Rolls Royce Aircraft Engine Manual

(Redirected from Rolls-Royce Aircraft Piston Engines)

A preserved Rolls-Royce Griffon 58, one of the last Rolls-Royce piston engines to be produced. The red and white 'dumb bell' object to the left of the engine is an air raid siren exhibit

Rolls-Royce produced a range of piston engine types for aircraft use in the first half of the 20th Century. Production of own-design engines ceased in 1955 with the last versions of the Griffon; licensed production of Teledyne Continental Motorsgeneral aviation engines was carried out by the company in the 1960s and 1970s.

In achieving its world record time on wing of over 40,500 hours, demonstrated the superior performance of the Rolls-Royce three-shaft engine. By far the quietest engine on the 757-200 and -300 (6dB more margin to Chapter 3), with ample margin to the Chapter 4 limits - favouring extended operation from noise-sensitive airfields during curfew. Original Rolls-Royce Merlin (66 67 70 71 76 77 85) Technical & Information Manual. A wealth of information. This rare (1944) manual contains many technical details, drawings and diagrams to help you understand this marvelous engine. View: RAAF Merlin 66 67. The Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre (2,240 cu in) capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited.In keeping with company convention, the Griffon was named after a bird of prey, in this case the griffon vulture. Design work on the Griffon started in 1938 at the request of the Fleet Air Arm, for use in new aircraft designs such as the. Rolls-Royce powers more than 35 types of commercial aircraft and has over 13,000 engines in service around the world. Demand for our products remains robust and underpins strong performance. Rolls-Royce engines range from M250 to the Trent900 to fulfill and exceed expectations for airlines, business aviation, and helicopters. The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine of 27-litres (1,650 cu in) capacity. Rolls-Royce designed the engine and first ran it in 1933 as a private venture. Initially known as the PV-12, it was later called Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after birds of prey. After several modifications, the first production variants.

Examples of Rolls-Royce aircraft piston engine types remain airworthy today with many more on public display in museums.

WWI[edit]

In 1915, the Eagle, Falcon, and Hawk engines were developed in response to wartime needs. The Eagle was very successful, especially for bombers. It was scaled down by a factor of 5:4 to make the Falcon or by deleting one bank of its V12 cylinders to make the Hawk. The smaller engines were intended for fighter aircraft. Subsequently, it was enlarged to make the Condor which saw use in airships.^[1]

Inter-war years[edit]

The Rolls-Royce Kestrel

The Kestrel was a post-war redesign of the Eagle featuring wet cylinder liners in (two) common cylinder blocks. It was developed into the superchargedPeregrine and later the Goshawk.^[2]

Developed concurrently with the Kestrel was the unusual Rolls-Royce Eagle XVIX engine that was cancelled in favour of the Kestrel despite performing well on the test stand.

The Buzzard was an enlargement of the Kestrel ^[3] of Condor size, developed in its most extreme form into the Rolls-Royce R racing engine used for the Schneider Trophy competition.^[4]

The Vulture of 1939 was essentially two Peregrines on a common crankshaft in an X-24 configuration, both of these types being deemed unsuccessful.^[5]

WWII and beyond[edit]

The Rolls-Royce Merlin, and later the development of the Buzzard, the Rolls-Royce Griffon were the two most successful designs for Rolls-Royce to serve in the Second World War, the Merlin powering RAF fighters the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, fighter/bomber de Havilland Mosquito, Lancaster and Halifax heavy bombers and also allied aircraft such as the American P-51 Mustang and some marks of Kittyhawk.

Experimental engines were developed as alternatives for high performance aircraft such as the H-24 configuration Rolls-Royce Eagle 22,^[6] the two-strokeRolls-Royce Crecy^[7] and the Rolls-Royce Pennine^[8] and Rolls-Royce Exe, the Exe being the only one of these last three engines to fly.^[9] However the successful development of the Merlin and Griffon, and the introduction of jet engines precluded significant production of these types.

Production of Rolls-Royce designed aircraft piston engines ceased in 1955 with the last variants of the Griffon.^[10] Between 1961 and 1981 Rolls-Royce was licensed to build the Teledyne Continental range of light aircraft piston engines including the Continental O-520.^[11]

Survivors[edit]

As of 2017 examples of the Falcon, Griffon, Kestrel and Merlin remain airworthy.^[12]

Engines on display[edit]

Various types of Rolls-Royce aircraft piston engines are on public display at the following museums:

Chronological list[edit]

1915 Rolls-Royce Eagle V-12

The Rolls-Royce Merlin

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

^Lumsden 2003, pp.183-190.
^Lumsden 2003, pp.190-198.
^Lumsden 2003, p.198.
^Lumsden 2003, p.199.
^Lumsden 2003, p.200.
^Lumsden 2003, p.221.
^Nahum, Foster-Pegg, Birch 2004.
^Rubbra 1990, p.148.
^Lumsden 2003, p.201.
^Lumsden 2003, p.218.
^Gunston 1989, p.42.
^See individual articles for details
^By first run date

Bibliography[edit]

Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN1-85260-163-9
Nahum, A., Foster-Pegg, R.W., Birch, D. The Rolls-Royce Crecy, Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust. Derby, England. 1994 ISBN1-872922-05-8
Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN1-85310-294-6.
Rubbra, A.A. Rolls-Royce Piston Aero Engines - a designer remembers: Historical Series no 16 :Rolls Royce Heritage Trust, 1990. ISBN1-872922-00-7

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rolls-Royce piston aircraft engines.

