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).
Letter to the Royal Aircraft Establishment requesting an opinion on the aerodynamic design of a Bentley car for the T.T. race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\3\ Scan198 | |
| Date | 8th November 1935 | |
| X/762 Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}18/KW. 8th November, 1935. Meredith, Esq., Research Department, Royal Aircraft Establishment, South Farnborough, Hants. Dear Mr. Meredith, You will remember our discussion about the Bentley which runs annually in the T.T. I wonder whether you would be so good as to glance over the enclosed print and tell me whether in your opinion there is the least prospect of it having a good K.{Mr Kilner} The two things I should like to know are (1) if you had a free hand and the car was primarily going to run in a straight line, what shape would you make it, and (2) in view of the fact that the car actually has to corner at high speed, and also be safe to drive in side winds, what is the minimum modification you can make to the sketch shown to give a reasonable chance of a low air resistance ? I anticipate that the bone of contention will be the tail because as far as I remember you mentioned 7° as being the angle above which air might break away from the surface, and to get a tail with an angle of 14° means something about 10 ft. long, which would be dreadful in a side wind. I apologise for bothering you, but you showed such an interest in the subject that I hope you will not mind. Yours sincerely, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||