Quarter Scale Merlin V-12
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Herman staal
New Member
Good evening.
I have a big intrest in the quartelscale merlin engine. But found out the castings are not avalible anymore.
I had contact with a danish builder who built on of this engines and got it running.
He told me that from what he have heard about 50 of those casting sets were sold. Only few of them completed them.
Is there or does somebody on this forum knows who has a set of castings and would like to sell them.
Hope i could get a set of this.
Best regards
Herman staal
I have a big intrest in the quartelscale merlin engine. But found out the castings are not avalible anymore.
I had contact with a danish builder who built on of this engines and got it running.
He told me that from what he have heard about 50 of those casting sets were sold. Only few of them completed them.
Is there or does somebody on this forum knows who has a set of castings and would like to sell them.
Hope i could get a set of this.
Best regards
Herman staal
rswinberg
Member
Herman,
I have a complete un-touched set, plus valves, guides, seats, retainers, and keepers.
Randy
[email protected]
I have a complete un-touched set, plus valves, guides, seats, retainers, and keepers.
Randy
[email protected]
Herman staal
New Member
You got mail
Hello, I really need this drawing very much. I love it. Do you have any plans to sell it?
gdrhbb,
I'm sorry but it's copyrighted material, and I can't supply it. Others have been down this path trying to purchase the drawings from the original author even though the castings are no longer available, but his position has been firm and he won't allow them to be distributed outside the casting set. Your best bet is to purchase the set of castings and drawings from Randy above. You're going to need the castings to build the engine, they are very rare, and if Randy is willing to sell his you may not have another opportunity.
I don't know what your skill set is, but if you decide to purchase the castings and go on with the project, you should get a few other engines under your belt before attempting the Merlin. It will take only a single slip up to ruin an irreplaceable casting, and many of them will require straightening. Best of luck to you and keep us advised of your progress. Everybody loves a Merlin. - Terry
I'm sorry but it's copyrighted material, and I can't supply it. Others have been down this path trying to purchase the drawings from the original author even though the castings are no longer available, but his position has been firm and he won't allow them to be distributed outside the casting set. Your best bet is to purchase the set of castings and drawings from Randy above. You're going to need the castings to build the engine, they are very rare, and if Randy is willing to sell his you may not have another opportunity.
I don't know what your skill set is, but if you decide to purchase the castings and go on with the project, you should get a few other engines under your belt before attempting the Merlin. It will take only a single slip up to ruin an irreplaceable casting, and many of them will require straightening. Best of luck to you and keep us advised of your progress. Everybody loves a Merlin. - Terry
He's the person you communicated with in post 843 above.
By the way, I happen to remember that there was a change to the crankcase casting that ended up making later versions of the crankcase slightly longer than earlier verdions. There was a warning about this issue on the Dynamotive website when it was still active a few years ago. This casting modification changed some rod locations from what was given in the drawings. Mine happened to be one of the ones that required these changes. In fact these changes rippled on up through the entire engine. So, before you start machining the crankshaft, make sure you have the actual crankcase casting that you'll be using in your hands. - Terry
I’m in need of this complete casting set-can anyone help?
Terry-did you end up using glow ignition, or magnetos?
Elliot,
I used a spark ignition with two CDI's. The distributors were disguised to look like magnetos. - Terry
CJD
Member
I realize this is an old thread...but...
I just bought a set of the basic engine castings from an estate sale. It appears to have the castings for the basic engine, groups 1 through 4. I wondered if anyone has a line on the castings listed in groups 5 through 9 that hey would be willing to sell. These include the "bonus" items like the intakes, supercharger, carbs, magnetos, and a few other items. I would even be interested in a complete set of castings that include all the groups.
Thanks,
John
I just bought a set of the basic engine castings from an estate sale. It appears to have the castings for the basic engine, groups 1 through 4. I wondered if anyone has a line on the castings listed in groups 5 through 9 that hey would be willing to sell. These include the "bonus" items like the intakes, supercharger, carbs, magnetos, and a few other items. I would even be interested in a complete set of castings that include all the groups.