'From Eagle to Merlin' a 1939 Flight article

Rolls Royce Ae3007c Maintenance Manual

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Rolls-Royce Meteor
Rolls-Royce Meteor Mark III at the The Tank Museum
Overview
Manufacturer	Rolls-Royce Limited Meadows Rover Morris Motors
Also called	Rover Meteor
Production	1941–1964
Layout
Configuration	V-12
Displacement	27.022 litres (1648.96 ci)
Cylinder bore	5.4 inches (140 mm)
Piston stroke	6.0 inches (150 mm)
Valvetrain	OHV
Compression ratio	6:1–7:1
Combustion
Fuel type	Petrol
Cooling system	Water
Output
Power output	550–650 bhp (410–480 kW) Mark IVA: 600 bhp @ 2400 rpm
Torque output	1,450 lb⋅ft (1,970 N⋅m)

The Rolls-Royce Meteor and later the Rover Meteor was a British tank engine developed during the Second World War. It was used in British tanks up to 1964. It was a result of co-operation between Leyland Motors and Rolls-Royce who between them in 1941 had suggested that a specialised de-rated version of the latter company's Merlinaero-engine would be highly suitable for use in armoured fighting vehicles.

The Meteor was developed from the Merlin by W. A. Robotham and his chassis design and development division at Clan Foundry, Belper, as they were not involved in aero-engine work and his engineers were under-used. With the aid of engineers from Leyland, who were engaged in tank work, he considered RR's two V12s; the Kestrel, while having more power than the existing 'Liberty' or Meadows engines, did not provide the desirable 20 bhp per ton required, so the 1,030 bhp (770 kW) Merlin III was chosen. Robotham was at pains to point out that Rolls-Royce could not manufacture the engines, so would not benefit commercially.

The Directorate of Tank Design (DTD), on 27 April 1941, supported production of the Meteor, eventually placing orders direct with Rolls-Royce to maintain development in connection with the Cromwell tank.^[1] A new tank specification, A27M, was produced for design of the Meteor-powered tank. The Meteor engine went on to become one of the most successful British tank engines.

Rolls Royce Aviation Maintenance Manuals

Design and development[edit]

Engine design[edit]

Development started with the use of recovered Merlin engine parts from crashed aircraft. While unsuitable for re-use in aircraft, the Rolls-Royce chassis division had begun collecting and refurbishing them in the hopes of finding a use. Robotham was approached by Henry Spurrier of Leyland Mechanization and Aero, to ask about help with tank powerplants. Based on Spurrier's requirement, the first prototype Meteor engine (and subsequent production of Mark 1 engines) was assembled on the basis of recovered Merlin parts.

The major change for tank use was reversing the direction of engine rotation. Automotive gearboxes ran the opposite way to an aircraft propeller and changing direction required modification of the camshaft lobes. The Merlin had its supercharger, reduction gear and other equipment removed from its crankshaft, greatly simplifying its construction. The dimensions were now similar to the Nuffield Liberty engine and it would fit into the Liberty Mark VI version in the Crusader tank. The Merlin's dual ignition system was retained, each cylinder possessing two sparking plugs each driven from separate magnetos.

A Crusader tank, similar to as used in trials

The first Merlin prepared for tank use was tried in a modified Crusader in September 1941 at Aldershot.^[2] The test team had trouble timing its runs because it was so fast, estimating it reached 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). This proved the concept, and the engine was tried in the Crusader tank, surpassing all expectations. The engine was commissioned for use in the new Cromwell tank.

Changes were made to the Cromwell tank development programme to accommodate the new engine. To enable fitting in-line with a Merrit-Brown gear (and steering) box, the engine was lowered. A new flat sump was created, the oil pumps changed and the crankshaft could now line up with the new gearbox. Many of the aircraft specific parts of the engine were deleted, such as the propeller reduction gear and the aircraft-style starter. The new engine had cast, rather than forged, pistons and was de-rated to around 600 bhp (447 kW), running on lower-octanepool petrol instead of high-octane aviation fuel. British Thomson-Houston (BTH) Magnetos were changed for Simms units.

