The engine has been painstakingly restored by Reg White who, having worked for Rolls Royce as a senior aero engine technician for 34 years, now has the supercharged V12 in full running order. More than 150,000 of these amazing engines were produced powering Lancaster Bombers as well as Spitfires and Hurricanes, and although they were made in a few factories, Derby was where the engine was designed and the epicentre of its continuous development.
Reg’s engine was fitted to a Spitfire serial number P9492 which went into active service on April 14th 1940, a few months before the Battle of Britain began in earnest. It was assigned to 222 squadron flying out of Hornchurch Airfield on the East side of London.
Great British Car Journey is pleased to announce that a rare Rolls Royce Merlin engine will be started for the first time in public at its Drive It Day event on April 26th.
The 27 litre Supercharged V12 engine was fitted to a Spitfire aircraft which flew in the Battle Of Britain in 1940.
Come and See A Mighty Merlin made in Derby
On August 30th 1940, Ian Hutchinson was at the controls of P9492 over Kent when he was attacked by a Messerschmitt 109. He managed to escape only by using emergency over-boost from the supercharger which damaged the engine and necessitated an emergency landing in a field in Kent. This was Reg’s engine which was sent back to Derby to be rebuilt. For reasons unknown, the engine remained in Derby until it was discovered many, many years later.
Ian Hutchinson was a distinguished pilot who shot down at least seven enemy aircraft in his Spitfire and was himself shot down on numerous occasions. Eventually he was taken prisoner in April 1942 and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft 3, the POW camp made famous by the Great Escape.
After the war, he stayed in the RAF and flew early Jet fighters such as the Vampire. Ian retired in 1957 and died in 2007, aged 88.
The Merlin engine delivers over 1000 bhp in this form, although by the end of the war, continuous development in Derby had extracted more than 1800bhp from this amazing machine. Engines like this are now extremely rare and examples with Battle of Britain provenance are even more special.
The Merlin was designed and built in Derby and was used to power Lancaster Bombers as well as Hurricanes and Spitfires. More than 150,000 were produced but working examples with flight history are extremely rare. The engine produces more than 1000 bhp and it promises to be a sight to behold once it is fired up.