Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

You can RANT and RAVE to your hearts content here instead of clogging up the Q&A Technical Forum!
Report any offensive posts to [email protected]
Post Reply
User avatar
pbar
Posts: 7420
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:29 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.0 Laser, frequent driver.
Location: North-West

Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by pbar »

Saw this recently, Rolls Royce Meteor engine, used in the British army and similar to those used in the Spitfire (named the Merlin engine which was super charged), and similar aircraft and tanks. The chap had it running at various points and goodness me it was loud, as in unbearably so for much longer than a couple of minutes. He bought it as a non runner originally. Interestingly, as he explained, it runs on standard 95 RON E10 petrol (and would have run on standard petrol back in the day) and uses a litre a minute! Love things which are quintessentially British, and something like this makes you proud to be so. Can only imagine the might of something like this in the glorious Spitfire championing the skies. Brilliant.


Image


Image
User avatar
Andrew 2.8i
Donator
Donator
Posts: 14723
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:38 pm
Car(s): '83 2.8 Injection (sunny days only)
'04 Toyota MR2 (owned from new)
Location: Ceredigion
Contact:

Re: Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Looks fab!
Of course, John Dodd built a road going special with an RR Merlin engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBs8O1-rC1U

Apparently, at 90 years old, he still drives it!

Andrew.
Image
User avatar
Peter-S
Donator
Donator
Posts: 7453
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:57 am
Car(s): 1985 Capri 2.0
1983 Capri 2.8i
Location: Kent
Contact:

Re: Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by Peter-S »

Apparently the guys that brought the Lancaster Just Jane (the one at East Kirkby) back from Australia in 1965 had a cylinder head problem whilst it was still flying in the UK and they fixed it by fitting a head from a meteor tank engine on to the merlin in the Lancaster and all was good again :)
ImageBanner by Peter Smith, on Flickr
User avatar
pbar
Posts: 7420
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:29 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.0 Laser, frequent driver.
Location: North-West

Re: Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by pbar »

Andrew 2.8i wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 5:33 pm Looks fab!
Of course, John Dodd built a road going special with an RR Merlin engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBs8O1-rC1U

Apparently, at 90 years old, he still drives it!

Andrew.

Thanks for the link Andrew, just had a look, proper British eccentricity that is, love that kind of spirit.

Yes, the engine was fab indeed. Not often that you get a crowd of people cheering and clapping after simply watching an engine run, but it's so breathtaking.
User avatar
pbar
Posts: 7420
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:29 pm
Car(s): Capri 2.0 Laser, frequent driver.
Location: North-West

Re: Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by pbar »

Peter-S wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:47 pm Apparently the guys that brought the Lancaster Just Jane (the one at East Kirkby) back from Australia in 1965 had a cylinder head problem whilst it was still flying in the UK and they fixed it by fitting a head from a meteor tank engine on to the merlin in the Lancaster and all was good again :)

Nice little story Peter, and those two engines are very similar aren't they so I guess it makes sense that the heads can be swapped. I think the main difference is that the Merlin engine is supercharged.
Mc Tool
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2358
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 8:34 pm
Car(s): 1980 mk3 capri 2l ohc T9 , Toyota Blade Master 3.5l V6, Paso , 850T,rd400, 900ss
Location: Invercargill New Zealand

Re: Spitfire - Rolls Royce - E10

Post by Mc Tool »

Yeah , its funny how not so long ago I remember the auto industry blowin hard about twin cam 4 valve heads and Im thinkin "Im pretty sure RR ( and others ?) had that well sussed in the early 40's" both design wise and efficient production.
But .....😁I been looking at a corsair ( you tube )....with that double wasp engine , that too is an awesome beast.
https://oldmachinepress.com/2016/09/05/ ... l-engines/
Check this lunacy .😁

I also had a butchers at PT boats ,another awesome bit of kit.....bugger me , at todays fuel prices it would cost nz$6000/hr, at cruisin speed ....not full tit , just to keep it in fuel 🤯
Sometimes I talk to myself ... and we both have a good laugh
Post Reply