Long considered one of the most beautiful aircraft ever produced, the Comet was originally designed for one specific contest, the MacRobertson Race from England to Australia. This competition was financed by Sir Macpherson Robertson and featured about twenty airplanes, ranging in size from a Monocoupe 110 Special to a Douglas DC-2 (entered by KLM Royal Dutch AirLines). There were three Comets at the starting line and, although one had to drop out, the other two took first and fourth place. The winning airplane still remains flyable and currently belongs to the Shuttleworth Trust in England. There were two other Comets produced after the race and these brought the total production run to five! For its period, with tandem seating for two pilots and a cruising range of almost 3000 miles, the 200+ mph De Havilland Comet was ahead of its time in performance and unmatched in elegance.
