DECEMBER 2,

1937.

FLIGHT

The Rolls-Royce Merlin II, power unit of many of our latest military aircraft- Half the reductions-rear casing is cast with the crankcase, whereas on the Kestrels it was a separate unit. On the port side is the generator.

The starboard side of the Merlin II ; halfway along the crankcase can be seen the operating pump for the v.p. airscrew. of the cup controlled by a lock-nut and a special tab washer. A Claudel-Hobson downdraught carburettor with independent altitude control is fitted. In the case of the Minor this feeds the cylinders through a special three-piece manifold with a heated centre portion and two steel branch pipes bolted to it. On the Major engine the manifold is a single alloy casting held by eight bolts, and warm air is drawn from inside the cowling through a flame trap. A dual Amal feed pump is fitted to the Major crankcase, while for the Minor two pumpsone fitted each sideare optional. In both cases hand-priming devices are fitted for starting. Detachable inspection panels are fitted to the cooling chutes of both engines. (Cirrus Engine Section, Blackburn Aircraft, Ltd., Brough, East Yorks.)

DE HAVILLAND
/"COMPOSED of engines which by their continued ^ successes in long-distance flights have proved themselves to be one of the most dependable types for privateowner machines, the Gipsy range has recently been augmented by the addition of a v.p. version of the fourcylinder Major. This Gipsy Major Series I I , as it is named, is the smallest production engine with v.p. equipment. The Series II Gipsy Six has now been flying for some time, and it was on a De Havilland Comet with two of these engines that a new record to the Cape and back was recently set up. In general layout the Gipsy engines are well known (a sectional drawing appears in this review). The cylinders are held by four long bolts from the crankcase which pass through barrel and detachable aluminium bronze head, and the underhead valves, two per cylinder, are push-rod operated, the whole assembly being enclosed. An improved grouping of accessories is seen on the crankcase of the Series II Six. Internally the Gipsy models are very similar. The crankshaft of Major and Six have five and seven main whitemetal bearings respectively, and the drive for the valve gear is taken from the front end. No reduction gear is fitted. Heavily ribbed top covers are fitted to the crankcase, both parts being in Elektron. The floating gudgeon pins, located by circlips, hold the pistons, which have one scraper and two compression rings each. Oil pressure is in each case the same, but the systems vary a little. In the case of the Series II Six there are no

COVENTRY VICTOR
TV/TADE to order in small numbers, the Coventry Victor * is a sturdily built, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder unit. The firm has had considerable experience in the type of engine, and has designed this engine with economy, simplicity and easy installation in mind. Similar engines with different bore are contemplated, but the i|-litre Neptune I I I is the only one ready for production. An Elektron crankcase is employed, and a large outer ball race takes airscrew loads. White-metal bearings carry the crankshaft and big ends. Two carburettors and a B T.H. magneto are fitted. (Coventry Victor Motor Co., Ltd.. Cox Street, Coventry.)