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).
The Air Ministry's requirement for dynamo drives on Kestrel engines and the potential impact on 1932 production.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\2\ Scan026 | |
| Date | 27th April 1932 guessed | |
| Contd;-3- distribute such spanners to all squadrons using Kestrel engines, complete with the necessary friction checking device. Dynamo drives Rg.{Mr Rowledge} explained the requirements of the A.M. and outlined our present position in connection with the designing and type testing of engines fitted with dynamo drives and air compressor drives. He also stated that as the A.M. were rather short of aeroplanes and had a number of engines in hand, they were inclined to insist on all 1932 engines being fitted with dynamo drives, in spite of the fact that the design has not been made and no type test attempted. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} pointed out that if we accepted this demand the output of Kestrels for 1932 would almost certainly have to be reduced, as we shouldlose about three months waiting for designs and type testing, and the risk if producing parallel with type testing, was too serious a risk for us to take. It is therefore, most urgent and important that a quick settlement be made on this point, and that the A.M. be urged, in fairness to ourselves, to accept the first 50 engines at least, without any provision for dynamo drive. (The above Minute refers particularly to supercharged engines. Rg.{Mr Rowledge} states that as regards Carburetters in Vee engines, a dynamo drive can be fitted which has done a 20 hours test, if this is acceptable to the Air Ministry). | ||