The Triangle Flying Saucer

The Triangle Flying Saucer

I was most interested in the letter in this month’s MOTOR SPORT from Mr. F. M. Wilcock regarding the Rolls-Royce Kestrel Engine in the Triangle Flying Sc. Rolls-Roycr was asked by Hawker Siddeley to obtain a wheelcanr fore Kestrel Engine for their Hawker Hart which they were restoring, and I was sent down to Worthing to obtain the necessary parts from the Swandean Garage, and of course met Mr. Wilcock, who is an R-R enthusiast. He had a Spitfire IX in the orchard adjoining his garage which he hired out for various air shows. He also had Sir Bernard Montgomery’s RR Phantom III which Monty used as a staff car during the last war.

I took a finer with me, Jimmy Eastwood, who I beliew is still in good health, and he was asked to remove the wheelcase from a beautifully preserved Kestrel engine. I was engaged in conversation by Mr. Wilcock about various aspects of Rolls-Royce products and was so Interested that my fitter had to do all the work on the Kestrel engine!

When I returned to Derby Spot in a report about the excellent condition of the engine at Swandean Garage, and I believe that Hawkers’ eventually bought this engine and the one with the failed con-rod for spares, and subsequently got their Hart flying. I believe the con-rod failed because the rev counter of the Saucer failed, and the consequent over revving caused the failure. With best wishes for the continuation of your excellent magazine.

Etwall, Derby JOHN SHERRARD PS I don’t suppose Mr. Wilcock is still at the Swandean Garage because I am going to Worthing for my holiday this year!