de Havilland Comet: How the First Jetliner Failed

The de Havilland Comet pioneered passenger jets, but repeated pressurization cycles exposed a structural weakness that turned Britain’s technological lead into a crisis. From the Type 106 contract and the Comet’s celebrated debut to Flight 781, the ADF-window crack, and the aircraft’s redesign, the film traces how investigators rebuilt the evidence piece by piece. The Comet’s failure changed how jetliners were tested, engineered, and trusted. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:18 The Type 106 contract 5:48 The first scheduled jet 12:19 The Flight 781 breakup 19:59 The ADF-window crack 29:04 The Comet 4 return 36:27 The lead after the wreckage 41:17 Closing