Does anyone know why certain bits of Merlin were painted yellow? this piece (on a CM grid) is from MkIX PT766 and I’ve seen part of a Seafire supercharger also painted yellow. Also, does anyone know where it’s from on the engine? It’s tubular with a flange at the end and ribs at the base. And no, it isn’t a condom.
By: ian_ - 31st March 2025 at 15:30
There was a red painted bit, but it wasn’t from the Merlin…
By: ZRX61 - 31st March 2025 at 15:30
Back when Dave Zeushel was building Merlins & painting them red he had a visit one day from some bloke from RR…
Upon viewing a rather nicely turned out red Merlin he stated “Back in the UK at RR we paint our scrap red” :D:D:D:D
By: Dave Homewood - 31st March 2025 at 15:28
Catapillar (the bulldozer manufacturer) apparently built Merlins under licence in the USA for Mustangs, and painted them their yellow colour. The Mustang ‘Dove of Peace’ in NZ had one but it’s since had an engine change.
By: oscar duck - 31st March 2025 at 15:28
Never heard of Cat Merlins. Maybe they made parts.
Methinks someone was pulling your leg!:diablo:
By: stuart gowans - 31st March 2025 at 15:26
Didn’t Continental make some?
By: J Boyle - 31st March 2025 at 15:26
Never heard of Cat Merlins. Maybe they made parts.
Agree, haven’t heard of that one.
As far as I know, Packard was the only American firm to produce Merlins.
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st March 2025 at 15:26
Packard Merlins
CAT probably didn’t make any as complete engines but made sub-assemblies.
I have seen an Avro Lincoln Packard Merlin 68A at a crash site which had blocks, cases, cylinder heads and skirts with Buick, Ford and Alcoa cast into them. No doubt there were other companies too (Cat), which had the necessary expertise to produce parts.
Anon.
By: Dave Homewood - 31st March 2025 at 15:26
I was told about the Catapillar Merlins by Paul McSweeney of Pioneer Aero at Ardmore (the place that rebuilds P-40’s and other warbirds). They got the contract to assemble and test the Mustang when it arrived in NZ. They were intrigued by its yellow engine block and ascertained it was the original engine as fitted when buit. That Mustang had been built for the RAAF and stored for decades, never used. Then a US owner got it and flew it for a brief time before it was sold to the NZ owner. They did some research as they were curious, and Payul said they discovered that Catapillar was subcontracted by Packard to help with production but they decided to make theirs recognisable by using their famous bulldozer colour on the blocks. I do not think it was a wind up, he was quite serious and there were several warbird people with me at the time.
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December 28, 2009 at 1:52 pm