You can see where the confusion comes from though, even in the handwritten letter the code could well be mistaken for a Y or X…………

Part refurbished with a large can of primer??

I know the feeling! I couldn’t get the grin off my face for week or more……………..

Was that over at the ex CIA hangers?

The spinner is still on the foward prop? surly you would not put it back on after you remove the prop, then turn it upside down?? My theory is it wasn’t nutted on!! I hope it did’nt crown anybody when they were swinging on it………………or maybe I do…………..

Looks pretty damn good with that prop wizzing round though! I’m not sure we would get away with that here in the states!!
I do have an article somewhere on the perils of ground running a Merlin at high speed then chopping the throttle Or prop drive in this case! the big end bolts will fail on a Merlin on deceleration not under load. Royces wern’t really sure why, but just said they did…………..Paul……………..

I have been building up to a Climax myself this week! this one from a 1960 Lotus elite