Rolls Royce Merlin Aero Engine

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Hello all:  :)

Quick question:
Does anyone know if the Merlin engine in the Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancasters, Halifaxes etc....were ever fuel injected.
I believe that in 1939 they all had carburetors and were prone to cutting out doing certain manoeuvers.
If the Spitfire did receive a fuel injection engine was it the Merlin and what year and model of aircraft.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]Hello all:

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

I checked several sites that had information on the Merlin Aero Engine and found only one that mentioned fuel injection being introduced in 1943.

That is all it said, nothing on types or makes of aircraft.

It is funny how none of the other sites mentioned 1943 as the year fuel injection was introduced or even if the Merlin Aero Engine even had that modification done.

Cheers....Happy Landings....Doug

[Hagar]

I'm not convinced the Merlin had conventional fuel injection. The later examples had Bendix-Stromburg or SU carburetters injecting fuel direct to the supercharger.
http://www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk/engines.htm

I'm sure Ozzy will sort this one out.

[ozzy72]

No Merlin was ever fuel injected. The 66 series onwards had an injection carb. (as mentioned by Doug) but there wasn't proper fuel injection.
The first Spit with fuel injection would be a Griffon powered one (I think the Griffon 62 if memory serves but I'll check).

[Hagar]

Thanks to Doug asking this question I finally found the answer to something that's always puzzled me. Why do the Merlin & Griffon rotate in opposite directions?

From my previous link:

This resulted from a decision by a committee of The Society of British Aircraft Constructors to aim for a "universal powerplant". The rationale was that any aircraft with a powerplant of around 2000HP should be able to have virtually any available comparable engine replaced should the original fail. Consequently direction of rotation of the Griffon had to change to match the engines of Bristol, Napier and Armstrong-Siddley (the Merlin, which was in widespread use at that time, especially by the USA- whose aero engines all turned the same way as the Merlin- stayed as it was).

[ozzy72]

Don't forget Doug that some Merlins also spun the 'wrong way'
The 130/131 series pairing for the De Havilland Hornet springs to mind, not to mention the Meteor tank engine

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Interesting, now I shall have to find that site and see if I can find out more about the Merlin and fuel injection because it did mention the date 1943 when the Merlin was fuel injected.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Hagar]

It's mentioned on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin
I think they're referring to the modified carb injection system fitted to later Merlins & the Griffon. This is not the same as the direct fuel injection system as used on the DB 601.

PS. They could be confusing it with water/methanol injection.

[ozzy72]

Doug trust me NO FUEL INJECTION ON MERLINS!!!! Dr. Oz knows about these things being slightly Merlin-Mad

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Thanks folks as some of these sites over simplify some topics and leave out valuable information.  :)

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Felix/FFDS]

Doug trust me NO FUEL INJECTION ON MERLINS!!!! Dr. Oz knows about these things being slightly Merlin-Mad

Question - and on this I know nothing - would the carburettor injection have been on the RR Merlins or would the Packard Merlins have had "true" fuel injection?

[ozzy72]

Both Felix as the 266 (Packard Merlin) was just a variation of the RR 66

[Hagar]

Both Felix as the 266 (Packard Merlin) was just a variation of the RR 66

Can you be more specific.

[ozzy72]

Sorry Doug I was only writing about "in-service" engines. The 266 was the most relevant as it was the Packard version of the 66.
There still isn't any fuel injected Merlin that I can find. I've been pouring over books and websites of prototypes and all sorts without any success... everything says "CARBS"....