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 discussing magneto options for the Merlin engine and the status of gun manufacturing machinery.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\4\ img055 | |
| Date | 18th October 1940 | |
| OY 1/D/Oct.18.40 Serial No. 224 ROLLS-ROYCE INC. ROOM 2-261 GENERAL MOTORS BUILDING DETROIT, MICHIGAN TELEPHONES TRINITY 2-1135 & 2-1136 October 18, 1940 Rolls-Royce, Ltd. Derby, England Personal Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Replying to yours Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/ML.29.9.40. Magnetos This question has been thrashed back and forth between Bn{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}, Lr{Mr Ellor}, Rd. What it boils down to is that the B.T.H. C.6 magneto does not exist, except experimentally, so we are going to get the C.5 made here. The Rotax depends on the Eclipse-Bendix Scintilla group. Charles Marcus is as sore as he can be that G.E. should get the magneto business, but it is his own fault for being so slow getting the Rotax drawings over. The "second string" magneto is not decided yet I believe, but I think Wright Field may insist on the Scintilla revised and shortened form to fit the Merlin engine, rather than the Rotax. Guns We have gone ahead with the Pratt & Whitney drilling, reaming, and rifling machines for the 40 m/m barrel. These are almost finished. Nothing else has been done. The honing machine and Monarch lathe for the o.d. were not ordered. We received the seven prints of page 1 of Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}Cts.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation}1/ML.30.9.40 and took these, with the wood model of the breech block and ring for the 40 m/m gun down to Capt. DeVore, in charge of gun purchases at the B.P.C. I did this because we had been stopped, but I imagined the B.P.C. might get orders from the Admiralty to proceed. Sir Henry Self did not think I ought to have done this without instructions, but I told him that I had been stopped on the job and did not want to hold the baby since his lap was bigger than mine. Apparently this particular size is urgently required by England and the U.S.A. Self said he would see what | ||