Background De Havilland DH.88 Comet

macrobertson air race start, finish , compulsory stops. aside stopping @ these places, competitors chose own route; permitted stop elsewhere

during 1933, macrobertson air race, long distance multi-stage journey united kingdom australia, being planned october 1934, celebrate 100th anniversary of australian state of victoria. sponsored macpherson robertson, australian confectionary manufacturer, race flown in stages new aerodrome @ mildenhall melbourne.

despite number of previous air racing successes british companies, new generation of monoplane airliners being developed in america had no viable rival in britain @ time. geoffrey de havilland, british aviation pioneer , founder of aircraft manufacturing firm de havilland, determined macrobertson air race ought won british aircraft. while recognised there no prospect of recouping full investment in developing new design, de havilland board decided subsidise project; hoped endeavor serve both enhance company s prestige , provide benefits result research involved.

accordingly, announced in january 1934 if 3 orders obtained 28 february, specialist racer named comet built , sold £5,000 each, capable of achieving guaranteed speed of 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). prescribed price projected being half of incurred cost of manufacture. 3 orders indeed received deadline; 1 jim mollison, flown him , wife amy (better known amy johnson), 1 a. o. edwards, hotel manager, , last racing motorist bernard rubin.