[ROVERNET - UK] Slightly OT but not quite

[Mike Maher]

The full Story is rather more complicated.

Rover were involved in aircraft production during WW2. Effectively private 
car production stopped late in 1939.    The UKGovernment awarded contracts 
for development of Frank Whittle's design for the gas turbine ( top secret 
so it was referred to as a "supercharger") to Rover who established 
factories in the North of England. The work involved Rover engineers 
productionising (and improving) the Whittle design.   There was a view that 
all the design effort should go into the Whittle engine.   In 1943 for a 
whole variety of reasons not least of which was the view that Post War 
aircraft engine manufacture would be in the hands of  a few established 
makers ( like Rolls-Royce),  the Rover factories in Barnoldswick and 
Clitheroe, Lancashire were signed over to Rolls Royce, and Rover were handed 
development of the Meteor Tank engine - (a non supercharged, ground running 
Merlin engine)

The Rover design of gas turbine eventually became the Rolls Royce Derwent, 
Whittle's engine became the  Rolls Royce Nene.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Smith" <Paul.Smith at auroraenergy.com.au>
To: <rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 9:10 PM
Subject: RE: [ROVERNET - UK] Slightly OT but not quite


> Apparently:
> RR was doing aircraft engines and dabbling in tanks.
> Rover were doing tanks and dabbling in aircraft engines.
> The story earlyish in WW2 is that the CEO of each met for dinner and 
> agreed
> RR would pursue aircraft, Rover land craft.
> So they signed the respective divisions over to ech other and presto.
> Have not verified this, but eh seems possible.
>
> PVS
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com
> [mailto:rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com]On Behalf Of Mike Shaddick
> Sent: Tuesday, 7 March 2006 10:44 pm
> To: rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
> Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] Slightly OT but not quite
>
>
>>I have just bought the February edition of the UK mag 'Classics'. Yes, I
>>know we get it about 2 months late seeing as though we are on the other
> side
>>of the world and it has to come out by Tea Clipper etc etc.
>>One of the articles concerned a Rolls Royce Merlin V12 (from a WWII
>>Hurricane fighter) put into RR Phantom based chassis and handmade 
>>bodywork.
>>Very interesting. It made mention that the engine was a genuine Rolls 
>>Royce
>>and not a Rover built version. Can anyone expand on this? Did Rover make
>>these engines in wartime? And were they only used in fighter planes? I've
>>not researched this topic extensively but I do know of a Rod Hadfield from
>>Castlemaine here in Oz who put a supercharged Merlin V12 in a custom built
>>'55 Chevvy which was supposedly the most powerful road registered car in
> the
>>world! The website is www.rodshop.com.au/project55.htm.
>>It would be interesting to hear of Rover's involvement with these engines.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Ray Wilkins
>>Melbourne, Australia
>>1976 P6B
>>
>
> I've got a working Centurion tank.  Interestingly it's got an engine
> which is a downrated Merlin built during the war by, you've guessed
> it, the Rover Company of  Solihull.
>
> kanjane
>
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