Customer Reviews

Viscount, Comet and Concorde: Legends of the Air 3

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In the 1950s and 1960s, three new British airliners forever changed the way we travel by air. They were the De Havilland DH.106 Trident, Vickers Viscount, and BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde. Two other pioneers were Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle, Tupolev Tu-104, and BAC-111; I would love to see these three treated together in another volume.

The Comet was the first production jet airliner, and the plane paid a heavy price for that distinction. Although De Havilland took strong precautions in designing a pressurized airliner that would fly higher and faster than anything before, the concept of metal fatigue was not well understood. Several well-publicized crashes doomed the success of the Comet; when the redesigned Comet 4 emerged, the British airliner was easily outclassed by the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, both of which benefited from what was learned from the Comet.

The Viscount was the world's first turboprop airliner. The difference between the new turbine and previous piston engine was readily apparent and appreciated among passengers; the Viscount heralded a new standard of comfort and reliability in short- to medium-range air travel. Vickers sold 444 airframes, making it the most successful British airliner ever. The plane's engines themselves are an aviation classic; the superb Rolls-Royce Dart went on to power the Fokker F-27, Handley-Page Dart Herald, and Hawker-Siddeley HS.748 among other aircraft.

The Concorde speaks for itself. Though the Tupolev Tu-144 preceded Concorde, the Anglo-French airliner remains the only successful supersonic transport. With its recent 2003 retirement, the Concorde has attained somewhat of a cult status.

Mr. Stewart has presented three very different British designs, each it its own way a pioneer. Each section includes a detailed production list, data on types and subtypes, and detailed sketches. This book is a highly worthy addition to any commercial aviation enthusiast's bookshelf.