Unusual Merlin Photo

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18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

This picture was offered on eBay recently, I don`t know anything about it`s origin, but it is probably a Merlin VIII or 32, and prepared for display. the stand is an RAF item, covered to make it look less utilitarian. The engine has a Rotol CSU, but a de Havilland bracket prop of the wrong rotation (LH). The spinner doesn`t look right, though I have seen something similar on the Swordfish with a Fairey Reed Prop.
Does anyone recognise the photo, or the logo on the spinner?

Pete

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Member for

16 years 3 months

Posts: 214

Evenin Pete,

something looks odd, is it a scale model ?

It was sad to hear about Terry, he was a lovely chap.

Andy

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18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

Hi Andy

Thanks, he will be sorely missed.

I am fairly sure it`s full size. It fits in with its surroundings, and you probably wouldn`t build a model on a stand which prevented you from turning the prop, whereas that is how a full size prop ends up on an AM engine trolley. It could be painted silver, which would give it a model effect.

Pete

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18 years 3 months

Posts: 2,025

The "spinner" looks like the front half of a conventional spinner, that is sat on the front locating ring attached to the prop hub; even the row of staggered rivets are the same.

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

Cheers Stuart

I would still like to know what the logo represents.
Trouble is, so many aviation firms used a similar logo.

Pete

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16 years 2 months

Posts: 2,841

It looks like a Mk.1 Wellington prop fitted to the engine, Peter.

The half spinner was fitted to cover the counterweights and piston on the Pegasus-engines more to prevent water ingress than for streamlining.

Why it's on the Merlin is anybody's guess. As you say, the engine has definitely been prepped for display though most people wouldn't know the prop was meant to turn the other way.

No idea about the logo (is that an anchor in the centre?). It might be a Fulmar engine.

Anon.

Member for

15 years 4 months

Posts: 59

Hi Pete,

This engine is indeed a Mk.VIII and the spinner is painted with a winged anchor as per Fleet Air Arm. I have a couple of photos that show the same engine as well as a partly dissembled Centaurus. I have always believed the location to be a Fleet Air Arm training establishment.

Ollie1

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18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

Thanks Mike / Ollie.
Mike, that sounds dead right. I wonder if any FAA aircraft used that prop and spinner combination. I assume they didn't operate the Wellington?
Ollie, it could well have been prepared in house, maybe by the apprentices. It is probably just pre-war.
Is there any way you can post on here, or email the photos you have? Just out of interest.

Cheers
Pete

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16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

Blackburn Skua or Roc maybe?

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16 years 2 months

Posts: 2,841

Pete,

The bracket prop was the forerunner to the hydromatic (fully enclosed) type, the figure 2 in the 23E50 hub descriptor (for instance) signified the type 2 (hydromatic) design, the bracket type preceding it was a US (Ham Stan) design used/licence built by several countries (de-Hav's in UK and Mitsubishi in Japan, for example) being widely used on many aircraft pre- and early WW2.

Therefore, many pre-war designs used the bracket type and as powers went up and designs were developed further, then the change to the stronger, fully-enclosed, hydromatic occurred around 1940. This is why the bracket type prop predominates on the earlier engines. The in-line engine, bracket prop installations usually used a full spinner for streamlining (e.g. Spitfire, Defiant) and the radial engined types (Skua, Roc, Blenheim, Hampden, Beaufighter) tended to utilise no spinner or the half spinner, and later a full spinner if they were still in T

The engine has the single-piece flat ejector type exhaust stubs as per Barracuda, fitted, which fits with the FAA logo.

Anon.

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18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

Skua or Roc would be a good possibility, as the Perseus was one of the few engines with a No5 shaft, like the Merlin.
I made a mistake in my original post, it should say Merlin VIII or 30, not 32, the 32 had two piece blocks.
Yes Mike, probably stubs for a Barracuda.

Member for

15 years 4 months

Posts: 59

Hi Pete,

Here is one of them, it is a photo of the photo, i will try and dig the others out and I will endeavour to send better quality scans once i figure out how to use my scanner.

Ollie1[ATTACH=CONFIG]231153[/ATTACH]

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Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,270

Nice!

Many thanks Ollie.

Pete