The Rolls Royce Merlin: WWII Fighter Plane Engines Modified For Hydroplane Racing!

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  • Опубліковано 25 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 956

  • @Stapleton42
    @Stapleton42  Рік тому +56

    I would love to have a Merlin in something someday... Help us get keep history alive and check out the GoodChop website real quick! (every click helps)
    Use code STAPLETON120 to get $120 off across your first 4 boxes of Good Chop at bit.ly/40JWAEo!

    • @jonnylove1830
      @jonnylove1830 Рік тому +6

      I feel we need a Burt Reynolds “Stroker Ace” style advertisement for Good Chop!

    • @andylewis7360
      @andylewis7360 Рік тому

      Now THAT would make a suitable motor for your Rolls!
      ua-cam.com/video/N06_dGae2Sc/v-deo.html
      😁

    • @andylewis7360
      @andylewis7360 Рік тому +3

      Btw. Since you were talking about the production processes involved….
      ua-cam.com/video/-fo7SmNuUU4/v-deo.html

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +2

      I did watch that video when doing research!

    • @roberthill2219
      @roberthill2219 Рік тому +2

      @@Stapleton42 One of the Arfons brothers built a dragster with a Merlin in the late 50s...

  • @Slaktrax
    @Slaktrax Рік тому +38

    Old junk!!? Apart from having such a beautiful sound that makes old guys tear up, they are a masterpiece of engineering.

    • @tonyking9235
      @tonyking9235 11 місяців тому +1

      YES THAY ARE. AND THE USA MADE THEM EVEN BETTER. THATS A FACT .

    • @ionutniculae5955
      @ionutniculae5955 11 місяців тому

      He was clearly sarcastic, why would he spend all the money on it if not ?

  • @DavidMarcy-pp6jv
    @DavidMarcy-pp6jv Рік тому +54

    That's not junk. That's Craftsmanship. Just beautiful 😊

  • @KyleKnoblauch
    @KyleKnoblauch 5 місяців тому +5

    I watched hydroplane racing all the time on ESPN when I was a kid, I remember when the Budweiser team debuted the closed cockpit, but I had no idea they ran airplane engines in them, this has been such an awesome and informative watch so far!

  • @craigpennington1251
    @craigpennington1251 4 місяці тому +5

    Bingo! He said it perfectly. The hot rod industry was born from the military which is 100% correct. What we use today was used several decades ago by the aircraft industry in WWII. It is the stuff that works. These guys today just improve on that technology with amazing results. These engine are a marvel and to be cherished as they will not be made again. I do like them both, the Merlon & the Allison. I think that the Allison is just as capable as the Merlin with the right blower setup. The Allisons have a distinct sound/a hum rather than a raw growl of a Merlin. Thanks for posting such great informative video.

    • @edwardwright6961
      @edwardwright6961 3 місяці тому

      i allways thought hot rods started with running moonshine

  • @jim-jam7304
    @jim-jam7304 Рік тому +21

    Merlin’s such amazing engines that truly changed the world

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому

      Absolutely!

    • @triumphdave2449
      @triumphdave2449 11 місяців тому +1

      Helped flatten a fair bit of it as well.

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 9 місяців тому

      jim-jam The Merlin did NOT change the world any more than ALL the Wrights or Prat Whitneys and Allisons which 5 times as many were built and used in WWII than the merlin, !!! !

  • @dave3156
    @dave3156 6 місяців тому +4

    Don't know a thing about marine racing, but have to marvel at the craftsmanship of the WWII components in the aircraft engines--really amazing. Thx!!

  • @joelonderee2872
    @joelonderee2872 Рік тому +12

    I could listen to Dan all day, he gets an A+ with his simple to understand explanation of these engines. Excellent video!

  • @misawajason
    @misawajason Рік тому +15

    The common underlying theme of your videos are people that have a tremendous wealth of knowledge and their passion of passing along what they can. Yet another great video Mitchell!!

  • @paullee2177
    @paullee2177 9 місяців тому +2

    Love the sound of the big Merlin at speed. My brother in law, George Woods, drove the Merlin powered Oh Boy Oberto when the Squire Shop was redone by Steve Harvey.

  • @buddhavb3616
    @buddhavb3616 Рік тому +6

    Got to tour this museum about seven years ago. My daughter lives in WA state and took me. It was great to see all of this history. Thanks for taking me back.

