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).
Outlining the production programme for 1940, including Bentley, Ripple, and Silver Dawn models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\2\ scan0039 | |
| Date | 18th May 1939 | |
| COPY. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} C. to RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/R.18.5:39. PRODUCTION PROGRAMME 1940. If we are to get going with the Rationalised Programme in production next year, it is necessary to decide the programme now. We understand that RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} hopes to start delivering Bentley V.{VIENNA} chassis to test at the beginning of December this year. Presumably he will have completed some of the 50 chassis before then, and we are, therefore, assuming that he has sufficient material to make 275 chassis. If he produces these at the rate of 20 per week, he will have used up material in 14 weeks, or, say, by 1st April, 1940. In order to have another batch of material ready for RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} to work on at the beginning of April 1940, L.O.P. drawings for these will have to be released 8 months previously, as it has been found from experience that this is the period required to obtain the necessary supplies even when times are less difficult than at present. This means that we have got to have our LOP's ready for our next issue of material on August 1st, 1939. It is quite clear therefore, that by this time we shall not be able to release the new engine units. The semi-floating axle will however, have been cleared, and we hope that all the modifications mentioned as alternatives on the Ripple, also various other economies and weight saving modifications, such as the light frame. In order to be sure however, of clearing the parts, we shall have to urge the Ripple for the Continental test, and it should certainly go to France not later than the end of June. Having modified the original B.V. specification, therefore, to accord with the results of the Ripple 15,000 mile test, we suggest that on August 1st, 1939, we order 500 sets of material for Ripple, B.V. and Silver Dawn, to be produced by RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} at the rate of 25 per week, starting on April 1st. This will keep production going until November 1940. By February 1st, 1940, we consider that we can release the six-cylinder and 8-cylinder high-power engine, and so complete the rationalised specifications. We should, without (continued) | ||