Desmond told me the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin was prone to coolant leaks, although nobody dared say so, and he and his comrades much preferred the comforting rumble of the air-cooled radials.
Puts me in mind of a remark made by Ferry Porsche (designer of the Beetle and - of course - the Porsche) when questioned on his preference for air-cooled engines:
"
All engines are air-cooled! But some designers put water between the engine and the air!"