Thanks,
John
goldstar31
Well-Known Member
My old Merlin fitter mate- 12" to the foot guy has just passed the Grand Lodge above but his favourite TB-731. ( JM-R) is still airworthy-- from 1949.
So is dear old VP-981, the DH Devon C1 which later became the hack for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Gypsy Queen 71's. I used to joy ride in it instead of playing soccer.
So is dear old VP-981, the DH Devon C1 which later became the hack for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Gypsy Queen 71's. I used to joy ride in it instead of playing soccer.
CJD
Member
Well, got the castings. They came with valves, keepers, springs, seats, and rockers. They did not come with the rear gearbox or supercharger. I have a couple projects to finish up, and then I'll get serious about looking the Merlin over and come up with a game plan. This build will be complicated by the fact that Dynamotive is shutdown and does not respond to any attempts to contact Richard. I am missing all the documentation to the rear gearbox, but I actually look at that as a plus, as there are a few things I do not like about the original gearbox and cam drive plan.
Terry, your build documentation here will be invaluable, as the plans leave a lot to be desired. I believe this is a first generation set, as the initial castings are dated 1996, and the final contacts with Richard were in 2000. The original owner was receiving the castings as they first became available.
Still interested in any castings still out there...
Terry, your build documentation here will be invaluable, as the plans leave a lot to be desired. I believe this is a first generation set, as the initial castings are dated 1996, and the final contacts with Richard were in 2000. The original owner was receiving the castings as they first became available.
Still interested in any castings still out there...
Alec Ryals
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2012
- Messages
- 154
- Reaction score
- 81
Too many dang old coy rights !
CJD
Member
I finally got the heads and cylinder blocks. I can see right away that the cylinder spacing is going to be an issue due to differences in the casting shrinkage between the crankcase, cylinder block and heads. The documentation is not what I am used to in technical drawings. I am afraid Richard was intentionally sparse with details about measurements, and he has shut down all contact with the outer world. It appears he sold the castings to help finance his side of the project, and kept the details (and copyright) close to his chest.
I have decided to build the engine virtually in Autodesk Inventor before even thinking about breaking a chip. That will allow me to finalize all the details in cyber world, as I can see immediately that it would be easy to back myself into a hole otherwise. Once I get going I will break my project off into its own thread. Even with the issues ahead, the castings are truly mesmerizing to look at. I can understand the effort that Richard put into them, even though I feel it's a shame he refuses to sell any of the copyrighted documentation. It's it lot of work that will never be put to good use.
I have decided to build the engine virtually in Autodesk Inventor before even thinking about breaking a chip. That will allow me to finalize all the details in cyber world, as I can see immediately that it would be easy to back myself into a hole otherwise. Once I get going I will break my project off into its own thread. Even with the issues ahead, the castings are truly mesmerizing to look at. I can understand the effort that Richard put into them, even though I feel it's a shame he refuses to sell any of the copyrighted documentation. It's it lot of work that will never be put to good use.
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The Spitfire 16 JMR. was Air Chief Marshal Sir James Robb personal aircraft when it was based at RAF. Northolt ( hence the marking JMR. ) This was fitted with the Packard Merlin 266 1,372 hp. - I last new this to be flying with the Air Gunnery School at Exeter in 1953. - Where is it now?
goldstar31
Well-Known Member
RAF Northolt at the time pf SL-721 and the other 2 Vip Spitfires was a satellite to Hendon.
I was stationed At Hendon there 1948-1950
I was stationed At Hendon there 1948-1950
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Alec Ryals
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2012
- Messages
- 154
- Reaction score
- 81
Love to see some photos
goldstar31
Well-Known Member
Norman Franks First in the Indian Skies give some aircraft details. It is inaccurate as Franks was going off someone one's recollections. Sadly not very true. Four VIP aircraft - 3 Spits and Devon VP-981 were in the care of my mate in 31 but they were 'not on strength' so to speak. James Marshall Robb's kite was JM-R replicating his intials on SL-721. I'm keeping quiet about one 'jockey; but there is one helluva story about Boothman and the Sneider Trophy. Although Robbs Spit appeared in Warbirds of Canada, his plane never went to war. It hdn't any guns LOL but somewhere and I think Warbirds again and Jimmy ob. there are the lads on B Flight with the Proctors. Tucked away was probably a French Nor1000 or otherwise a ME108 Taifun. My mate helped to put it together.
