As always Neville you end with "Thanks for watching " .....I think l can speak for everyone .....it's we who are in your debt and it's "THANKYOU NEVILLE !" 🥰
My dad was very fond of that Merlin engine, it was his favourite thing to hear it start and take off, especially at night. If he was still alive he would love to have helped you guys with it. He worked on engines right into his 90's but sadly time has left him behind.
Fascinating look at the inside of a Merlin, and fabulous information. I used to strip and rebuild Ford Kent engines in the 80s so completely at home watching this. I can even smell the oil. :) Brilliant!
To hear these Merlin engines run still sends shivers down my spine,i brought my dad and his friend up to East Kirkby some years ago my dad trained up as radio op/air gunner his friend flew on Lancs from East Kirkby and when the Lancs engines started up you could see the tears running down their eyes,something i will never forget.What the lads are doing here is wonderful i just wish my dad and his friend were still here today.Neville again thankyou for the videos.
Many years ago , when I was involved with the maintenance of Merlin’s, I had the opportunity to meet Maurice Hammond and tour the facilities of Eye Tech Engineering. The care that a Merlin receives there is as good if not better than that bestowed upon them by Rolls Royce. Another wonderful video Neville, so many thanks for all your efforts.
Love Brad’s preemptive comment: “We do know what we’re doing!” Anyone who doubts that, hasn’t been watching this channel! So many dedicated professionals in one hanger!! Total respect for their tools and materials. Fabulous to watch.
Brilliant that the skills are still around to bring a lovely bit of kit like this back to life for generations to come to remind us of those who served and sacrificed everything to give us the freedoms we enjoy today!. Nice one!.
I always enjoy watching Brader's and Martin working together. They have a great working relationship and always very will to explain exactly what they are doing and why. As do all of them at the centre. Keep up the good work Neville. I enjoy watching all your videos.
Thank you for another brilliantly informative video Neville. Getting to see inside an "open" Merlin Engine is extremely special and something that members of the public very rarely get to see - if ever.
Every time I watch your excellent videos Neville I am in total awe and admiration of the skills of everyone involved with Just Jane if all goes to plan I will be around 75, when she takes her maiden flight as always a big thank you Neville for the videos and to all involved in this amazing project 👍👏🇬🇧
Actio-packed episode Neville! Thank you for continuing to spend the time there and send us these despatches from the front! I can’t imagine the difficulties the ground crew had in repairing these aircraft on an open airfield, in winter, in the dark in low to minus temperatures.
Cheers for the update Neville. Lovely to see the inner workings of that merlin. What a beautiful piece of engineering. To hear that some of the parts have not been touched since it was made at Rolls Royce all those years ago. A real testament to the level of skill that was around back then that these engines are still around today. Not like the modern rubbish that only last for a short space of time. Also credit goes to the guys there at East Kirkby for all the hard work they do regarding the restoration and also for keeping those merlin engines running for all of us to enjoy. No sweeter sound than the roar of a merlin engine. Melts the heart every time. Best wishes to all the guys at East Kirkby and also to you Neville. 👍
I have visited east kirkby aviation centre and stood next to just Jane. The finds the guys have at the centre is remarkable,the mustang P51 cockpit and the spitfire and the stories about the pilot's of those 2 planes. I am lucky enough to live near one of the dams in Derbyshire that 617 squadron based at raf scampton based in Lincolnshire practised on. The Lancaster bomber truly is a legend.
As a grease monkey and a motorcycle rider I love these hands on videos. Wish I could win the lottery, retire and work there for a breakfast and a few brews. The skill of the people there is spot on.👍👍
Bradley and Martin the Merlin Magicians! Lovely update Nev.. That merlin is a beauty! Interesting to see the process of reinstalling the elevators. We had to remove and reinstall the elevators on FM159 in Nanton Alberta as well as change a couple of the hinge brackets. These were little piggies to get access to the head of the studs inside the tailplane. Thank god for smaller hands!
Bradley, you do know what you are doing! 🙂 “Thank you” to you and to Martin (?) for the great info on your work on the incredible Merlin. I can hear the beautiful sound of it in my mind right now! Thank you again, Neville, for your excellent video. I wonder if any of your audience have downloaded all of your videos so far, to create a library of the amazing process. A big wave to you all from Aotearoa/New Zealand 👍🏼
I totally agree that those corner studs are a nightmare. They had problems with them as far back as the 1950`s and tried various types of heavy plating, and including seals (which made the situation worse by trapping water). they should have machined the corners of the blocks or added a drain hole so they are open to the atmosphere like the single-piece block, and the problem would have disappeared.
Intersting points on the merlin the corrossion issue and the fact that the engine is untouched since produced by Rolls Royce. Assembly progress on the flaps. Many thanks Neville.
7:00 as they used to say when you couldn’t get something “in the hole” … “put some hair around it” … kids today would not have a clue what this means hohoho😂
Hi Nev, is this a Merlin that's been on Jane for taxi or has it been in the shop? When they said it hasn't come apart since RR assembled it, I was curious.
@@VulcanBomberxm655 Yes, but they have extra taxi only and airworthy engines in store. My question was did this come off of Jane or maybe even the Mossie for which there are also extra taxi only Merlins if memory serves. As of early 2018, the center had 10 Merlins. Nev, is this the 'brand new' engine retrieved from Switzerland?
This is Tony Agar’s original Port engine for his Mosquito. His Mossie has been running with a loaned Merlin from LAHC for the last year (the ‘Swiss’ engine).
Another great update Neville, thank you. I worked with a few of the lads you feature. Brad is a chap I don’t know but he seems very knowledgeable, and I just wondered where he learned his skills? I’m also wondering if Norm sleeps in the tan nighty he always wears?!?
I remember the fuselage end section being stored here at Blackbushe airfield with Doug Arnold. He had a mosquito and had just got a B17. Funny how parts get moved around for projects!
Hi Mark, airworthy engine, it would have to go to specialist firm for a complete strip down. Cost would be £50.000 plus also I think it would have to be registered with the CA
The side load is on the inlet side only on one side of the engine as it depends of the angle of the conrod during firing...and THAT is identical on the two sides...hence pistons are mirrored on US V8:s or have not utilized valve pockets.....on the old push rod variety...not on the more up to date 4 valve variety ,took em decades though....
Please excuse what might be a daft question, where do you source parts from to restore the RR Merlin engines? Did RR have spares available from the time they manufactured the Merlin or are new parts being made as required?
