Rolls Royce Merlin

[Proflooney]

Anyone know if this guy ever produced any plans for this or where you could find plans of this sort? I been googling my fingers off trying to find IC aircraft engine plans with no luck http://www.enginehistory.org/merlin_xx.htm

I would love to find plans also for a Mercedes DIII but the one link I found said the person died and his wife locked everything up

Joe

 

[ChrisB]

Only thing I know of is:

http://dynamotive.netfirms.com/merlin/

But this is plans AND castings, additionally it's 1/4 scale not 1/5. May be worth a look though.

 

[Proflooney]

Yea been there already. theres also a guy in sweden or something has them too but i havent heard back from anyone.

 

[GWRdriver]

I would love to find plans also for a Mercedes DIII but the one link I found said the person died and his wife locked everything up - Joe

Joe,
I'm not sure where the link was, an ME page or board perhaps, but that information would have come from me. The builder was a long-time friend and mentor. The model and and all drawings, jigs, and fixtures are still locked away (within walking distance from me) and was about 7/8ths done. The carbs and magentos had been made but had not been tested to see if they would actually run the engine. No finished drawings were done, only reams of shop sketches and notes. I expect that the model and the shop drawings will eventually be disposed of by the heirs but I fear the worst as workshop dehumidification may not have been maintained. Wilson told me some years ago that it would probably fall to me to complete the engine if he wasn't able to but (a) he didn't inform his heirs, and (b) I am not an I/C person and wouldn't know what remained to be done to finish it.

 

[Proflooney]

yea that kinda sucks. I know a lot of projects that ppl I know pass away and the wife etc just throws the stuff away or other to it and its never heard from again. I have been working on an albatros DII design at 1/2 scale and woulda kilt someone for drawings for a DIII

Joe

 

[Lakc]

I set to work on a more modern replacement a few years back but never finished it. That project will eventually rise back to the top of the list someday, hopefully with plenty fo time for me to fly it

 

[GWRdriver]

I know a lot of projects that ppl I know pass away and . . . . its never heard from again.

Joe,
I hope not in this case, but it's a delicate situation. Pressing for access to save the material won't be beneficial . . . I raised the subject once and was told that was something his widow didn't want to discuss. So the only thing I can do is wait and see what is salvageable when the time comes, if it comes. It would indeed be a shame if all that R&D went into a dumpster.

 

[kjk]

I remember the original post because it contained the problem of drilling a 1/16 hole 7 inches long. It's bothered me ever since because I can't imagine drilling a hole that small that deep. How was that problem solved?

 

[compspecial]

I think Barrington (Barry) hares was one of the first to have a Merlin running in 1981 it was one fifth scale and i think the RR Eagle was another one on his list
Stew

 

[GWRdriver]

it contained the problem of drilling a 1/16 hole 7 inches long. How was that problem solved?

I watched him do that . . . well, a little bit of it anyway, it took many hours. This hole was for a camshaft oil distribution passageway and was drilled half-way through starting from each end. He used a conventinal 2-flute, standard spiral, HSS aircraft drill bit which he cleared after each diameter of forward movement. He used a thin tapping fluid (Tap-Magic IIRC) and also regularly sharpened the bit on a stone using a point faceting jig . . . and lots of patience.

Stew, I saw Barry Hares' Merlin at the Midlands Exhibition in about 1998 and it goes without saying it was a marvelous piece of work. The thing that impressed me the most was the propeller and hub - How did he do that!!?