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Stephen,

Thanks for posting the video. Grrrrrreat!!!

The sounds of the P-51 and the F-4F are remarkably different.

(o[]o)

I am glad you enjoyed it. Sorry so late in replying.

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The story I heard was that Henry Ford offered to build the Rolls Royce Merlin engine but he stipulated that he would only build them for US defence purposes. His admiration for Hitler and general distain for the British was well known. Naturally Rolls Royce refused to allow a licence to Ford and Packard was asked to step in instead.

Interestingly no.2 engine on the Battle of Britain Memorial flight Lancaster Bomber is a Packard.

Ford of England at Eccles built Rolls Royce Merlin engines. By 1944 the factory was employing 17,000 people and producing 900 engines a month. Obviously Ford and Rolls Royce must have had a change of attitude.

Dave,

Nice to hear from you. What's going on with the Clipper, still in your garage?

Ford of England joined in to produce the Merlin for Rolls Royce. Nothing like a Battle of Britain and a German air assault to see which side you should be on. Continental in the U.S. also built Merlins. So it is possible that a Lancaster bomber, late in the war, could have an engine from a different manufacturer.

Take care,

(o[]o)

First I have heard of Continental building Merlins. I was under the impression that Continental built a lot of the air cooled tank engines and the lower horsepower training a/c engines.

Anyway, the power plants were interchangeable which was the important thing so there wouldn't be prolonged downtime waiting for a replacement engine. Studebaker built Wright Cyclones so it could be possible to have a B-17 leave the factory with a mix of Studebaker R-1820s and Wright R-1820s. Then in field what ever was sent from supply depot to airfield supply was hung. The F4F in the Don't Mess With Texas video was also powered by the R-1820.

Interesting thing I heard a number of years ago from some folks at Canadian Warplane Heritage in Hamilton, Ont was that they had had a very hard time finding 4 RR Merlins for their Lanc. The RR engine cores seem to shift. Didn't happen to the Packard Merlin.

Best Easter Wishes to everyone.

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John, I pop in here at least twice a day to read what is happening. It is nice to see so many new members coming on line. The Clipper was put away last fall, with my help, at the new owners garage. I expect him to call shortly to help him get it out for summer driving. I am playing with my BMW 635Csi for now until another Packard comes along. Thanks for asking.

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I dont think the Packard engine in "Phantom of the Ruhr"(aka BBMF Lancaster) was the original engine. It just happened to be fitted at some point over the years.

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Stephen,

According to the SAE International's "Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II" by Graham White:

"Continental Motors built a new manufacturing facility in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1942 initially to build Prat & Whitney R-1340s for North American T-6 advanced trainers. When this contract was complete, Continental tooled up for Merlin production using some of Packard's subcontractor's for major castings... One of the suppliers was Maytag Washing Machine Company... Maytag qualified for this work because of their broad experience with large intricate aluminum castings... This explains the nickname the P-51 received during World War II of "Maytag Messerschmitt"... Continental's production amounted to 897 engines..."

Also, Ford of France was to make Merlins, but that plan was overcome by events.

The story about Henry Ford and Ford production of Merlins in the U.S. is an interesting, but another story.

(o[]o)

JW,

Thanks for the info, did not know that. I kind of wonder though about the P-51 nickname. The Ryan PT-22 trainer using a radial five cylinder Kinner was called the Maytag Messerschmitt. The engine has a uneven sound running like what the old gas powered Maytag washers supposedly sounded like.

Nice photograph of the Lanc.