Merlin Muttering
It almost becomes amusing when you consider that merlin development was dependent upon a HE 70 monoplane. Rolls Royce bought one as at the time the UK manufacturers just didn't have an airframe capable enough. Add the twist the Beverley Shenstone Supermarines aerodynamics guru had worked for Ernst Heinkel developing a eliptical wing that the Germans turned down as being too difficult to manufacture. RR Hucknall must have been a really weird place to work at in the late 1930's.