Interesting article on Merlin engine

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Thanks!

Interesting read, naturally, I've always thought that Packard built the better engine...
 
Very interesting read. Saw a Merlin engine out of a shot down Spitfire on display at Barrett Jackson 2 years ago. It still had cannon damage to the head and broken props.
It was fascinating to look at and I even got to touch it, which was surreal.
 
Very good article - thanks for posting the link!

The Brits certainly had some interesting non-standard fasteners (Whitworth threads, for example), and were not always big on standardization.

The joint Anglo-American effort did produce an excellent engine in the end.
 
Many of these engines lived on powering unlimited hydroplanes in the 1950's and 60's. A competitive heat with six boats in the Gold Cup on Lake Washington was an awesome sound. Once the supply of engines dried up and the switch to turbines began, hydro racing was not the same. The unlimited hydro circuit is barely alive today. A short sample from a few years ago below. Rolls Royce logo looks nice at :12.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dHQD-D98sQ
 
Originally Posted by Number_35

The Brits certainly had some interesting non-standard fasteners (Whitworth threads, for example), and were not always big on standardization.


Whitworth was the standard of the time. In one of Carroll Smith's books, Engineer To Win maybe, he talks about Whitworth being the superior thread form.
 
The American engine, although based on the Merlin design, was not actuallly a Merlin.

Look at the blueprints for both and you will see the differences. Based on and inspired by, but not actually the *same*
 
Originally Posted by biggusblockus
Very interesting read. Saw a Merlin engine out of a shot down Spitfire on display at Barrett Jackson 2 years ago. It still had cannon damage to the head and broken props.
It was fascinating to look at and I even got to touch it, which was surreal.



The Spitfire has a special place in our family's heart. My family is from Malta and my uncle was a machinist who worked on Spitfire/Hurricanes during WW2. My dad who was 12 at the time would watch the germans and english dogfight over malta with binoculars. For those that dont know some epic air battles were fought there it is a great read if you have plenty of time. Too bad more dont know of what happened on that island.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)
 
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Originally Posted by raaizin
Originally Posted by biggusblockus
Very interesting read. Saw a Merlin engine out of a shot down Spitfire on display at Barrett Jackson 2 years ago. It still had cannon damage to the head and broken props.
It was fascinating to look at and I even got to touch it, which was surreal.



The Spitfire has a special place in our family's heart. My family is from Malta and my uncle was a machinist who worked on Spitfire/Hurricanes during WW2. My dad who was 12 at the time would watch the germans and english dogfight over malta with binoculars. For those that dont know some epic air battles were fought there it is a great read if you have plenty of time. Too bad more dont know of what happened on that island.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)

Canada's best WW 2 Ace George 'Buzz' Beurling shot down 31 axis aircraft at Malta.
 
Thanks for posting the article and I saved it in my files...
I'll never forget my 2.2 hours flying a Parkard Merlin in a P51C...
It was a mind altering experience..
We barrel rolled over Tahoe... I was just giggling in my flight suit like a kid...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


My video of the Collings Foundation P51C Betty Jane among a gaggle of B25 B24
B17 from McClellan AFB to Minden Nevada...
 
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I remember reading that some auto company was approached in war time to build merlins, and when they saw the drawings they said no thanks, its more complicated than it needs to be.
Its one of those way over rated engines (claims of greatness), as they had their share of problems, the fore mentioned hydro plane usage also weeded out more design problems. Yes they worked and did the job during the big one.
 
Originally Posted by BusyLittleShop
Thanks for posting the article and I saved it in my files...
I'll never forget my 2.2 hours flying a Parkard Merlin in a P51C...
It was a mind altering experience..
We barrel rolled over Tahoe... I was just giggling in my flight suit like a kid...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


My video of the Collings Foundation P51C Betty Jane among a gaggle of B25 B24
B17 from McClellan AFB to Minden Nevada...



Great video. I got to fly in Nine-0-Nine a few years ago out of Minden as a Father's Day gift from my family.

I get to the Reno Air Races every chance I get. Even if the really fast unlimiteds aren't flying I figure there is nowhere else I can go to listen to the wonderful sound of Merlins and big radials. I've been going since the early 80s and it will still put chills down my back.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
Thanks!

Interesting read, naturally, I've always thought that Packard built the better engine...


From what I've read, the Packard folks went over and had a look at RR's manufacturing and assembly operation and had a good laugh.
Packard was a real manufacturer and had the expertise to build a better engine faster and cheaper.
 
Originally Posted by cb4017
Originally Posted by BusyLittleShop
Thanks for posting the article and I saved it in my files...
I'll never forget my 2.2 hours flying a Parkard Merlin in a P51C...
It was a mind altering experience..
We barrel rolled over Tahoe... I was just giggling in my flight suit like a kid...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


My video of the Collings Foundation P51C Betty Jane among a gaggle of B25 B24
B17 from McClellan AFB to Minden Nevada...



Great video. I got to fly in Nine-0-Nine a few years ago out of Minden as a Father's Day gift from my family.

I get to the Reno Air Races every chance I get. Even if the really fast unlimiteds aren't flying I figure there is nowhere else I can go to listen to the wonderful sound of Merlins and big radials. I've been going since the early 80s and it will still put chills down my back.


There are always lots of Merlins at Oshkosh...
 
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