Four Nations.
Only four nations used two types of supersonic civil aircraft, Britain, France and Singapore used Concorde and the former Soviet Union the Tupolev Tu-144. The Russian version was faster and a better aircraft, but all this came a heavey cost to design and the testing programme.
Meanwhile the joint British-French aircraft was more versitile and had a very long service with three long-haul airlines. Concorde was the aircraft of the rich, filmstars and the real jet-set. Both types of supersonic aicraft were the fist of their kind, and despite pleas by Virgin airlines boss Sir Richard Branson, it does not seem that they will be returning in a newer form just yet.
As a boy I remember seeing all three of them during my summer holidays, make their final approaches to London Heathrow International airport. In recent weeks I seem to have the same dream of seeing the BA Concorde against a blue sky.
These aicraft were grounded since the trajic crash in Paris France. Russia had retired theirs much earlier, due to cracks and financial constraints.
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