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 required tonnage of various alloy steels for the production of Merlin engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\4\ scan0034 | |
| Date | 7th March 1940 | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/CTS.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation}9/MH.{M. Huckerby}7.3.40. ALLOY STEELS. (MERLIN). Assuming peak output of 500 engines per week to be reached by 1942, then our supplies have to be completely lined up by the Autumn of 1941. Our requirements, therefore, would be 2,400 tons per month. According to the Ministry of Supply, they expect to have available for all sources of demand 15,000 tons per month. The total requirements of the Aircraft Industry would be approx. 12250 tons per month (Surplus = 2750 tons/month). The suggestion put forward by the Air Ministry last September, that we should place orders for stock Billets (ear-marking) has been put into effect, and such orders have actually been placed, but according to Cgh{W Clough}/EM. there is no hope of this stock materializing. His suggestions for stock ingots (Alloy steels) for, say, 1,000 Merlins would be as follows:- Spec: Quantity per engine. per 1,000 engines. S.69 5 cwts. 250 tons. S.67 1 1/2 " 75 " S.82 3 " 150 " S.90 1 " 50 " DTD.228 4 " 200 " (Crankshafts) S.11. 1 " 50 " Total = 775 tons. NOTE. These cover roughly two-thirds of actual steels used on the engine; the remaining third being Carbon steels. | ||