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).
State of compression ignition engine development and comparing the company's progress to competitors.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179b\3\ img163 | |
| Date | 7th February 1933 | |
| SECRET. ORIGINAL. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to Rg.{Mr Rowledge} RE. COMPRESSION IGNITION. The compression ignition work which is being carried on at the present time is all being carried out at R.R. expense as we have no Air Ministry contract. We believe the A.M. are disappointed with us as regards Compression Ignition work. This may be natural, because there has been a general disappointment on Compression Ignition. Ricardo. - After many years of research work on single cylinder units Ricardo made a Kestrel Sleeve Valve 12 cyl. C.I. engine. The results of this engine are very disappointing and there is very little likelihood of anything being done with it. Bristols. - After many years work on single cylinder work for the Ministry they were given a con- tract to build a complete engine. This engine had two or three attempts at doing the 50 hours Civil Type Test (which was successfully done on the Condor) and each time it failed owing to major failures. The performance of the engine was moderate. We believe now it has been decided not to go any further with it. Armstrongs. - Armstrongs have made a complete radial engine but it smashed up on one of its early runs. The performance and prospect of this engine is not very bright. All we have had is 200 hours development contract and the contract for the unit. If we look around at all the Compression Ignition engines available today there is not one of them we wish was ours. We have this satisfaction, that we have not committed ourselves or the Ministry to build a complete C.I. engine, although there is every reason to believe that if we had gone ahead with an engine built on the original lines we should have made a better show than anything else which has been done. Our single cylinder unit has never cost us one halfpenny for repairs or renewals on the cylinder construction. | ||