Warbird Information Exchange

Welcome to WIX, Mike!

As Rich has said, all contributions are welcome. As a researcher, I generally am wary of people telling me things 'are this way' or 'that' without providing the evidence they are drawing on. As we've seen even in this discussion, your view on the exhausts was, it seems incorrect, but based on a reasonable 'reading' of one photo. We are all misled or make mistakes at times; the important thing is that we all contribute to improving the pool of understanding.

With a real aircraft what matters is that it works, as best / safely as is possible. The 'bling' while we may obsess about it is not critical.

We should be thankful that this Spitfire is not (these days) just slapped into green/brown camouflage with the codes of a.n. other ace - or the current owner, but a best effort as to its own original, Czech scheme. And secondly, that there is a drive towards not just playing with cool old aeroplanes, but serious commitment to continuing to improve restoration and paint-scheme standards.

In that context a list of what's 'wrong' (when some of it isn't even wrong) comes across badly. However, please take this as advice, free to use or ignore, and personally I'm delighted to see more members on WIX with different knowledge and prepared to tackle the language barrier from Europe!

Please stick around, share and enjoy.

Regards,

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

As for as the type of exhaust stacks go, I am used to seeing photos from most of the original Merlin ones with the fluted type stacks, sort of like a P-40, but not so flattened. Those, after the Mk V, as pictured in Jeffrey Quill's book, are that way through the Mk IX at least. I am not sure about the MkXVI, they may be of the round type.

_________________
Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Went by the HFF this Noon to look @ the bird-beautiful doesn't begin to describe it!! First test hop now scheduled for Friday the 15th (depends on weather)

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Beautiful looking restoration. One question, what engine are they using? I notice there is no intercooler header tank.

Sounds like she's going up for a second flight right now. The first was around 3:00.

And here I am stuck at work

Hopefully i'll get to see it soon though!

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-Al Sauer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spookythecat

The intercooler is mounted over the supercharger. The header and filler is part of the intercooler housing.
I'm unaware of any other type of intercooler used on the Merlin.
Can anyone enlighten on another intercooler with a separate header tank?

_________________
Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

BOOM BOOM, ROUND ROUND, PROPELLER GO

Don't Be A Dilbert!

Of all the pics I have seen on a Mark IX they have a header tank on the port side. The mark XVI's with the Packard 266 don't have the header tank so I was kind of fishing if that is what they did. It would make sense using a 266 since its going to be operated in the US, and parts are more plentiful here. An earlier poster mentioned the Rolls Royce logo on the valve covers and that got me to look close at the pictures provided. I know the Merlin 63 needs the external header tank but Im not sure about the 66 and 70.