  • @ixi___wolf___ixl854
    @ixi___wolf___ixl854 11 місяців тому +1

    I worked with a gentleman named Glen who worked in the tri-cities on these motors he was a retired Honda mechanic and I do believe he works on hydroplanes to this day I grew up watching these rad machines rip the Colombia waters up pasco and kennewicks side I’m definitely showing him this video thank you for bringing some light to these motors and there awesome capabilities! Wish I seen this video sooner :)

  • @nunyabinis
    @nunyabinis Рік тому +27

    Name another youtube channel who has more info about the RR Merlin WwII engine converted to a friggin' boat. This is 1000× more interesting than another LS build.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +3

      We feel the same way. This is historically significant information that is now accessible to anyone where it wasn't before

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 Рік тому +1

      nunyabinis I Bet those Merlins were the PACKARD versions made in America, not the RR version made in England !! !

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 10 місяців тому +2

      @@Stapleton42 Its too bad more info on them is NOT known !!!

  • @Rob_Moilanen
    @Rob_Moilanen Рік тому +37

    You're preserving history Mitch, that alone is worth a thumbs up.

  • @RamblerMan68
    @RamblerMan68 Рік тому +2

    Such cool stuff! When i was a kid, my Dads business partner had a brother that crewed the Miss Bud U-1...a few years back, hahaha. Anyhow, they stopped by our place in Porterville, Ca on their way...somewhere, i was too young to remember the details...but I was absolutely amazed by her, sitting on that huge trailer, canted up to clear traffic on the road. The truck had a few engines ready to go inside it, and everything was spotless, as Budweiser always did back in the day.
    Bobs brother pumped a gallon of a rather secretive, heavy and dark liquid into a can for my Dad as "octane booster" (Dad was a multi time California state 4WD pulling champion). Ahhh...what a childhood🙏👍

  • @formerfarmer1718
    @formerfarmer1718 4 місяці тому +3

    Gawd! Look at all those bolts on the Merlin!!

  • @Stainless316L
    @Stainless316L Рік тому +2

    Can't beat that sound.

  • @danowens7676
    @danowens7676 Рік тому +18

    I loved this video, as well as the previous one about hydroplanes!
    I grew up in Kent, WA, and fondly remember the Thunderboats every year at Seafair on Lake Washington. We could actually hear them during the week and on race day. Hydro racing was a really big deal back then....all three of the local TV stations would carry the races live. Watching your videos was a great walk down memory lane for me.
    I've been to the hydro museum once on a recent visit back there (I live on the east coast now). They've done a really good job with that facility, and the folks that run it are top notch. I got a quick tour through the engine shop when I went - seeing the insides of a Merlin was fascinating, especially when you consider its basically a late 30s/early 40s design. And seeing the boats i rooted for (and against) was really cool.
    Great work! Keep 'em coming!

    • @trob1731
      @trob1731 Рік тому +1

      I remember those days as well. Now, sadly, it isn't shown on tv at all. The first year it wasn't televised, I was unaware and turned on the tv to... an infomercial.

    • @lornestyles7048
      @lornestyles7048 3 місяці тому

      Kent Washington, Covington 😮. Home of SIR .. class 77

  • @motorcoachtech7615
    @motorcoachtech7615 Рік тому +34

    Thanks Mitchell and Logan for bringing this. A special thank you to Dan for his knowledge of these power plants. It is amazing how the reliability of these mechanical pieces, that were designed and built in WWII, were used years later. Pushing the limits (with some beefing up) higher than the were initially intended for, is crazy. A testament to their advanced engineering. Tangible history is cool!

  • @kiwidiesel
    @kiwidiesel Рік тому +4

    The Rolls Royce Merlin engine series has become immortalized in human history for the contribution it provided during the early years of our fight against evil. It stood ready to fight from the start till well after the end. Like any engine it needed developing further after its initial inception to overcome a few nuances associated with fuel system etc.
    While contributions from Prat & Whitney, Allison and others was just as significant overall it is the Merlin that stands out as the greatest engine of its era.

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 Рік тому +3

      kiwidiesel Are you aware of the fact PACKARD Motors inn the USA contibuted to the development of the Merlin ??? RR contracted in 1940 PACKARD to build the Merlin FOR THE BRITS 37.137 of them were delivered. the USAAF got 18,000 and several changes and developments were done by PACKARD to mass produce RR's hand built engine. PACKARD used the Bendix pressure carb same as Allison used to overcome the stalling problem RR had when the plane was quickly pushed into a dive, RR's float carb would flood. Pressure carb had no float, similiar to a throttle body injection !!!

  • @ntpa777
    @ntpa777 Рік тому +6

    this is probably one of my favorite videos. I grew up watching tractor pulling mostly the allisons but all 3 are used in pulling. The bad thing is here in the states there dieing out in pulling because parts and rules, but in europe there all over. Those engines are imprinted in my mind the sound, the feeling of them as they roared past you and the history of them hit me right in the heart. Great vid and the best feeling and sound is a 3 Allison mod tractor going by you at full song with headers.

