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).
Testing of the Paulin-Bentley and its aerodynamic performance in relation to the upcoming B.III chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161\1\ scan0111 | |
| Date | 20th June 1938 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/R.20.6.38. PAULIN BENTLEY. Sr. tells me that he expects to have this car on test about the 28th or 29th of this month. We have just completed a series of tests on Brooklands which show that the Oldsmobile, with exactly the same frontal area as the Wraith, laps Brooklands @ 80 m.p.h. with considerably less road wheel horse-power than is necessary to make the Wraith lap @ 74 m.p.h., in other words, without losing seating accommodation, or being particularly unconventional, they have improved the performance on their car enormously by studying drag. This, of course, is particularly interesting in connection with B.III, which we shall shortly be launching. We, therefore, regard this Paulin-Bentley as a very useful piece of experimental apparatus which we have obtained at very little cost. I should like to pay a brief visit to Paris to be present at these tests. As we have previously pointed out, if the car is successful, we should like to get Mr. Paulin to do a somewhat more conventional body for B.III chassis. [Signed] Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Agreed HE | ||