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).
Sourcing of magnetos and progress on manufacturing 40 mm guns.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\4\ img057 | |
| Date | 18th October 1940 | |
| COPY. OY.1/D/18.10.40. Serial E October. 18th. 1940. Rolls Royce Ltd., DERBY, England. Personal. Re. Replying to your Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/ML.29.9.40. Magnetos. This question has been thrashed back and forth between Mr. 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.S. made here. The Rotax depends on the Eclipse-Bendix Scintilla group. Charles Marcus is as sore as he can be that C.S. 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 Rotax. GUNS. We have gone ahead with the Pratt & Whitney drilling, reaming, and rifling machines for the 40 mm. barrel. these are almost finished. Nothing else has been done. The honing machine and Monarch lathe for o.d. were not ordered. We received the 7 prints of page 1. of Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/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 mm. gun, down to Cpt. 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 he could find out about it. Have heard nothing since. - Continued - | ||