  • @markruffner9143
    @markruffner9143 10 місяців тому +3

    I did some work in the Squire shop warehouse and was treated to a row of these engines and several hulls. I never expected to see anything boat related. Quite a thrill to be up close and personal.

  • @ezacher4634
    @ezacher4634 Рік тому +2

    So many childhood memories. Going to lake Washington on race day and watching Blue Angels practicing sitting on the roof of our house. Great fun!

  • @matposton87
    @matposton87 Рік тому +32

    It has always blown my mind some of the stuff they had back during WW2. Big centrifugal Superchargers, turbo's, water/methanol injection, fuel injection, 4 valves per cylinder with overhead cams. The Allison engine in the P-38 Lightning has a turbocharged Allison instead of a supercharged one. The giant radial engines were also blown, but some of the later ones built after the war also had a device built into the exhaust that they called a turbo compound, it is a turbine spun by the exhaust gases that spins a shaft that connected strait to the crankshaft thru a fluid coupler, they would have a few of these on each engine and it was said to increase power by as much as 25%

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +7

      So it takes load off the crank via exhaust pressure? That is very interesting..

    • @craigmclean8260
      @craigmclean8260 Рік тому +8

      Indeed; the Wright R-3350 used the turbo-compound on some models; there were three units, one for each six cylinders, adding at least 500 HP.

    • @ArneChristianRosenfeldt
      @ArneChristianRosenfeldt Рік тому +2

      Why did turbo compound not drive its own fan? Why would RPM on the huge prop change too fast for a centrifugal compressor?

    • @russellnigh9337
      @russellnigh9337 Рік тому +2

      Nitrous Oxide injection was developed during WWII also

    • @PistonAvatarGuy
      @PistonAvatarGuy Рік тому +3

      The turbocharged engines used in (American) WW2 aircraft were also supercharged, the turbocharger simply provided the first stage of supercharging, while an engine driven supercharger provided the second stage.

  • @scottarmstrong5273
    @scottarmstrong5273 4 місяці тому +1

    I'm in the both categorie.. I went to hydroplaned races on clear lake south of Houston Texas in the early 80's, they were still unlimited some boats ran two of the merlin engines. But I'm learning with you so much more about the details..
    Thank youvso much.

  • @nunyabinis
    @nunyabinis Рік тому +13

    Thank you for covering these amazing engines converted to racing boats. Us nerds thank you.

  • @jaijeff59
    @jaijeff59 4 місяці тому +1

    We just had the 75th Seattle Seafair Hydroplane Race yesterday!! Hope you get a chance to see some races

  • @RickB50SS
    @RickB50SS 6 місяців тому +3

    Dad was a flight engineer on Lancs, x4 Merlins. He always said a Merlin was a good engine, gotcha to the target and home if the MEs never got you first.

  • @ultimatejay
    @ultimatejay 11 місяців тому +3

    Blows my mind when I look at those engines and see the design and detail and craftmanship on something made years and years ago. Its just crazy how someone could design and build such an awesome piece of machinery.

  • @newagetemplar6100
    @newagetemplar6100 Рік тому +10

    I’m not into powerboat racing and this just popped up on my YT .
    Love your work , as an engineer myself and like many others we understand the complexity of maintaining , designing and manufacturing awesome items like this . Total respect to you guys and for your knowledge that is hopefully being passed down to younger generations.
    It is absolutely vital that engineering skills and people like ourselves are not lost .
    In a disposable world with little regard by the clones of society for anything manufactured , it is of upmost importance that this skill and mindset is cherished.
    Be it motorsports, aviation, powerboats and many others people like us have made life as we know it possible.
    😇🇬🇧👍

    • @ezacher4634
      @ezacher4634 Рік тому +1

      Amen! Seen a mobil home from the 50's last week. Original fridge and gas oven still work... These days you get lucky if appliances last more than 5 years!

  • @SmokeBurp
    @SmokeBurp 5 місяців тому +5

    Miss Budweiser vs Atlas Van Lines vs O'boy O'berto vs Squire Shop :-) I grew up dragging wooden hydroplanes (with nails to make spitfire sparks) behind my bike as a kid in Seattle. I lived in Bellevue about 10 miles away and I could hear those engines racing from my home.

    • @johnstreet797
      @johnstreet797 5 місяців тому +3

      back when they were thunder boats, not hair dryers

    • @SmokeBurp
      @SmokeBurp 5 місяців тому +2

      @@johnstreet797 facts

    • @lornestyles7048
      @lornestyles7048 3 місяці тому +1

      We used to mow lawns in the area of Lake Washington, Styles Gardening and you can not forget the sound of those boats😅

  • @wlogue
    @wlogue Рік тому +3

    Wicked! More Hydro plane content wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit. We grew up/live about 40 miles from that place. There is one team currently running a piston boat. Turbines are cool I guess, but don't have near the soul of a big v12! Thanks again!

