One Man & His Merlin

[Timc]

Just a bit of fun with this series of shots, taken at Weston Park (Festival of Transport).
This chap's demonstrating the awesome power of a Merlin XX engine (27 Litre I think?) built in Glasgow in 1941 and was one of a pair of engines which powered a Bristol Beaufighter during the war.

Gentleman start your engines!

I believe this is when the supercharger kicked in....absolutley deafening....No heath and safety here for the paying punters, just look at the guy downwind at the far right of the photo!

 

[Ziploc]

nice but hope it gets in a plane soon.

 

[motorsportphotos]

WOW, what a beast.
scott

 

[Timc]

Yes it would be nice to see it in a plane, but I can't help thinking how many engines from this period are still in working order? I'm sure this guy's had offers in the past!

 

[Matt Sayle]

@ the last!! Would have loved to hear that!!!

 

[Knikki]

I wonder if Clarkson has seen that?

Would be interesting to see it linked up to the food mixer like he did with the Chevy in the studio

 

[haggisuk]

I wonder if Clarkson has seen that?

Would be interesting to see it linked up to the food mixer like he did with the Chevy in the studio

Yeah that would be a sight to see eh...

I am amazed that they run it up like that, considering there is only chocks under the trailer wheels.

Would expect it to take off down the park chopping everything to bits that got in its way...

 

[Mancunian Lee]

That looks like loads of fun, well captured.

There's a guy who has put one in a Rover SD1 too.

http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4

 

[leaky5]

@ the last!! Would have loved to hear that!!!

Matt

Try and find a farmers show where there are doing tractor pulling, you will probably find one of them powered by a Merlin.

About half way through this clip, it looks like the same or a similar engine to the one in the pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdfO657zHNY&feature=related

 

[CopeImages]

There's quite a few folks have these.

They had four lined up at the York Airshow in 2007. Superb sound.

 

[snapper8v]

There were 2 engines at the Chipping Steam Fair last year, a Merlin and this Griffon. They'd back the revs off then accelerate again, makes a great noise & a few pops & farts, fantastic when they're fired up at night

 

[Dangermouse]

The merlin has to be the best sound EVER

 

[Mancunian Lee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_J9SCHeOLE

4 minutes in before its warm enough to give it some beans, from 6 minutes in he really gives it some beans.

Id imagine they dont pull forward because the props are for display rather than lift - just a guess ***.

 

[Timc]

The props are for display and probably half the size of the real things although they are able to still vary the pitch which I think kicks in the supercharger, might be wrong on that one though!

 

[crumble]

Dad used to sit behind one of these in a Spitfire, ended up with Tinitus, pardon. Love the sound.