From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Letter discussing the choice of bearing materials for aircraft engines during a national emergency and seeking clarification on a statement.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\4\ scan0080 | |
Date | 14th June 1940 guessed | |
Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} - 3 - Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}E/ML. and at the same time changed your bearing material. I think this is hardly fair to A.C.9. The position on our aircraft engines requires a little explanation. Under the present conditions of national emergency the cost of any aircraft product is of secondary importance. I do not believe that if we were trying to make engines at a commercial price we could possibly afford to use lead bronze as at present produced, nor are we free from failures. The position is that when everybody is wholly occupied scheming for output, one dare not change over for fear that one may get into unexpected development troubles. I should be interested if you could confirm that you made the statement attributed to you by John Howlett. If so, was it the result of a conversation with me, or with some competitive Bearing Manufacturer who was retailing my alleged views on A.C.9? Yours sincerely, | ||