  • @WPAPi3.14
    @WPAPi3.14 Рік тому +4

    45 year THUNDER BOAT MEMBER!!!🎉. These engines are why they called them “THUNDERBOATS”!!!!💪🏼🔥😎

  • @lesbratton
    @lesbratton 4 місяці тому +1

    Used to attend the hydroplane races at Lake of the Ozarks back in the 80's, they were still running a few boats with the Allisons and Merlins along with the turbines.

  • @FATMAN_tactical
    @FATMAN_tactical Рік тому +12

    I have been learning about hydro's for as long as i can remember, started going to races by 8 years old.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +1

      awesome!!

    • @goosenotmaverick1156
      @goosenotmaverick1156 Рік тому +1

      My dad built safety capsules for drag boats, I want to say late 80s, I grew up around the drag boats and all other manner of boats, and the more I've learned more recently about offshore and stuff like this, has been fantastic. Welcome to the rabbit hole lol

  • @jkbaker01
    @jkbaker01 Рік тому +2

    Living in Detroit one of the coolest times of summer growing up was the hydroplane races. There was a restaurant even called The Rooster Tail on the water.

  • @m1t2a1
    @m1t2a1 Рік тому +3

    I've seen Miss Supertest III with the Griffon. Freaking amazing.

  • @justicelut
    @justicelut Рік тому +6

    That was very interesting. What amazes me is the level of skill that engineers and machinists had back in the 30s and 40s. Thanks for posting this!

  • @hydrodanj
    @hydrodanj Рік тому +3

    Big boat fan from Seattle. Love this piece. Hydroplane racing is the most beautiful and aesthetic in all of motorsport! I actually got a run in the Wahoo in Lake Chelan. What a thrilling and scary experience!

  • @truckladders4104
    @truckladders4104 Рік тому +4

    A whole series on hydroplanes both early and current would be great Fascinating technology especially for 1936

  • @jeffausbun
    @jeffausbun Рік тому +16

    What an informative show. I've been a Hydro fan my whole life, but didn't know the engineering aspects of the Piston engines. and I learn how the turbine engine works.. Great video..

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +2

      thanks man! I learned everything fr the first time in this video too!

  • @rjewing850
    @rjewing850 Рік тому +10

    Kennewick Wa has one of the best spectator courses for watching hydroplane racing. Watching the Budweiser running full song down the backstretch sponson walking and feeling the rumble in your tummy was unreal. Also got to see one of the first competitive turbines, the Pay ‘n Pak, take off like an airplane and do 2.5 flips on one of its first runs.
    The boats still race and test here every year, the boat are more competitive and reliable with the turbines, but just aren’t the same without the ground thumping rumble.

    • @jschoneger
      @jschoneger Рік тому +2

      They were called "Thunder boats" because of the magnificent noise the old piston engines made. The turbines may be more reliable and faster, but they certainly don't make the same noise.

    • @ralphcooley841
      @ralphcooley841 Рік тому

      I think the turbines ruined powerboat racing. Instead of thunder they now sound like angry bees.😢

  • @ericcole4926
    @ericcole4926 Рік тому +2

    Very cool, what a smart dude explaining the engines.

  • @greybone777
    @greybone777 Рік тому +3

    Grew up in Wenatchee near lake chelan. The Evans Brothers were legendary here as the home town Boys who raced against all the big corporate logos. I believe that they hold the record for piston engine boats. The goodwill in South Seattle used to have a bunch of the old hydros in it .

  • @eddy2121
    @eddy2121 Рік тому +8

    Excellent job 👏 The secret horsepower race is an excellent book on WW2 aircraft engines.

  • @ABSilverback
    @ABSilverback Рік тому +3

    What a great video, I grew up watching unlimited hydroplane racing on tv in the 1970's. Those Merlin engines are amazing.

  • @woofersd2383
    @woofersd2383 Рік тому +2

    Never knew any of this. Thank You. Now I’m thinking, when I watched the Wide Wide World of Sports, I have just a very small amount of understanding on how those boats went so fast.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому

      thanks man we are glad you're here!

