MN235 does have an engine, the RAF museum have 3 Sabres in total

1 * Typhoon
1 * Tempest
1 * Displayed in front of the Typhoon (is this originally from a Wyvern?)

the spare engine for MN235 also exists….not with the RAF though

I refer to the Merlin and Sabre because they were rivals within the RAF in terms of their application(s). The eventual disposition of the company (and their product) showed the intense rivalry that existed between the companies and their product. When you look at what happened to the industry after the war and some of the tactics that were used between rivals it is not illogical to say that the reputation of the Merlin was partly built up at the expense of the Sabres early issues (I am not talking about this being in recent times). Rolls effectively wanted the Sabre to disappear and made it happen.

I will leave it there….I am not going to get into posting reams of figures or information and besides I haven’t got the time, Typhoon items take up most of my spare time.

The Typhoon always seems to get a bad rap…under normal circumstances the problems that were found would have been ironed out before service however, as far as I can tell much of the Type acceptance/development/shakedown (whatever you want to call it) was done in service in combat situations. Such was the need for the aircraft I guess this was deemed acceptable.

I do not know as much about the MKV & VI Tempests as I do about the Typhoon but I can hazzard a guess/informed response to some of the issue highlighted:-

The tail issue was already addressed and those modifications had already been incorporated into the Tempest (larger tail plane was mention in a previous response)

I am not sure that the issue with Carbon Monoxide was ever suitably addressed. I know they played around with enhanced seals around the firewall and that the Sliding hood provided some respite but with the engine placed further forward on the Tempest then would this have allowed enough time for the Exhaust Gases to have been dispersed before entry into the cockpit? I believe all Typhoon pilots were required to use oxygen for the duration not sure about Tempest.

The Sabre is another matter. It was a far more reliable engine than it is given credit for. The majority of the issues were solved when Bristol were ‘encouraged’ to get involved in the production of sleeve valves. From the records that I have seen the Sabre was a far more reliable unit than the Merlin by the end of the war, it could easily reach its service time and didn’t leak as much oil as its Rolls Royce counter part (the Packard leaked far less oil than the Rolls version). As for starting….they only seemed problematic for inexperienced pilots or ground crew (or both). I have yet to read an account of an experienced Typhoon pilot not being able to start a Typhoon unless there was a mechanical problem, in fact having read a number of Auto Biographies it seems that any experienced pilot with a copy of the pilots notes seemed to be able to strap in a start a Typhoon.

I would very much like to see the figures placed side by side for the Sabre and Merlin just to dispell the myth about the Sabres reliability…

What a lovely find…I do know of a couple of typhoon cowlings that have been found under similar circumstances…dropped off aircraft as they flew to/from a mission. As usually the case I seem to be a few years too late when they are found…

Graham,
I may be corrected here but I am sure they had the RAFM Tempest Cowlings for reference (which may have lead to them being refurbished in the process?).

I can do better than more details about the sabre….attached a picture (assuming it come out!!)

if only there had been upwards of 7000 made…then perhaps there would be more than the 1 3/4 that are known to exist!!!