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Rolls-Royce Merlin fluid drive supercharger

Technical issues not related to a DLOC car marque, eg tyres, ethanol, other car makes, etc. and legal, political and insurance
Fossil
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 516
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:08 pm
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: Rolls-Royce Merlin fluid drive supercharger

Post by Fossil »

Steve

I recently bought The Secret Horsepower Race too, but I've only just started reading it. It is a pleasant surprise to find that the author doesn't just have the same surname but also lives just a short distance from me in semi-rural Scotland. Although I've not attempted to contact him yet, I'll perhaps do so once I've finished reading it. It is very readable: the author devoted much time to researching German sources, published and unpublished, and translated many German documents himself.

Within the first few pages in discussing aero-engine development in the early years of WWII the author notes the advantages of higher octane fuel in British engine design and how the two were linked, and details briefly how Sir Stanley Hooker improved the Rolls-Royce supercharger; he notes that the British also developed synthetic fuel manufacture from coal and hydrogen, of which I was unaware, although they depended primarily on imported refined fuels; he also describes the difficulty German aero-engine makers had with bearing materials and manufacture, contributing for example to their dependence on roller bearings despite the complexity, notwithstanding that their engines were beautifully designed, being lighter than British designs although of higher capacity. Separate boxes within the text feature brief biographical details of the various individuals whose talents contributed to engineering or organisational development on both sides of the conflict.

There is much more, including reference to the Napier Sabre and the sleeve valve Bristol Centaurus, together with an explanation for the highly regrettable and nearly disastrous lack of development of fuel injection in Britsh designs in the early years of the war. There are copious relevant illustrations and this is altogether a fascinating and major contribution to this field from the start.

Regards

Geoff

Brian-H
Very Wise Man
Very Wise Man
Posts: 1095
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:04 pm
Location: UK

Re: Rolls-Royce Merlin fluid drive supercharger

Post by Brian-H »

The publishers have it in stock £35 free delivery in the uk which is extremely good value for a hardback 480 pages
https://www.mortonsbooks.co.uk/product/ ... Code/15057

Not sure whether you'd need this Geoff - there's a contact form on Calum Douglas' website https://www.calum-douglas.com/ask-a-question/

List of his publications and lectures https://www.calum-douglas.com/about-me/ ... -lectures/

Another couple of interesting graphs on his website
https://www.calum-douglas.com/wp-conten ... 30x650.jpg
https://www.calum-douglas.com/wp-conten ... 30x650.jpg

Brian-H
Very Wise Man
Very Wise Man
Posts: 1095
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:04 pm
Location: UK

Re: Rolls-Royce Merlin fluid drive supercharger

Post by Brian-H »

My copy of the book came today, crikey it's a big heavy book.

I see that the fluid drives are detailed on pages 58 and 59 (potential Merlin graph on page 58, actual DB 601a on page 59).

The graph of the fluid drive for the DB 601a engine is on the author's website
https://www.calum-douglas.com/wp-conten ... -Drive.jpg

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