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).
Future development strategy for the 40/50, Heron, and Seagull models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 183\M22\ img253 | |
| Date | 19th January 1923 | |
| R - TO DEVELOP 40/50 FURTHER 40/60 X.3548. HERON OR NOT? 6EX IS SO GOOD! SEAGULL WOR{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} SAYS 'YES', R PASSES THE BUCK TO CJ. R8/M19.1.23. To CJ. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} RE. 40/50 X.3548. There was much discussion as to whether we were to go on modifying the 40/50 or not, or leave it alone, producing the "Seagull" as quickly as possible. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} was in favour of continuing to improve the 40/50, at the same time to abandon the "Heron" in favour of pushing forward with the "Seagull", but when we consider all these things together it looks as though the "Heron" should be the ultra modified 40/50, and therefore should not be abandoned unless we abandon altering the 40/50. At first I was inclined to make no more alterations to the 40/50 but when we considered the advantages of the equipment we had on 6.EX, and the small amount of modifications necessary to put on this electrical equipment, it was thought that we ought to go the whole hog and put all the modifications we can on the 40/50 in case the "Seagull" was slow to come into production, and also such a policy is favourable for the American production in which it is expected that they will be going on somewhat longer than we are before adopting the "Seagull". I should be glad of Mr. Johnson's wishes in this matter. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||