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).
1937 summer meeting visit to German engineering factories, detailing observations and restrictions encountered.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\3\ scan0235 | |
| Date | 21th June 1937 | |
| [Handwritten annotation at top of page:] 1256 [Handwritten routing list, struck through in red ink:] Copy to Hives Haslam Ellor Wylie [Handwritten in red ink:] [Underlined:] MATTHEWS [Underlined:] Note Page 4 [Crossed out:] What about doing the same thing? [Initial 'P' inside a circle] [Typed text:] I.A.E. Summer Meeting JUNE, 1937. The Summer Meeting proved of interest and value from many points of view. New contacts were made, not only in the industry in Germany, but also with our own Engineers participating in the visit. In Germany there appeared to be a strong desire to create a good impression politically, socially and in engineering matters. However, there was no doubt that severe restriction had been imposed upon what we were permitted to see in factories engaged in any aero engine work. As an example, on our visit to Elektronmetall we were only shown the manufacture of aluminium pistons for car and heavy diesel work, and saw no electron castings whatsoever. At Daimler-Benz our time was taken up with a visit to their factory out in the country where bodies were being made, and we spent less than five minutes in the main Daimler-Benz factory where the chassis and aero engines were made. In other factories where no aero work appeared to be in progress, we were allowed much more freedom. The works visited were as under:- (1) Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz (Cologne). (2) Opel (Russelsheim). (3) R.{Sir Henry Royce} Bosch A.G. (Stuttgart). (4) Elektronmetall (Canstatt, Stuttgart). (5) Daimler-Benz (Stuttgart). On return to England we were entertained to breakfast by Mr. Crompton Lake, of Lake & Elliott, Steel founders of Braintree, and took the opportunity of inspecting their works at the same time. (Cont'd) | ||