  • @v12tommy
    @v12tommy Рік тому +7

    That was awesome. I've always thought of the Rolls Royce Merlin as the greatest engine ever designed. To answer your question about fork and blade connecting rods, I do know they have been used in cars in the past, but I can't remember where. Probably the most famous place where they were used, other than the Merlin, was in Harley Davidson V-twin motorcycle engines. GM's Electro-Motive Diesel division, or EMD, produced 2 stroke locomotive engines that had fork and blade rods, and Detroit Diesel's 71 series engines, found in a ton of different buses and trucks back in the day is basically a scaled down version of the EMD engine, however the fork and blade rods were not included in the smaller engine, only the locomotives. One benefit of the fork and blade is that the rocking couple created with offset cylinder banks is eliminated. Plus both rods typically share a single bearing, which reduces the forces exerted on the bearing, however getting proper lubrication is a bit more tricky compared to a traditional side by side rod setup. A somewhat similar setup would be a master and slave connecting rod, found in some vee and inline engines, but more well known in radial aircraft engines. In a master and slave setup, the master connecting rod would be the only one making contact with the crankshaft, and each slave rod pivots off the master, rather than the crankshaft.
    Also, you sort of touched on it briefly, but the Allison V-1710 was made by the Allison Engineering Company, what is today known as Allison Transmission. It was founded in 1915 by James A. Allison, one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and was located at 1200 N Main Street, in Speedway, Indiana. The building is still there today, and is often referred to as Allison Plant One. When the US joined in World War I, the Allison Engineering Company made parts, tooling, and masters for the then new Liberty L-12 aircraft engine. In 1928, the company was sold to WWI flying ace Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, who had also purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway down the street the year prior. Shortly afterward, and following Allison's death in 1928, the company was sold to the Fisher Brothers (Body By Fisher) and their parent company, General Motors. After GM took control, work was begun on a new V12 to replace the then outdated Liberty engine, and the new engine became the Allison V-1710 you saw at the museum. Over 70,000 of them were built over the course of WWII. Allison built 2 new plants to handle the demand, Plant 3, which was on 10th street just south of Plant 1, and a second factory, Plant 5, which was located at 2355 S Tibbs Ave. Unfortunately, both of those buildings are now gone. Plant 3 was leveled in the late 1980s to make way for the current World Transmission Facility at the same location, and Plant 5 stuck around until several years ago, but is sadly now gone. The aircraft engine business was sold by GM to Rolls Royce in 1995, and Rolls Royce is in the process of modernizing the Plant 5 site, and currently manufacturers the lift fan for Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II. Ironically, the original Lockheed P-38 Lightning, was powered by 2 Allison V-1710 engines.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +1

      Interesting! I have actually driven by Allison plant one by accident. Didn't know it was historically significant I just remember the big Allison logo on the side.

    • @v12tommy
      @v12tommy Рік тому +1

      @@Stapleton42 Oh, that was probably the former Plant 3 site you are thinking of, which is down the street from Plant 1. You probably drove right by Plant 1 and didn't even realize it was there. I don't think I've ever seen any Allison branding on it. It is not quite across the street from the Dallara factory on Main Street, and doesn't really stand out much, other than a historic marker on the street corner describing what it is. Sadly, I think the building is in a bit of disrepair these days, but I really hope it can be saved. I got a private tour from the previous tenant maybe 10 years ago, and there is a ton of history that happened there. There are a couple brick dyno cells, where they used to test the aero engines, but the walls of them are filled with asbestos, so they were essentially sealed off when I went. The story I heard was that during WWI, planes would land on the backstretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, taxi over to the alleyway behind the building, they'd swap engines, and the planes would taxi back over to the speedway to take off again. There is still an old anti-aircraft gun in the back parking lot, I assume to protect the plant from enemy bombing.
      I'm not sure when Allison moved out of the building, but it has been used by several race teams and at least 1 private car collection since then. To my knowledge it is vacant now.

  • @wassonsteve2145
    @wassonsteve2145 Рік тому +6

    I grew up in Washington, I remember watching Hydro's as a kid. I had no idea there was a museum till your last few videos. I am going to make a trip up there to check it out. Thanks for this content.

  • @v4yt126
    @v4yt126 Рік тому +21

    The Merlin has a sound like no other

    • @rickh3694
      @rickh3694 Рік тому +4

      the Merlin engine is the coolest name for a bad ass engine

    • @roserado8228
      @roserado8228 Рік тому +2

      Legend has it that when Britain was in peril ,that King Arthur would return,with his guide ,MERLIN,SPITFIRE,LANCASTER,MOSQUITO,HURRICANE,plus tanks,plus p.t.boats,plus pilot retrieval boats,plus fire fighter boats,plus water pumps,and the list goes on,the greatest engine in history!

    • @rickh3694
      @rickh3694 Рік тому +1

      what makes it cooler is when you say the rolls Royce Merlin engine . actually that's how it should be said. the engine earned it .

