Comet at Manchester docks

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Anyone remember the Comet that used to be on the dockside at Manchester some years back. I think it was part of a night club, but I don't think it is there any more. I took an aerial picture about 10 or more years ago, and it can be seen in that.

Anyone know what happened to this Comet?


SSD

[Lukeafb1]

Shaggy,

Which Mk of Comet was it?

[treadigraph]

Maybe getting mixed up here, but wasn't it at Connah's Quay? Seem to recall a college or RAF unit had a few airframes there, including a Comet 2?

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

No, definatly Manch - or maybe Salford (they are different ends of the same dock complex). I'm not sure of the mark, but IIRC it was ex-RAF and therefore probably a Comet 3.

SSD

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Ha! I'm able to answer my own thread - should have checked me book shelf before posting ;~)

It was a 2R, started life on 25/11/53 (first flight) as G-AMXC for BOAC but never entered service (BOAC cancelled the order, presumably in view of the fatigue problems with the Comet 1).

So XC went to the RAF as XK659. She served in the AEW role until replaced by the Nimrod in 1974. Interestingly, these aircraft flew unpressurised all their lives. They still had the square windows and other fuselage cutouts of the Comet 1, so would presumably have faced the same fate if they been pressurised.

On leaving the RAF she was used as a restaurant at Pomona Docks, Manchester, until scrapped in October 1981.

I can't imagine a Comet (or any other - especially narrow body - aeroplane) being much use as a restaurant. Aeroplanes are not the most comfortable places to eat even when in service - why would you choose such a cramped place for a night out when you could go to a real restaurant?

SSD

[Lukeafb1]

Shaggy,

Don’t want to chuck spanners in the works, but your comment that XK 659 et al., were all flown unpressurised because they were the same configuration as the 1s (i.e. square windowed), rang a discordant note in my brain (there again, a lot of things do that to my brain these days!).

I seem to remember, whilst serving on 51 Sqn, that a number of its Comet 2s were oval windowed and I’m almost sure, pressurised. But, I’m quite happy to be proved wrong.

However, on checking the website spyflight.co.uk., I notice, from two admittedly slightly fuzzy photographs, that both XK659 and XK695 had oval windows.

XK671 was definitely oval windowed, although I know that it wasn’t an “R” version.

[Unwell_Raptor]

A Google search on the sreial number turns up a photo with obviously oval windows, plus some crew reminiscences that deal with pressurisation and the altitudes flown.

[Lukeafb1]

Raptor,

Tried Google, but couldn't find the crew reminiscences etc. What did you put into Google?

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I got my info from a book all about the Comet.

If DH had sorted the metal fatigue probs with the Comet 2, how come no airlines bought the aeroplane until the later marks? That was still quite a time before the 707 went into service, so it would have been the only jet airliner avalable - no competition; it should have cleaned up.

SSD

[Unwell_Raptor]

Try this:

http://home.btconnect.com/GMS-ENTERPRISE/lett.html

[Lukeafb1]

I thought I hadn't completely lost my marbles! Although I didn't mention it, I'm sure at various times that I ran pressurisation tests on various of the 51 Comets after pressure hull invasion (i.e. during mods etc.).

I believe Capt. Alan Colman was right, insofar as they were flown with reduced pressurisation.

I also remember, that on some of the 51 Comets, we fitted additional oxygen systems to supplement the existing ones.