My late mother, Gladys Smith, made the black sand cores for the Merlin engine at Richards Iron Foundry in Leicester. Later in the war she  became Forelady over a section which included Italian PoWs, still producing parts for Merlin for Rolls Royce. One of the Italians made a ship in a bottle which he gave to mother in return for a few cigarettes. I'm now in my 80th year and still have the ship in the bottle. The sound of a Merlin engine makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Hearing it still makes me think of Mum and the hard graft that made the engines which helped to win the war. My father was in the RAF during the war, My eldest son also served in the RAF as a linguist and did two tours in Afghanistan among many other places.

1:54 Fascinating documentary! The Rolls-Royce Merlin is truly one of the greatest engineering achievements in aviation history.

I grew up near the old factory grounds in Derby, and hearing that distinct Merlin roar overhead always takes me right back to my childhood. Some sounds never get old!

At my age, I admire steady improvement over flashy breakthroughs. Could modern industries still sustain such patient engineering across decades?

I first heard or felt the merlin engines in Unlimited Hydroplanes  every year in Tri-Cities 😢Washington. I believe they make the most beautiful sound. Whenever I heard that sound. It was like a call to the river wherever you were in the TCs.

...great naration and facts...shame about the image synchronization..

I live near the Rolls -Royce factory in Bristol and she still fly's over now and again and I'm 64 and those Merlin engine's still gives me goosebumps 👍

2:39 In its Packard form it also powered the P51D

3:16 Excellent story. The Merlin engine became a true legend of World War II aviation.

An inspiring story about one of the greatest challenges of World War II, recounting how Rolls-Royce played a decisive role for the British. I send congratulations and recognition from Brazil.

In its Packard form it also powered the P51D

The engine lost power during negative G. because of flooding (18.30) not starving, that is why Mis. Shillings orafis worked, it privented over fueling.

What an inspiring story of Britain at its supreme best under the worst conditions possible.  I was shocked to learn of the committee's refusal to run with Whittle's engine at a time when it was desperately needed.  It could have been that event that led Churchill to write "While England Slept" and JFK to name his thesis 'Why England Slept'. That Britain could win the Battle of Britain in spite of such acts of sheer negligence (if not outright treason) has to be considered an act of divine intervention; a veritable miracle.  Would it take another war to rescue Britain from its present moribund state?  From what Bertrand Russell said about the incredible production growth during both world wars, one can only wonder why some party leader hasn't declared an emergency to spark a new effort like that demonstrated here.  I don't believe that such spirit can wane over a few generations. Churchill stirred it into life.  That can be done again.  An integral part of Britain's present and ongoing glory is the presence of Rolls Royce engines in skies all over the world.

Synchronise your photos and commentary ! ! !

So, the Battle of Britain was fought with less superior powered aircraft  in engine performance to Germany’s Bf-109.  Comparison has to be oranges to oranges at that particular year of time.

Saksalaiset olivat valmistautuneet huonosti tähän operaatio heidän hävittäjän toiminta operaatio oli todella lyhyt 10-15 minuuttia sitten he joutuvat palamaan takaisin Saksaan. Saksalaisilla ei ollut sellaisia lentokoneita heidän hävittäjissäänkin olisi tarvinnut olla huomattavasti pidempi toimintasäde. Sillä tietysti oli Taistelu Britanniasta suuri merkitys sen lopputulokseen.

How about the Mustang?!?

This was at the same time Frank Whittle was trying to convince the English top knobs, that he had a better solution! The only reason the other guy was mentioned was because they kept in contact by letters, and Germany ran with it. 🙄
That poor bastard poured his life into that! Working out of a "back room" with very little lighting. GE later went on to steal the design and produce an engine. 😡
I'm American, and I still believe that, in later years known as Sir Frank Whittle, was the father of the jet engine!! ❤
I am remembering that "coolant", or some form of it, originated in Japan? Which makes this whole thing more complex.
I'm unaware of who pioneered the first supercharger. But WTF?! Who came up with that idea over 100 years ago? That is in line with the jet engine type of engineering!
The Merlin is a FANTASTIC ENGINE! I have never heard one in person, but I have watched people on the internet refurbish them, and start them. Holy gloryful sounds!!
That was at a time when Rolls Royce was significant, not a brand under a pitiful umbrella. 😢
The old Rolls Royce cars were beautiful, quiet, and ran better than anything else. Cadillac was the only competition. Mercedes (Auto Union) had something until the AH guy wanted military vehicles, and the Volkswagen (the people's car). 🤪 🫣
If you look on Wikipedia, the furor's name is not mentioned. It was his idea, along with other things that still haunt the world today!! And many precursors to modern warfare! He was a mental case, and that explains a lot of what is still bad in this world today! He had ideas and scientists working on things that we have NOW as functional weapons!! He was a horrible person, unfortunately he did not perish the way people wanted.

Britain also had the help of American engineers- it was not just one way- for instance the Americans increased the octane of fuel to well & truely over  100-130 the Germans only had 87 octane- this increased horsepower & could run higher supercharge boost-

I worked with an old lad that work in the ground crews on spits he told me the merlin was fitted with phosphorus valve seats and all they had to do to seat the valves was a hammer lol  to speed the overhaul of the engines  if it was true then think of the speed you could repair the engines instead of lapping valves in   that lad then worked at lister Peter  and was involved in the design of some of the ranges of engines and by all accounts his son was involved in designing the  chieftain tank and challenger tanks gearbox. But as alot of people have said on here the merlin has a unique sound   goose bump sound  yes it is a very unique engine and plane