    • @TheEulerID
      @TheEulerID Рік тому +3

      @@rickh3694 Rolls Royce tradition was to name their aero piston engines after birds of prey. Hence the Merlin, Griffon (which is actually a vulture), Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Kestrel, etc.
      Their gas turbine engines used to be named after (British) rivers, such as the Avon, Spey, Trent, Derwent and Nene. However, that system has somewhat broken down and the B-52 is to be re-engined with rather boringly named Rolls Royce F130 (but to be built in Indianapolis).
      nb. the Merlin engine Spitfire was originally to have been named "the Shrew", which I'm not sure has quite the same effect.

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 Рік тому

      @@roserado8228 Did you know Packard Motors in the USA during WWII built 37,137 Merlin engines for the Brits ???? Plus 18,000 for the USA ??? and those engines in the PT boats in US and UK were NOT Merlins but PACKARDS M2500 V12' purpose built for the US Navy and the UK's Navy ????? 14,000 of them ????? Bet you didn't know that??? Also 1/2 of ALL UK's Lancaster bombers the Mk BIII were powered by only the PACKARD Merlin as were 1500 Canadian Mosquitos and 1200 Canadian Hurrycanes !!! ! Facts of history !!!

  • @hydrashieldbasementservice8453

    Dude you asked all the questions that were popping in my head, love the engine specialist.
    excellent video!!

  • @biscuit8641
    @biscuit8641 Рік тому +3

    I watched these boats race every year in the 70’s at the Madison Regatta when I was a kid, every July 4th weekend. Miss Budweiser, Atlas, Pay n Pak, Etc. Awesome that they are restoring Miss Madison! Thanks for doing these vids, great memories!

  • @lycancatt4248
    @lycancatt4248 Рік тому +2

    passionate people who know the subject are so rewarding to listen to, thanks for this video!

  • @larryjohnson7591
    @larryjohnson7591 Рік тому +4

    I love WWII airplane engines and what people did with them after the war. Thank You for showing me parts I had never seen before.

  • @nickrider5220
    @nickrider5220 Рік тому +1

    Absolutely amazing engineering...from the early 1940s !! We have a couple of Spitfires that sometimes fly over going to shows, they sound beautiful - thanks for posting this 👍

  • @squirebrannon5072
    @squirebrannon5072 Рік тому +20

    I've always been interested in the old school huge engines, Packard, Merlin's and so forth. Thanks for always going that extra mile for some of the more in depth looks on things.This was another awesome video guys!

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +3

      Thank you very much!

    • @Parents_of_Twins
      @Parents_of_Twins Рік тому +2

      Check out the Ford GAA engine. It's pretty cool as well.

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 Рік тому +2

      squire brannon Are you aware that During WWII PACKARD built 14,000 of their M2500 PT Boat engines, yes 2500 cubic inch displacement and they were also contracted with by Rolls Royce to build the Merlin engine FOR THE BRITS ???? They delivered 37,137 to the Brits, and The USAAF got 18,000 of the PACKARD built and modified V1650 Merlins mostly for the P51B/C & D/K H Mustangs, ALL the 2 stage 2 speed supercharged version and the USAAF's firs 3,000 of the PACKARD V1650-1 The early Merlin with the SINGLE stage supercharger, USAAF had no plane for them so they put them in 1300 P40 F & L models, but it made no difference in performance over the Allison !!!

  • @Dave5843-d9m
    @Dave5843-d9m Рік тому +1

    That two speed blower drive carries a huge amount of power. It indicates how epicyclic gears are so much better than the parallel shaft type used in today’s cars & trucks.

  • @TheBensonBadBoy
    @TheBensonBadBoy 5 місяців тому +3

    The museum is located in Kent, Washington. It is easy to get to from either I-5 or the 167. It is well worth your time to visit if you are ever in the area.

    • @stephenizzy1
      @stephenizzy1 Місяць тому

      Got me excited when I saw Kent, the read Washington 🙄, Living in a town in Kent England,,,, thinking how have I not heard about that 🤣

    • @TheBensonBadBoy
      @TheBensonBadBoy Місяць тому

      @@stephenizzy1 Kent is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area and had a population of 136,588 as of the 2020 census,[5] making it the 4th most populous municipality in greater Seattle and the 6th most populous in Washington state. The city is connected to Seattle, Bellevue and Tacoma via State Route 167 and Interstate 5, Sounder commuter rail, and commuter buses.
      Incorporated in 1890, Kent is the second-oldest incorporated city in the county, after the county seat of Seattle.[7] It is generally divided into three areas: West Hill (mixed residential and commercial along Interstate 5), Valley (primarily industrial and commercial with some medium-density residential; significant parkland along Green River), and East Hill (primarily residential with retail).
      In 1889 the town was renamed for the County of Kent, the major hops-producing region in England.
      Ezra Meeker suggested that it be named as Kent because it was "Hop Capitol of the West"

  • @Tom-Lahaye
    @Tom-Lahaye Рік тому +2

    The 1940s is when mechanical engineering reached its pinnacle, the power race in WW2 did bring us all those inventions which only 30-40 years later would reach the automobile we can buy from a dealership.
    It's only in the electronics where the further advancements have been made to give us the efficient and clean burning engines of today.
    It's even more amazing how well built the merlin was considering the numbers that were produced under less than ideal conditions, no shortcuts were taken to speed up production.
    It's nice to see this element of post war usage of those engines preserved.

