B.O.A.C. Orders £60,000,000 Worth Of Planes

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27643, 27 April 1955, Page 13

B.O.A.C. Orders £60,000,000 Worth Of Planes

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) JOHANNESBURG, April 26. The chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (Sir Miles Thomas) said in Johannesburg last night that the corporation had placed orders for aircraft valued at £60,000,000. Sir Miles Thomas, who is visiting South Africa for talks about the joint operation of the air service between London and Johannesburg, said the orders included 33 Britannias, 10 American Douglas DC-7C’s and 20 Comet Mark IV’s. He said the Comets and Britannias would be tested on the Johannesburg-London route. The Douglas aircraft would be available in October, 1956.

The Britannias would probably be in service within a year on the Johannesburg-London route and the Comet Mark IV’s would be seen in Johannesburg early in 1958.

Sir Miles Thomas said 8.0.A.C. still had four Comet Mark I’s. These would eventually be sold to the Royal Air Force.

He said the corporation also hoped to use the new long distance Britannias in service over the North Pole between London and Tokyo in 1958. This would considerably shorten the distance.