In these days of corporate espionage the question popped into my head, did rival manufacturers (engines, aircraft etc) freely share knowledge of technological advances during the war years or did the government decide who should be told what, or did the rivalry remain.
Paul C
By: HP57 - 29th April 2005 at 14:44
I’m going on memory too so I can’t be certain either.
They were reputed to have all been made just down the road from me in Chesterfield but the chap that told me is dead now so I can’t even confirm that. 🙂
Mmm yes, I can see your problem :rolleyes:
Cheers
Cees
By: dhfan - 29th April 2005 at 13:26
I’m going on memory too so I can’t be certain either.
IIRC, it was easy to make them round but until they used centrifugal castings they distorted in use.
They were reputed to have all been made just down the road from me in Chesterfield but the chap that told me is dead now so I can’t even confirm that. 🙂
By: HP57 - 29th April 2005 at 13:06
IIRC having read somewhere that Bristols by accident had found out how to make perfectly circular cilinders. By mistake a course grinder had been used instead of the intended fine and so they found out how to make the cilinders perfect. I don’t recall having read something about centrifugal casting I’m afraid. Perhaps a combination of the two? :p
Cees
By: dhfan - 29th April 2005 at 11:30
I believe it was the centrifugal casting, rather than the grinding, that was the secret Bristol wouldn’t reveal.
I’ve certainly read they were told to let Napier in on the technology but I wouldn’t know now in which book to check any details.
By: HP57 - 29th April 2005 at 10:33
Paul,
Well, the rivalry between Bristol and Napier springs to mind regarding the technology about the grinding of perfectly round cilinder bores but teeth as well 😉 .
Cheerio
Cees
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April 29, 2005 at 10:25 am