  • @Arkay315
    @Arkay315 4 місяці тому +5

    Those aren't old junk, they are vintage beauties.

  • @jboyd427
    @jboyd427 Рік тому +2

    This video was super cool. Love all this engine stuff!!!

  • @Airsally
    @Airsally Рік тому +3

    Been though "vintage V-12's here in Tehachapi on a tour. Saw actual Miss Bud engines. Blocks and parts still painted red.
    Saw these boats racing at pudding stone resovoir back in the 60's what a sound!
    Beautiful design and machine work on every part.

  • @spencerd8
    @spencerd8 Рік тому +2

    This is so awesome. I’ve worked 2 blocks away from this place for 10 years. I have a buddy who volunteered there. I’ve always wanted to see inside. I never thought when I clicked on the video that it would be this place, I drive by here everyday. Boats and boat racing have a long history around the Puget Sound area, especially because Boeing is close by.

  • @tools6106
    @tools6106 Рік тому +3

    Living in Evansville IN I grew up watching these race, also drag and dirt racing. I am sad to say that without support people who want to race like me never get a chance. Those who do give me hope for the next generation! Keep rooting for the kids!

  • @CS_247
    @CS_247 Рік тому +2

    Fascinating!! Thank you SO much for going into this museum, and thank you to the very knowledgeable gentlemen who spent time to explain the engines and boats! Been a boat racer for all my life, and I was RIVETED. THANK YOU!

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +1

      Our pleasure! Hopefully you like our four wheeled racing history/tech videos too!

  • @patrickshaw8595
    @patrickshaw8595 Рік тому +3

    I was a shop assistant for Ed Pink, Keith Black, and E.J. Potter when they were building up Merlins, Allisons, Griffons and Pratt Whitney R2800s. E.J. Potter loved the "Double Allison" V-3420 for tractor pulling.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +2

      Ed pink built these engines?

    • @patrickshaw8595
      @patrickshaw8595 Рік тому +1

      @@Stapleton42 '64 to '72 yes he did. Two Reno champs won with them.

  • @bradrock7731
    @bradrock7731 Рік тому +2

    Thank you for this! I grew up in the Detroit area in the 50's & 60's & sure miss these boats!
    The races were a BIG deal back then. Still cool ,but not enough boats right now.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому

      The loss of piston engine sounds is a big difference. Turbines aren’t as fun to listen to

  • @richardgauthier2155
    @richardgauthier2155 Рік тому +3

    Thank you for covering the U boat history!

  • @Steeledawg
    @Steeledawg Рік тому +2

    I’m a retired Delta Airlines engine mechanic. I love these!

  • @jtyoung706
    @jtyoung706 Рік тому +7

    Dude those Merlins are absolute works of art. I dig the engine history vids more and more with each one you put out. Keep it up Mitch!

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому

      Glad you like them!

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 Рік тому +1

      jtyoung I bet the Merlin available in this country were the Versions made by PACKARD during the war !!! Did you know PACKARD made the Merlin, for the Brits and USAAF ????

  • @randallwoods
    @randallwoods Рік тому +1

    My father spent WW2 in the RCAF stationed at Biggin Hill as an aircraft mechanic working primarily on the Merlin engine. One evening while I was doing highschool homework at the kitchen table (1960's) he sat down beside me and drew a freehand schematic of the Merlin in my notebook. I was absolutely floored by the draughtsmanship and level of fine detail. When I commented on it he said that four years of working on them day and night had indelibly imprinted the details in his memory. The drawing insets showed finer detail.

  • @jesscurry1418
    @jesscurry1418 Рік тому +5

    I grew up racing Hydroplanes. It’s as fascinating as auto racing I’ll give it that there are things I’m still learning about. I was glad to see you do videos about it. Honestly you where probably the best person for it outside of hydroplane racing itself. If you get a chance check them out in your area I’m sure they have the smaller classes I.e. inboard and outboard hydros.
    Thanks again for the coverage and content.

