MerlinnV, and other airplane guys.....
Kinda boring, but cool at the same time...
-
Looked like he was trying to see what effect varying the mixture had on things. That was one of the most powerful engines of the war and was installed on some of the very latest Spitfires. Visually, the difference was that with a Merlin, the upper cowling of the Spit was smooth, but with the Griffin, there were the two long bulges of the valve covers.
The 2,300+ HP Griffin with contra-rotating props was fitted to what has been called the "best British fighter to have never served" in the Martin Baker MB-5. For its story, watch here:
3 -
check this out
6 -
The last airworthy Mk 47 Seafire, with a Mk 58 Griffon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YioXYhbVPA0 -
Very very cool
0 -
Rocky Raab is correct in that was one of the most powerful and advanced engines during WW2. I don’t know what the TBO on that engine is, but I believe on the Merlin it was 250 hours. And at todays prices I would imagine to overhaul that engine would involve bring a truck load of money.
0 -
No wonder it wont fly, he has the propellers opposing one another.
Really cool engine and video. Thanks
3 -
Oh, yes, the Griffon engine. Quite a mechanical accomplishment. It would have been fun to put that in the full scale replica spitfire that I built. It ended up with the Allison engine. Plenty of power, more reliable, and much cheaper to overhaul.
0 -
I believe the TBO on a Merlin is 600 hrs. The Grace Mk. did lunch one with a hundred hrs. to go,, ran great but metal filings in some screens,, not a good sign of things to come. Lots better than the DB605, which is 100 hrs.
0 -
Grace Mk.9, i think ML407.
0 -
Merlinnv12, I retired from Allison in1992. Though before my time, many of the old timers had screwdrivers made from the Allison V1710 push rods.
3 -
Jeff, I believe the engine head overhead cam shafts. No push rods involved.
Maybe somebody was pulling your leg.
3 -
Aviation mechanics are great leg pullers! My first day on the line, I was sent to the tool crib to pick up 10 yards of flight line! 😲
When I returned empty handed, the boys gave me the nickname....."Chief Red in the Face"
0 -
Good thing they didn't send you for a gallon of prop wash.
3 -
In lineman school we'd send em to the tool shack to get sky hooks...
3 -
In high school wood shop class, if a “not so bright” guy cut a board too short, we would send him to the tool room for the board stretcher.
9 -
Merlinnv12: 30115256868123/comments/30115244635803
In high school wood shop class, if a “not so bright” guy cut a board too short, we would send him to the tool room for the board stretcher.
Nice, back when schools still had some classes that really taught you how to do things on your own.
6 -
Yes, Toad. I took both metal shop and woodshop classes in high school and junior high.
3 -
Very interesting Merlinnv12. I was just a young guy (29) when I went to work at Allison. I never questioned the guys. I did see some of the screwdrivers w/ at least .5" dia shaft and will look into other Allison engines.
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
18 comments