the programme.
I was a photographer for BAe at Dunsfold, & covered the first flights of the Hawk 200 & Harrier GR5 among others.
We had the photo's processed & going around the world ( 600+ prints by wet film & printing, pre-electronic days ) before the aircraft landed.
Having dealt with the newspaper press during other events there, I can say wholeheartedly the press really are the objectionable sharks they're made out to be, elbowing each other in a scrum for a picture everyone's going to get anyway.
Much better kept away from 1st flights, I don't doubt nowadays some idiot would get past the barriers & on or near the runway for a scoop...possibly not the one he had in mind, straight into an intake !