Expansion into tank design[edit]

The engine, and the Rolls-Royce team's fresh look at tank development, had a major impact on British tank design. As development of the engine progressed, the Rolls Royce team became more and more involved in development of the tank. Despite his lack of experience in tank design or warfare, Robotham was made Chief Engineer of Tank Design and joined the Tank Board. He was involved in the Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger tank. The Rolls Royce chassis division, which had commenced the Meteor design, evolved into its Tank Division at Belper and was involved with the overall design of four versions of the Cromwell tank, using a standard set of components.

Production[edit]

Cromwell tank showing its speed during official inspection

Early prototypes were produced by Rolls Royce. In 1941, Leyland, which had an order for 1,200 Meteor engines, was still advocating its own diesel tank engine for the Cromwell tank. It would deliver only 350 hp (260 kW), but it was concerned with the problem of sufficient cooling for the Meteor within the confines of the tank engine bay. When Leyland withdrew its support, Robotham took the problem to Ernest Hives. Hives took the problem to the Ministry of Supply, telling Lord Beaverbrook that he already had his hands full making Merlin aero engines, and Rolls-Royce would want £1 million to its credit and 'no interference'^{[citation needed]} to make tank engines, Beaverbrook telegrammed back,

OHMS Ministry of Supply to W. Hives Nightingale Road Rolls-Royce Derby
The British Government has given you an open credit of one million pounds. This is a certificate of character and reputation without precedent or equal. Beaverbrook^[3]

An order for 1,000 engines followed, and a new tank design specification was created: A27M, splitting design of the Meteor powered Cromwell away from Leyland to Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRC&W). They resolved the cooling problems, ultimately delivering before Leyland's version, although production leadership later switched back to Leyland when BRC&W could not keep up with demand.

The Meteor was initially produced by Rolls-Royce but manufacturing capacity was severely limited due to the demand for Merlin engines. Early units were still manufactured using recovered Merlin parts and many early Meteors still showed crash damage. When engine manufacturing needed to increase output, brand new engines had to be made. Because weight saving was not so important for a tank engine, some of the Merlin's more expensive light-alloy components were replaced with cheaper, steel versions. It was also envisaged that the Meteor would use some components rejected on quality grounds for the Merlin, i.e. Merlin scrap.^[4] Many of these rejected parts while not meeting strict standards for airworthiness, were perfectly adequate for use in ground vehicles where the crew or operators were not subject to the inherent hazards involved in flight.

To increase production, Meadows produced some Meteors but the small factory of 2,000 men was producing 40 types of engine. To make enough Meteors for the Cromwell build programme, Rolls-Royce agreed to move Meteor production to the Rover Company at Tyseley and Morris at Coventry.

Rolls-Royce was also aiding the development of production jet engines at Rover, but progress there was slow and Rover became disillusioned. Hives struck a deal in December 1942 with Spencer Wilks of Rover to trade W.2B/23 production at Barnoldswick for the Rolls-Royce tank engine factory in Nottingham and production of the Meteor, to become officially effective on 1 April 1943. In 1943, an acute shortage of blocks was met by dismantling surplus older marks of Merlin.

Rover took over the Meteor in January 1944 and in 1946 the British Government made Rover responsible for research and development of large military engines. In this role, Rover continued the development and production of the Meteor Mk IVb and various derivatives, including the Meteorite V8 and the M120 V12. Rover ceased this activity in 1964, having produced approximately 9,000 engines and Rolls-Royce again became responsible for the manufacture of spare parts. Future engines for British tanks were manufactured by the engine division Rolls-Royce Diesels of Shrewsbury, which was acquired by Perkins in the 1980s. Perkins was taken over by Caterpillar Inc in 1997.

Performance[edit]

Previously British tanks had been regarded as underpowered and unreliable and the Meteor is considered to be the engine that, for the first time, gave British tanks ample, reliable power. Replacing the earlier Liberty L-12 licence-built by Nuffield and used in the Crusader, the Meteor engine in the Cromwell tank provided almost twice the performance in virtually the same 1,650-cubic-inch (27.0 l) displacement. Reliability was significantly improved against previous tank engines. From its R-R Merlin origins, the Meteor was very lightly stressed and reliable. With the introduction of the Meteor engine in the Cromwell, originally intended for the 340 horsepower (250 kW) Liberty, the boost to 550 horsepower (410 kW) gave the vehicle exceptional mobility and speed. This increase in power made it possible to integrate greater armour on following tanks. Designers and military planners started to consider the possibility of a Universal tank, able to undertake both high-armour (Infantry tank) and high-mobility (Cruiser tank) roles. Ultimately, this resulted in the Centurion tank and evolved into the main battle tank concept.

Applications[edit]

The Meteor was used in the following vehicles:

Avenger, a reworked design of Challenger for use as self-propelled artillery.
Tortoise experimental assault tank.
Caernarvon, used to train crews for Conqueror
Conqueror post war heavy tank

The Meteor was also used as the propulsion for the experimental Helmore Projector, later known as the Helmover, a 30ft long remote controlled torpedo. It never reached deployment before the end of the war.