De Havilland Comet

The de Havilland Comet, also known as the D.H. 106 Comet, was the world's first commercial jet airliner. It was developed and manufactured by de Havilland in the United Kingdom and first flew in 1949. The Comet entered service with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1952 and quickly became a popular choice for passengers due to its speed and comfort. However, the Comet was also plagued by a series of accidents, which led to its grounding in 1954. The cause of the accidents was eventually traced to metal fatigue in the aircraft's fuselage, which was caused by the high stresses of pressurization and depressurization during flight. The Comet was redesigned and re-entered service in 1958, but it never regained its former popularity.