Seat 2A,

I too have heard the Caravelle used Comet design/bits. The only reference I can lay my hands on is Malcom Hill's "BAC One-Eleven" published by Crowood, 1999.

Hill states: "The Caravelle benefited from the Comet design in an even more positive way, its nose section and flight deck being directly based on the Comet's". Id. p.8

Not a ton of detail...

The nose section was identical to the Comet's. The prototypes were build using Comet nose and cabin sections from De Havilland and grafting these onto the Toulouse-built main fuselages. Doesn't get more direct than that.

Yes I remember the Alitalia Caravelles

Memories I have was that the Caravelle was a beautiful plane. In the early 60's Alitalia replaced the Viscounts with Caravelles. The 3 hour + flight between London and Milan was reduced to 2 hours!!! Nice rectangular windows and I believe we boarded from the back staircase like the 727!

Flew on an Iberia Caravelle from Madrid to Palma in July, '68 (my only Caravelle flight). Remembered that we flew right over Majorca, then dove very steeply to land.
Comfortable plane, interesting landing!!!

bj-21.

Folks,

Here's a website dedicated to this glorious aircraft, with everything you wanted to know about it, as well as pics, stats, and updates on ships still in service. I found it about a year or so ago. It used to link to Bill Harms' site of aircraft registrations. It has changed since I visited it last, and parts of it are still being refined. (Edited to correct this statement and add further information.)

http://www.bird.ch/nilsalegren/caravelle/

I never flew the jet, but like it a lot. I particularly like the SAS livery. Very regal!

Studley

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The perfect ladies' man is a perfect gentleman.



[This message has been edited by studley (edited 01-21-2002).]

Excellent. Thanks for the link studley. Thanks again to those of you who shared some of your memories.