Re: Packard V-1650 Merlin
Posted by Craig the Clipper Man On 2017/2/22 15:31:49
There is an ongoing debate over who produced the better engines. Rolls-Royce, which designed the Merlin engine, licensed the manufacturing of the engines to Packard, which made various design changes to accommodate mass production.
Here is what one aviation enthusiast determined about the differences between the Rolls-Royce- (RR) and Packard-built engines:
"If you read any of the authoritative accounts of the RR Merlin it is obvious there were very few differences between a Packard Merlin and a RR Merlin. RR manufactured more Merlin's than anyone, without including the Ford production that nearly all when to Bombers. So as well as doing prototypes and mass production RR did all the short run Fighter engines, a much more demanding scenario than just mass production.
"As mentioned above that the Packard Merlin used a different supercharger drive on its two stage engines. This was the only major mechanical difference.
"Ignition systems and fuel systems were American sourced, but they were fundamentally the same. Initially Packard were able to introduce improvements into the Merlin earlier than RR as they were still in the set up phase early in the war. The best example of this was the two piece cylinder block. The first Packard the V1650-1 or Merlin 28 depending on the customer used a Packard designed 2 piece block well before RR. This engine was used mainly in Lancaster's, and powered 617 squadron on the Dams raid. They were better than the Merlin XX that they were based on. Once RR had finalized its design all subsequence Packard Merlin's used the RR design of two piece block the Packard Merlin 28 becoming a 38 and the XX a 22.
"Co-operation between RR and Packard was excellent and a salutary lesson for all of today's young budding and existing MBA's . Much has been made of RR using craftsmen and Packard being more experienced in mass production but I don't believe there is any substance in this, other than it makes a good story.
"The racing Merlin's in the US are incredible engines. They use a Packard bottom end based on the 100 series Merlin, with 500 or 600 series Transport blocks and heads. They use Allison connecting rods from the Allison that powered the P82, and have mods to the crank that counter the vibration from the heavier Allison rods. They run at up to 3200rpm and produce 3300hp plus."
Bottom line: the Merlin was a superb engine, no matter who built it.
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Here is what one aviation enthusiast determined about the differences between the Rolls-Royce- (RR) and Packard-built engines:
"If you read any of the authoritative accounts of the RR Merlin it is obvious there were very few differences between a Packard Merlin and a RR Merlin. RR manufactured more Merlin's than anyone, without including the Ford production that nearly all when to Bombers. So as well as doing prototypes and mass production RR did all the short run Fighter engines, a much more demanding scenario than just mass production.
"As mentioned above that the Packard Merlin used a different supercharger drive on its two stage engines. This was the only major mechanical difference.
"Ignition systems and fuel systems were American sourced, but they were fundamentally the same. Initially Packard were able to introduce improvements into the Merlin earlier than RR as they were still in the set up phase early in the war. The best example of this was the two piece cylinder block. The first Packard the V1650-1 or Merlin 28 depending on the customer used a Packard designed 2 piece block well before RR. This engine was used mainly in Lancaster's, and powered 617 squadron on the Dams raid. They were better than the Merlin XX that they were based on. Once RR had finalized its design all subsequence Packard Merlin's used the RR design of two piece block the Packard Merlin 28 becoming a 38 and the XX a 22.
"Co-operation between RR and Packard was excellent and a salutary lesson for all of today's young budding and existing MBA's . Much has been made of RR using craftsmen and Packard being more experienced in mass production but I don't believe there is any substance in this, other than it makes a good story.
"The racing Merlin's in the US are incredible engines. They use a Packard bottom end based on the 100 series Merlin, with 500 or 600 series Transport blocks and heads. They use Allison connecting rods from the Allison that powered the P82, and have mods to the crank that counter the vibration from the heavier Allison rods. They run at up to 3200rpm and produce 3300hp plus."
Bottom line: the Merlin was a superb engine, no matter who built it.
Attach file:
(95.27 KB)
(39.78 KB) (36.34 KB)
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