Re: Rolls Royce vs. Packard:Who Built a Better Merlin?

Posted by JWL On 2020/2/8 12:29:05

Roger, thanks for the additional info on the Continental-built Merlins. I was not aware of the number they built and that they were only in the beginning developmental phase. Yes, Ford of England as the third manufacturer. I guess one could surmise that a Lancaster bomber - in the later stages of the war - could have engines from three manufactures. I don't know if this was ever the case, but it was a possibility. I am aware of the difficulties Packard had in matching the English threads, just one of the many things they had to deal with in manufacturing the V-1650. Thanks for pointing this out.

Don't hold me to this too hard, but I believe all the Mosquitoes built in Canada were powered exclusively by the Packard-built Merlins. They were built in Canada because of the rich timber resources in that country. They were then ferried to England for service.

As I wrote, there are many chapters to this story.