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).
Broken Goshawk 11 front axle, discussing forging design flaws, increasing strength, and the critical importance of reliable suppliers to prevent potentially fatal defects.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M1\5\ img013 | |
| Date | 12th December 1921 | |
| R.{Sir Henry Royce} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 255A (500 T) (S.D. 408. 26-4-17.) Bm. 2/15813. OFFICIAL To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Woz. X.4263 Goshawk 11 - re Front Axle. One of these has broken in bump. I am not sure that this one was a sound forging. It appeared to have been made in a die but is not of a design we generally produce, because there is too much taper on the flanges, and they are not think enough at the edges. Anyway we are materially increasingthis and also the steering arms: you will find the design should double the strength. It is imperative that these forgings should be reliable and as regards 40/50 I always favoured buying from steel-makers like Vickers, Firths, Armstrong, Camells - someone who could take responsibility that the steel, the forging, and the heat treatment shall be correct. Naturally we check all we can but I fear that one axle may occasionally get through with some defect which may mean death to someone and our reputation. We ourselves can make and watch the smaller parts of the front axle and be sure our steering levers are forged to shape, and not bent to shape after forging straight or incorrectly. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||