"Spiv" wrote in message
...

Can't you do anything right?
http://user.itl.net/~colonial/comet/history.html


On the 4th October 1958 two B.O.A.C. Comet 4s inaugurated the first
regular
transatlantic jet passenger service - another first for British
innovation.



BOAC was indeed the first to offer transatlantic jet passenger service. Two
Comet 4s made simultaneous departures from Heathrow and Idlewild airports on
October 4, 1958, on the New York - London route. Although BOAC won the
race, beating Pan Am's 707 on the New York - Paris route by three weeks, the
Comet 4 was not designed for transatlantic service. The westbound flight
had to stop to refuel in Gander, Newfoundland. BOAC had planned from the
start to replace the Comet on the route as soon as it's own 707s were on
hand. The 707-320 could carry twice the passenger load almost twice as far
100 mph faster than the Comet 4.