R-R Merlin 500-Series?

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Can anyone direct me to where I can find out exactly what a Merlin 500-29 engine is? In fact the whole 500-600-700 series nomenclature/model info is unclear to me.

Thanks,

Dave

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 12:32 pm

Grab a fresh cup of coffee and something to snack on, GOOGLE 'Rolls Royce 500 series MERLIN engines' Mostly they were later bomber and transport engines including some with externally pressure fed main bearings(bomber engines, some used in later years in the U-2 SQUIRE SHOP unlimited hydroplane)

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Well, thanks, but when I google that I get choices that lead to a total of one line:

"The 500, 600, and 700 series Merlins were mostly post-War developments for civilian transports. In these the focus was not on absolute power but on component life."

I was hoping for more info.

Dave

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:25 pm

Odd, I got 10 hits per page, X 10 pages (at least) and pulled what I posted from 'worldlingo.com which was about 4th down on page 1 under Rolls-Royce 500 series merlin engines on GOOGLE

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:01 pm

Dave Hadfield wrote:

Can anyone direct me to where I can find out exactly what a Merlin 500-29 engine is? In fact the whole 500-600-700 series nomenclature/model info is unclear to me.

Thanks,

Dave

The 500 series were single stage, two speed supercharger Merlin identical to a Merlin T.24-2 but renumbered to denote a civil or commercial operator. Dash numbers denote who it was designed for. These lacked Intercoolers IIRC. Operators included 500-BOAC, 500-2-BSAA, 500-3 Alitalia,500-4 Skyways, Limited, 500-6 Silver City Airways, 500-20 Fiat, 500-21 Flight Refueling, 500-23 Egyptian Gov. My list doesn't include the -29. Possibly Spanish use in Casa or HA A/C. Other aircraft they were used in is listed as Lancastrian, York and G.59.
There was also a 502-1 with increased Boost from 9 to 12 lbs/sq".
600 and 700 series are civil versions of the various 100 series Merlins.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:49 pm

51fixr;

Thanks for the additional info, I just knew that as -7's and -9's dried up amongst the boat racers, the bigger dash number blocks were transport or bomber and therefore, a bit more rugged as weight wasn't quite the issue it might be in a fighter airframe. Never knew, but should perhaps have suspected that the British would assign specific dash #'s to customer engines when, if you were R/R receiving Dept. you would expect a -500 to be from BOAC and not a -23 from the Egyptian Government (read the customers shipping tag), but whatever keeps a boffin or wanker happy-

...and, yes, I know what a wanker is................ :shock:

JDK · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:09 pm

Wary of getting caught in this thread, however... The RR Heritage Trust publishes several books on Merlin history, material not available through Google, but the details of the books are, not sure if there's one covering your question - I don't 'do' numbers.

There are also several very knowledgeable people on Merlins on the Key Forum, worth posting the question there.

HTH

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:11 pm

The Inspector wrote:

51fixr;

Thanks for the additional info, I just knew that as -7's and -9's dried up amongst the boat racers, the bigger dash number blocks were transport or bomber and therefore, a bit more rugged as weight wasn't quite the issue it might be in a fighter airframe. Never knew, but should perhaps have suspected that the British would assign specific dash #'s to customer engines when, if you were R/R receiving Dept. you would expect a -500 to be from BOAC and not a -23 from the Egyptian Government (read the customers shipping tag), but whatever keeps a boffin or wanker happy-

...and, yes, I know what a wanker is................ :shock:

Nerd ALert.
Don't confuse the dash numbers from 500, 600 and 700 engines with any of the military dash numbers.
This is no relation.
The civilian operators would specify things like reverse the flow of the coolant system. Used in the same aircraft but by a different operator and they would reverse the flow of coolant.

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Ah, that would explain why when I went hunting to order a Maintenance Manual for a Merlin 500, it was in Italian.

So, you're saying a Merlin 500-29 is not a Merlin 29 customized for commercial service.

Thanks, guys.

Dave

JDK · **Posted:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:19 pm

Dave Hadfield wrote:

Ah, that would explain why when I went hunting to order a Maintenance Manual for a Merlin 500, it was in Italian.

Si! Perche quello è il Merlinino cinquecento! :rolleyes:

FITD · **Joined:** Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:06 pm **Posts:** 48

Merlin 500 series: Two Speed - Single Stage Supercharger

Identical to Merlin T24-2 but termed Merlin 500 for Civil or Commercial operator

500 B.O.A.C. Lancastrian York
500-2 B.S.A.A. Lancastrian York
500-3 Alitalia Lancastrian
500-4 Skyways Limited Lancastrian York
500-5 F.A.M.A. Lancastrian York
500-6 Silver City Airways Lancastrian
500-20 Fiat G.59
500-21 Flight Re-Fuelling Ltd Lancastrian
500-23 Egyptian Government Lancastrian
500-29 CASA C.2111
500-45 Hispano HA-1112
501 T.C.A. Lancastrian
502
502-1 B.O.A.C. York
504 No Production
530 No Production
539 No Production
549 No Production

Merlin 600 series: Two Speed - Two Stage Supercharger

600 Tudor Prototype (Converted to Merlin 102A)
604 Argentine Government
620 T.C.A. & RCAF D.C.4 M.1
621-1 B.O.A.C. Tudor II
621-2 B.S.A.A. Tudor II, IV, V
621-5 Flota Aerea Mercante Tudor
621-15 Argentine Government Lincoln
622 T.C.A. (Domestic) D.C.4 M.2
623-2 B.S.A.A. Tudor IV
624-10 T.C.A. (Atlantic) D.C.4 M.2
625 No Production
626-1 B.O.A.C. Canadair IV C.4
626-12 Canadian Pacific Canadair IV C.4
630 No Production
631 No Production
640 No Production
641 No Production

Merlin 700 series: Two Speed - Two Stage Supercharger

724-1 B.O.A.C. Similar to Merlin 626-1 with cooling mod.
724-1C B.O.A.C. As Merlin 724-1 with crossover exhaust
722-10 Canadair As Merlin 622-10 with cooling mod.
724-10 Canadair As Merlin 624-10 with cooling mod.

Source: Rolls-Royce Production Drawing Office, February 1953.

FITD

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

Wow...

There's a list I haven't seen anywhere. (Ask and ye shall receive!)

Much obliged,

Dave

51fixer · **Posted:** Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:05 pm

Dave Hadfield wrote:

Wow...

There's a list I haven't seen anywhere. (Ask and ye shall receive!)

Much obliged,

Dave

The Merlin 24 was used in the Lancaster.
The T-24-1 is listed for the York and is noted as the same as a -24 but with improved modification standard.
The T-24-2 is listed for the Lancaster.
The T-24-4 is listed for York, Lancastrian and is noted with Introduction of an after-heater.
The 25-8 is listed for the Mosquito used by the Turkish Gov and featured Reversed Coolant Flow.

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R-R Merlin 500-Series?

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