|
|
Dates |
|
Event |
|
|
Constructed as a Comet 4C. |
1960 |
|
To Mexicana with new c/r DH106 COMET 4C, 6424.
Pat Fillingham flew C/N 6424 G-AOVU, the first Mk4C, on October 31, 1959. After about 87 hours of certification flights, it became Mexicanas first jet airliner. |
1960 |
|
To Mexicana with new c/r XA-NAR. |
1972 |
|
Operated by Westernair.
Remained at Mexico City for the following two years, undergoing a complete upgrade, which included a new paint job and a reupholstered interior. Westernair planned to sell it and its sister aircraft to a large corporation in Europe, but the Arab oil crises of 1974 intervened, which led to a five-fold increase in the price of jet fuel. The value of many smaller jets, including the relatively thirsty Comets, was slashed and the sale fell apart. The refurbished Comets were left at Mexico City until another buyer could be found. |
1978 |
|
To unknown owner with c/r N888WA.
A subscription-club airline in Redmond, Washington, Redmond Air, bought the aircraft in 1978 and had it ferried to Salt Lake City to upgrade its electronics to current US standards. A year later, in July 1979, N888WA was ferried to Everett, Washington. It had accumulated a total of 27,065 hours of flight time. It was grounded by the FAA at Paine Field with the insistence that all of the maintenance done in the 18 years since leaving the De Havilland factory would have to be re-inspected and signed off. Alternatively, it could be ferried to Dan Air at Lasham in the UK, to be re-certified to as-new standard. Since meeting either of these requirements would cost many times the value of the aircraft, it was left essentially derelict at Paine Field. |
12 July 1979 |
|
Certificate of airworthiness for N888WA (COMET 4C, 6424) issued. |
1984 |
|
To Museum of Flight-Restoration Facility, Paine Field, Everett, WA.
 View the Location Dossier |
After 1985 |
|
Photographer: Reinhard Zinab
Notes: Photo at Paine Field, Everett WA, on static display, in full BOAC colours |
29 September 1994 |
|
To Museum of Flight Foundation, Seattle, WA with new c/r N888WA. |
10 May 2009 |
|
Photographer: Reinhard Jost
Notes: Under reconstruction at the Museum of Flight Restauration Center, Everett |
1 January 2012 |
|
Certificate of airworthiness for N888WA (COMET 4C, 6424) issued. |
14 September 2018 |
|
Civil registration, N888WA, cancelled. |
8 October 2019 |
|
Photographer: John Bennett
Notes: Taken at Everett-Paine Field, Washington, U.S.A. |
|
 | | This airframe dossier is based on
unreviewed imported data.
If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor. |
