Spitfire engines

Hi can anybody tell me if Spitfire engines were made in Coventry during the war and if so where? thanks.

Very unlikely I would have thought? The original Merlin engine was made in Derby, Crewe, Manchester and Glasgow. The later Griffon engine (1943+) was made (I think?) in Canada. Other types of aero-engine were made in Coventry but none powered any Spitfire as far as I know.

Have to admit I was quite staggered at just how many Dutch warplanes were made in Coventry during the post war period while researching my "Made in Coventry" thread.

I know it's an old thread but when I worked at Massey Ferguson in the 70s, early 80s, there were engine test houses situated near the perimeter. I heard, although I'm not certain, they built Bristol engines in WW2, Masseys was a shadow factory.

I know this is ages old but I only came across this site when looking for information for the care home where my mum now lives. She was a capstan lathe operator from 1941 to 1945 at a factory in Coventry and has always told me that she was making pistons for Merlin engines to power Spitfires, so I would say they did make them in Coventry. Sadly she now has dementia so I can't get any more information from her about exactly where.

I am sure someone will prove me wrong, it was Rolls Royce who made the Merlin engine. I used to work for Pistons Ltd which made pistons and rings which were sold on to other factories, I can't recall Rolls Royce being in the files, the factory used to be opposite Rolls Royce, I would imagine Rolls Royce made their own. Hope this helps,

Yes Morgana and a very successful engine it was. The only drawback was that it was a carburettor engine while the ME109 had fuel injection. During certain manoeuvres the Spitfire engine cut out for several seconds. I think RR called this engine fade, I don't think it's recorded what the pilots called it.

Factories all over the UK made parts for the Merlin engine which of course also powered the Lancaster Bomber. When I moved to Aberdeen with R-R we audited a potential new supplier based in Fraserborough (located on the northernmost tip) of Aberdeeenshire who still had boxes full of Merlin fuel pumps manufactured and dated during WW2. On returning to Ansty I reported this 'find' and the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight promptly visited said company and relieved them of the stock!

The Rolls-Royce Merlin engine powered both the Spitfire fighter and the Lancaster bomber. They may have been used in other aircraft too. The Lancaster used four Merlins and were probably a variation of the Spitfire motor. There may have been other firms involved, but new Merlin engine parts were manufactured by Alvis at Holyhead Road; these included the supercharger casing. Alvis also stripped, reconditioned, reassembled and tested used Merlin engines as they were returned from service when they became 'time expired' or following damage. Alvis were able to do this because they had constructed a sophisticated aero engine test facility at their Baginton works just prewar when they had intended to enter the aero engine business with their own engine.

My dad worked for the Gauge and Tool during the war but he was sent to work at Jaguar, Browns Lane for the last year of the war. The factory there had been built as a shadow factory for war production. I have a recording he made for someone some time ago and he said that he was supervising women on the machines. They were making tools for making guns, aeroplane parts or anything that was wanted. I don't know if it is possible to find out if they made anything for Merlin engines.

The RR Meteor V12 engine was rebuilt at Jaguar after the war c.1950s I believe it was originally a WW2 tank engine, every operation had to be passed by an inspector.

The Meteor was essentially a derated Merlin aero-engine.

Says here. The Merlin piston was forged not cast, says here also Meteor was made by Rover.