1950's

1950’s

The 1950’s was the first decade of passenger aircraft being powered by a jet. For that reason, there were only three major jetliners. A series of crashes for the de Havilland Comet meant that it was out of the race. That left only two. The first, the Boeing 707 was a major hit. The second was the Douglas DC-8. It mostly went into service in 1960’s and 1970’s.

de Havilland Comet

The de Havilland Comet was a major hit; it was the first jet ever made. The style on the wings and tail set it apart from other propeller planes. However, there were a string of crashes. Although the problem was solved, the Comet never fully regained its safety record.

Lockheed L-188 Electra

The Electra was an outdated even in its time; new jet aircraft introduced the very same year made the Electra obsolete. Still, there was some interest and some airlines bought the Electra. Sadly, there were two fatal crashes, both caused by the design. This sealed the fate of the Electra. No airline would buy the aircraft so in 1961, Lockheed stopped producing the L-188.

Boeing 707

The 707 was one of the first jetliners and it was of the largest. After its launch by Pan Am, airlines around the world ordered it. Some believe that the success of the 707 secured Boeing a future with jet aircraft. The 707 was a huge success partly because there were no competing aircraft meaning that the 707 owned the market.

Douglas DC-8

The DC-8 was similar to the 707 however; the DC-8 never took off. This could be because all airlines had bought the 707. Therefore, there was no need to buy the DC-8. Later on in the     DC-8’s life, the sale increased.