Rolls-Royce Engines

Rolls-Royce Engines

Regarding your review of the Schneider Trophy book. with particular reference to the connection between the Rolls-Royce Ghost car and the aircraft engines. It would appear that this is a garbled version of some information in “The Power to Fly” by Setright (page 47).

When R-R was pressured into the aircraft engine field they took the Ghost engine as a basis and put the OHC top end on, as lifted from Mercedes. This resulted in the Hawk. It was put aside as a more powerful engine was requited. R-R considered the best solution was to double up the Hawk into a V12 and in addition, increased the stroke from VA’. to 61/2″ — giving a motor of 20.32L which was in fact, the prototype Eagle — 225 h.p. on the bench. The engine was of course progressively developed into the Eagle VII. The Hawk-Eagle and Falcon were designed in that order. But they were built in the sequence of Eagle, Falcon and Hawk. The latter, of course, was an outstanding success in “Blimps”.

It would appear that this is the explanation of what appeared to be a ridiculous statement, as reviewed. Potters Bar, liens. W. R. FINCH [I apologise if I have done the author of “Schneider Trophy Aircraft” an injustice. I did not consult Mr. Setright’s book but formed the conclusion that there is really no connection between the 1906 40/50 h.p. Rolls-Royce car engine and the 1915 Rolls-Royce Hawk acreengine, the former a side-valve six-cylinder, the latter an overhead-camshaft engine, with different water jacket arrangements, as copied from Mercedes. — Ed.]