
The de Havilland DH.88 Comet
The de Havilland DH.88 Comet is a British two-seat, twin-engined aircraft built by the de Havilland
Aircraft Company. It was developed specifically to participate in the 1934 England-Australia
MacRobertson Air Race from the United Kingdom to Australia.
Development of the DH.88 Comet was initiated at the behest of British aviation pioneer Geoffrey de
Havilland, along with the support of de Havilland's board, being keen to garner prestige from producing
the victorious aircraft as well as to gain from the research involved in producing it. The Comet was
designed by A. E. Hagg around the specific requirements of the race; Hagg produced an innovative
design in the form of a stressed-skin cantilever monoplane, complete with an enclosed cockpit,
retractable undercarriage, landing flaps, and variable-pitch propellers.
Three Comets were produced for the race, all for private owners at the discounted price of £5,000 per
aircraft. The aircraft underwent a rapid development cycle, performing its maiden flight only six weeks
prior to the race. Comet G-ACSS Grosvenor House emerged as the winner. Two further examples were
later built. The Comet went on to establish a multitude of aviation records, both during the race and in
its aftermath, as well as participating in further races. Several examples were bought and evaluated by
national governments, typically as mail planes. Two Comets, G-ACSS and G-ACSP, survived into
preservation, while a number of full-scale replicas have also been constructed.
Download instruction.