Devon vp-981 is far more interesting. It was actually DH Dove originally but was sort of a cousin to our Devons whivh were replacing our Anson 19's. It 'beonged' to the Air Officer Commanding in Chief Coastal Command and flew with a bass fiddle across the seats as a liferaft. Well, it was Costal Command.
In early 1950 the message came through "subsmash' A British submarine was in trouble and the dan marker had surfaced off Sheerness on the River Thames. 981 was in for a service in Tech Wing R&I and my phone rang pn 19. I was boss of the Signals billet then. ' Corp, do you kmow what a Danbuoy is because 981 is on the Peri trck across from you. Catch i i was sitting opposite. We flew at f all feet over Buckingham Palace with the Roya Standard flutering and down the docks of the London river.
We got there to find that the sub had been spotted and the lifting gear had come from Portsmouth in the night. We were too late and the deaths on truculent were appalling and it was a wing dip in salute and home for tea. Days later, I'd been jabbed for a trip in an ambulance Anson 12. The RAF Regiment corporal and were the best shots with 9 millie Sten( I'm deaf now) and thing quitetted down and SL-721's engine basher and I were off into Civvy street. Johnny went to BR RAcing and here me-ahem.
VP-981 was then sent as the hack to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and was superseded by a proper Wartime Dak. 50 years to the date of the Crash we tool the girl friend and the sistr of the 2 of the 3 crew and we kept in touch until John's death last year.
So the two of us are left- Eddie my top clerk has gone as well.
When this pandemic is over, walk the haunted hallows of Hendon and move up to the National Arboretum to the RF 31 Goldstar memorial . Read the names of the great people of th past.
there is a comfortable garden seat for your convenience. I put it there inmemory of my late father in law by my late wife on behalf of ALL of us.
Devon vp-981 is far more interesting. It was actually DH Dove originally but was sort of a cousin to our Devons whivh were replacing our Anson 19's. It 'beonged' to the Air Officer Commanding in Chief Coastal Command and flew with a bass fiddle across the seats as a liferaft. Well, it was Costal Command.
In early 1950 the message came through "subsmash' A British submarine was in trouble and the dan marker had surfaced off Sheerness on the River Thames. 981 was in for a service in Tech Wing R&I and my phone rang pn 19. I was boss of the Signals billet then. ' Corp, do you kmow what a Danbuoy is because 981 is on the Peri trck across from you. Catch i i was sitting opposite. We flew at f all feet over Buckingham Palace with the Roya Standard flutering and down the docks of the London river.
We got there to find that the sub had been spotted and the lifting gear had come from Portsmouth in the night. We were too late and the deaths on truculent were appalling and it was a wing dip in salute and home for tea. Days later, I'd been jabbed for a trip in an ambulance Anson 12. The RAF Regiment corporal and were the best shots with 9 millie Sten( I'm deaf now) and thing quitetted down and SL-721's engine basher and I were off into Civvy street. Johnny went to BR RAcing and here me-ahem.
VP-981 was then sent as the hack to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and was superseded by a proper Wartime Dak. 50 years to the date of the Crash we tool the girl friend and the sistr of the 2 of the 3 crew and we kept in touch until John's death last year.
So the two of us are left- Eddie my top clerk has gone as well.
When this pandemic is over, walk the haunted hallows of Hendon and move up to the National Arboretum to the RF 31 Goldstar memorial . Read the names of the great people of th past.
there is a comfortable garden seat for your convenience. I put it there inmemory of my late father in law by my late wife on behalf of ALL of us.
