Rolls Royce v Packard

Land Girls!

Great flying moment when that Spitfire appears over the hill.

Loved it.

Moggy

The Mustang often sounds louder than a Merlin Spitfire, I think that is to do with the fact that the mustang is heavier and the engine has to work harder, also the Propeller is heavy on the mustang 500 kg also different airframe shape may play a part

Re: Rolls Royce v Packard

Originally posted by Lord Kenley
Hello

I have two burning questions which are:

i. Have you seen that great Spitfire moment in Land Girls.

ii. (Slightly more important) Having just seen a DVD purchased at the Imperial War Museum – why is it that Packard Merlin’s in P51s sound so different from Rolls Royce Merlins in Spits etc. Is it to do with Supercharging?

I would think for the same reasons the Merlin sounds different in a Hurricane than it does in a Spitfire. The shape and construction of the aircraft gioves a different resonance. The Merlins in a Mosquito sounded different again as do the ones in a Lanc

Hi m’ Lord

I have seen the Spit/109 scene in Land girls.

As for the different sound of the Packard on the Mustang, I guess it’s down to the design & build of the airframe and possibly the different exhaust’s that gives it a different sound to the Spitfire.

After all many Spitfires flying today have Packard 266 (US version of the 66) or even the 68 or 69’s which were the same or very similar to the V-1650-3/V-1650-7 that powered the P51B & D respectively, and they don’t sound like a P51!

Of course one thing you don’t get with the Spitfire with some P51’s is that lovely whistle from the gun ports, which makes it even more distinguishable! 🙂

Cheers

Paul