Old engines

[Dr Jekyll]

When historic aircraft are being rebuilt most of the parts can obviously be manufactured, but where do restorers of Spitfires/Hurricanes/Mustangs etc get their engines from?

RR don't build new Merlins or Griffons because of legal liability issues and spares are being consumed all the time. Is it possible to refurbish engines indefinitely? Are restorations suddenly going to stop when the last Merlin is installed in an airframe?

[old,not bold]

There's a similar thread in the Engineers forum; it's quite illuminating

Sigh of a Merlin- but at what cost ?

[Akubra]

Thanks old not bold, some good information indeed!

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

AFAIK, the 'new' Me262 got around this problem by building "engines within engines" that is to say you open up the cowl and what looks like the (original type) engine is in fact all fake and just another covering for the new, more reliable and smaller engine.

[POBJOY]

what a good idea
a PT6 would be easy to disguise as a napier sabre in a typhoon/tempest replica, and with some electronic jiggery the sound could be modified,and a mega powerful cd player reproduce those 24 pistons screaming away.
then we could have a remake of the
longest day with some decent ground attack shots!!!
of course there would also have to be a very large oil tank fitted to give plenty of smoke on start up,and a direct spray onto the airframe.
could work though.
will ring gatwick to see what they think!!
on the other hand i always thought an ex dove queen would be ok for a 9/10 replica.(no mod needed for smoke,and oil effects)

[Dr Jekyll]

a PT6 would be easy to disguise as a napier sabre in a typhoon/tempest replica

then we could have a remake of the
longest day with some decent ground attack shots!!!

Mmm, could come in handy in Afghanistan too.

[NutLoose]

you will find this an interesting read, shows you what one does in a given time period

http://www.enginehistory.org/rolls-royce.htm