I like the two-handed tach!

Very impressive!

That’s a typical aviation tach used with most all old reciprocating / piston aviation engines.

ww.youtube.com/watch?v=st7KG3eXZiw&t=99s

Stuff that baby into a hydroplane and lets go....

What did they put Merlin's in besides Spitfires?

Could part of it be that without a prop acting as a flywheel, the engine isn't running as smoothly as it normally would?

The P 51 Mustang.

And Avro Lancaster, used 4 ea. and Havilland Mosquito's with 2 ea.

We have hundreds of Merlin/Packard V12's floating around here at work. You could say my boss is more than a fanatic.. It is amazing when we fire one up after a rebuild. Even more amazing when the boss does a fly by in one of his P51 Mustangs how loud these things are.

Here's a couple.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lancaster

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito

The Merlin's big brother, the Griffon was in The Miss Canada IV unlimited hydroplane that set a water speed record of 173 mph in Picton Ontario in 1950. The record isn't official because the transmission failed on the return run. It was on a 200+ mph pass when it failed.



Kevin

Merlins were also used in civilian aircraft.

Canadair Northstar was a DC4 with Merlins instead of radials.

The last surviving one is in Ottawa Ontario at the the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

I delivered an ornithopter to them some years ago and got the back room tour of the place. I can say I helped with the restoration of this aircraft. I held one of the magnetos up while the tech removed the bolts to get it off the engine. Lol.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_North_Star

Kevin

You want to hear loud ...The F 22 Raptor is bad.. They did a fly by side by with a Raptor and a P 51 at the Ocean Md air in June, the P 51 looked like a matchbox plane compared to the Raptor. The sound of the P51 s supercharger is awesome.

the above engine is one of two (LH) for/from a DE Havilland Mosquito

anyone know why some had the rear two cylinders with one exhaust stack?

Would've been nice just to hear it throttled hard once but understand the reasons they didn't as Leno commented. Still would've been awesome

they were rated at 3,000 RPM how much higher did they get spun at EWP (or in boats/tractors)? I'm guessing the V12 would sound great at 4,000 but that wouldn't be healthy long term

Only reason I can think of for the paired rear exhausts is heat & flame too close to the airframe.
They do spit fire at times.
Didn't that aircraft have a lot of wood in its construction ?
(Something like that was called "the flying piano" for its wood content.)

Love the sound of a Merlin or Griffon flyover at speed. Nothing else like it.
Wonder what they'd sound like with an exhaust more like the old V12 Ferraris...?

As for the RPM, I would think the props are part of the equation.
And back in those days engines weren't apparently spun at high RPM in most applications.

Agreed! I have attended all sorts of shows and love everything from Steerman's to them to B bombers. Awesome sounds!

IMHO the sexiest plane from the era.