Editing De Havilland Comet (section)

===Comet 4===
[[File:BEA De Havilland DH-106 Comet 4B Tempelhof Manteufel.jpg|thumb|[[British European Airways]] Comet 4B at [[Berlin Tempelhof Airport]] in October 1968]]

The '''Comet 4''' was a further improvement on the stretched Comet 3 with even greater fuel capacity. The design had progressed significantly from the original Comet 1, growing by {{cvt|18|ft|6|in}} and typically seating 74 to 81 passengers compared to the Comet 1's 36 to 44 (119 passengers could be accommodated in a special charter seating package in the later 4C series).<ref name=Winchester109>Winchester 2004, p. 109.</ref> The Comet 4 was considered the definitive series, having a longer range, higher cruising speed and higher maximum takeoff weight. These improvements were possible largely because of Avon engines, with twice the thrust of the Comet 1's Ghosts.<ref name=DaviesandBirtles62>Davies and Birtles 1999, p. 62.</ref> Deliveries to BOAC began on 30 September 1958 with two 48-seat aircraft, which were used to initiate the first scheduled transatlantic services.

* '''Comet 4B''': Originally developed for [[Capital Airlines (United States)|Capital Airlines]] as the 4A, the 4B featured greater capacity through a 2m longer fuselage, and a shorter wingspan; 18 were produced.
* '''Comet 4C''': This variant featured the Comet 4's wings and the 4B's longer fuselage; 28 were produced.

The last two Comet 4C fuselages were used to build prototypes of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft.<ref name=haddon/> A Comet 4C (SA-R-7) was ordered by Saudi Arabian Airlines with an eventual disposition to the [[Royal Saudi Air Force|Saudi Royal Flight]] for the exclusive use of [[Saud of Saudi Arabia|King Saud bin Abdul Aziz]]. Extensively modified at the factory, the aircraft included a VIP front cabin, a bed, special toilets with gold fittings and was distinguished by a green, gold and white colour scheme with polished wings and lower fuselage that was commissioned from aviation artist John Stroud. Following its first flight, the special order Comet 4C was described as "the world's first executive jet."<ref>Davies and Birtles 1999, p. 50.</ref>