Simviation Forums

Very interesting video..

I never realised the huge workforce involved at Rolls-Royce, leading up to the war..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAY2VNYcw9Y[/youtube]

Jan

A very interesting video, I had no idea what was behind the Merlin. As for hollow exhaust valves with sodium that would liquefy to carry away heat.......Well in the words of General Sir Anthony Hogmanay Melchett, "well bugger me with a fish fork......."

Matt

According to Alec Lumsden book "British piston engines and their aircraft", over 165.000 Merlins were built (also add 8.108 Griffon) :

In UK:

Rolls Royce Derby: 32.377
RR Crewe: 26.065
RR Glasgow: 23.647
Ford Trafford Park: 30.425

In USA Packard built a total of 55.523 Merlin variants of which 37.143 were Merlins (for the UK) and 18.380 V-1650 (for the USA). All Mustangs built for the RAF had the V-1650.

An the sound! Nothing equals the music of a Merlin on a Spitfire.

Amazing video and as expat says. sodium filled valves !!!!!

It's fantastic what humans can achieve working as a team.....I am in awe at the teamwork displayed in that video.

"Not much of an engineer" is the superb autobiography of Sir Stanley Hooker, which detailed the development of the Merlin. A good base engine, but far better once Ford, and later Packard got their automotive mass-production methods on to it!

expat wrote:As for hollow exhaust valves with sodium that would liquefy to carry away heat.......Well in the words of General Sir Anthony Hogmanay Melchett, "well bugger me with a fish fork......."

Matt

The DH Gipsy range of aero engines also had sodium filled exhaust valves. I'm not sure when they were first introduced.