I was wondering why the Merlin engine sounds different on different airframes,is it a variation of the engine type,or the exhaust set ups or just the way different aircraft are handled and flown.
The Merlin seems so quiet when flown on a Hurricane but so musical on a Spitfire and angry on a Mustang,is there any particular reason?. 🙂
By: XN923 - 2nd November 2005 at 08:54
I’d be interested to hear answers to this… At Duxford in September the biggest difference in sound came from two largely similar aircraft – the Griffon powered MkXIVc and MkXIX which I understand are based on the substantially the same airframe, although I’m not sure off the top of my head what mark of Griffon each was using. The XIV had an almost Merlin-y sound, while the XIX had the much more traditional ‘growl’ associated with the Griffon.
I have heard that the firing order influences the tone of an engine a lot, hence the Merlin and Griffon having substantially similar geometry but completely different sounds.
By: Dave T - 2nd November 2005 at 08:52
The Mustang also has the open gun ports on the wings, which adds the whistle.
I always wonder why watching the Mosies in 633 Squadron, they sound so Mustang-ish.
I cant recall hearing a Mosie like that, or did the film makers added a bit of artistic licence ?
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By: gregv - 2nd November 2005 at 01:55
The Mustang whistle has very little to do with the airscoop, it’s primarily down to the airflow over the gun ports as the angle of attack changes.
should we dub that a “silver note” then? 🙂
greg v
By: Yak 11 Fan - 1st November 2005 at 23:33
The Mustang whistle has very little to do with the airscoop, it’s primarily down to the airflow over the gun ports as the angle of attack changes.
By: AndyG - 1st November 2005 at 22:11
Anyone know how to get a Merlin/Griffon ringtone set up?
By: DazDaMan - 1st November 2005 at 21:57
intakes, exhausts and airscoops……hence a Mustang whistle which is so cool etc
The Mustang also has the open gun ports on the wings, which adds the whistle.
I’m not so sure about different props etc fitted to a Merlin-powered aircraft, although it’s probably right anyway. There was a Merlin (from a Beaufighter, I believe), with a cut-down prop, that was ground run at East Fortune this year – it sounded fantastic, yet it sounded little different from the one in Spitfire PT462 that flew over that afternoon! :confused:
By: Rocketeer - 1st November 2005 at 21:37
intakes, exhausts and airscoops……hence a Mustang whistle which is so cool etc
By: Bograt - 1st November 2005 at 21:33
I remember a ‘Flight International’ Christmas Quiz many years ago in which one of the questions was “Where does the most noise come from in a piston engine?” in the general aviation section of the quiz.
The answer was; from the propeller – so, it would make sense that a combination of different exhaust stacks, props, air scoops and the like would give each machine a distictive sound.
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November 1, 2005 at 4:55 pm