  • @SteveLowe65
    @SteveLowe65 Рік тому +2

    Harley engines use that same rod design, but I'm not aware of automotive engines using it. Great vid, I love all this engine tech!

  • @FRANKCAMILLI
    @FRANKCAMILLI 9 місяців тому +3

    All our "performance parts" were around since the 1940's, roller rockers, the blower that looks like a turbo driven off the crank, NO2, Safety wire, looks like a hemi head, overhead cam, no new ideas guys. Props to the old school guys without computers, or a CNC, they had a slide rule and were brilliant engineers , amazing!

    • @tking7513
      @tking7513 4 місяці тому

      The Engineers and Machinists that designed and built the parts were absolutely HEROS!!

  • @ericmcrory4668
    @ericmcrory4668 Рік тому +1

    I've been to the museum you were in. Amazing history!

  • @pgb1858
    @pgb1858 Рік тому +29

    Great content Mitch, you took this one to a whole new level, thanks for sharing your experience with us!!👍

  • @Bunger428
    @Bunger428 Рік тому +1

    I was born in 67 , grew up on Kogarah bay ( Sydney Aust') . Fond memories of the big boys playing at St George Motor Boat Club / " Speed Boat Spectacular" . Boats like Bayswater Bulk and Shamrock bellowing sweet harmony would get me out in my little eight foot three HP boat for a front row seat .Its hard to explain to someone who is not an " Engine Guy "..... The sound is like an orgasm to my ears.
    I'd love to see you talk to Jack Roush about his P51 . ( Carefull though Once you have flown in one I'm sure you like me would say Merlins belong in the sky , aircraft guys tend to consider a Merlin in a boat Sacriligious)
    PS: I have a friend who has been struggling with the black dog for many years... when he is really low he goes out to his farm shed and fires up his Merlin and all is well in the world. better than any meds' he's ever tried.

  • @indycar101
    @indycar101 Рік тому +3

    Thanks! Stapleton24, You & your wife do a fantastic job presenting every video Stapleton puts out! Your ability to perduce or manufacture questions on the spot is outstanding! Your education and understanding show in everything you do!

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +1

      Thank you for being here for it!

  • @adamskinner5868
    @adamskinner5868 Рік тому +2

    Interesting stuff about a subject I knew very little about. Thanks for showing us.

  • @gmwillys
    @gmwillys Рік тому +3

    Fantastic! Thank you for the presentation of the history of boat racing. I've been to many airshows where you could hear the Allison's and Merlin's in flight, and have witnessed a couple of boat races. The sounds of those V12s working is an absolute treat. Thank you for your hard work in the presentation of the history of all forms of racing.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому +1

      Thanks man we appreciate you very much

  • @1950Bonanza
    @1950Bonanza Рік тому +1

    Lake Wa...I used to go watch the thunder boats in AUG always awesome...in the 80's

  • @telecasteroil
    @telecasteroil Рік тому +8

    I love this , great big engines and tech..
    Great job Mitchell….and Logan !

  • @johnrisher3007
    @johnrisher3007 11 місяців тому +1

    Those engines sound awesome

  • @hough495
    @hough495 Рік тому +3

    Roush Aviation would be a great interview. He has lots of stuff to keep Merlins alive.

  • @timarb5177
    @timarb5177 Рік тому +1

    I walked alongside and spoke with Bernie little in the pits of Las Vegas race on Lake Mead. The windy day when the final was cancelled. Guessing '86.

  • @deegan727
    @deegan727 Рік тому +4

    I knew of these engines but didn’t know them like I do now. After the last video on these I started looking into them more. There’s a pretty cool video about 30 minutes long posted 9 years ago. It was video of them designing it, prototyping, machining, building from back when it was happening.

  • @timfeeley714-25
    @timfeeley714-25 Рік тому +2

    When I was a kid they used to race hydroplanes on Seattle's Green Lake for three weeks every summer the pits were open, and you could walk thru them and get free stickers and such, that's what got me into hydro racing, it was an absolute thrill for a ten-year-old kid! Sadly, it was ended in 1984.

  • @BrianStDenis-pj1tq
    @BrianStDenis-pj1tq Рік тому +3

    Excellent video. Really liked the explanation of the turbine engine and the props.

  • @charlescastell4638
    @charlescastell4638 Рік тому +2

    Quality of the machining: realized by very skilled machinists, a generation gone by. We'll not see the like again...

  • @Sc50001
    @Sc50001 11 місяців тому +3

    I was a Rolls Royce and Bentley engineer in London and was luck enough to get to rebuild a miniature version of this engine for a phantom 3.

  • @stevepoythress4678
    @stevepoythress4678 Рік тому +2

    This is awesome - guys that race boats are another breed, the fatality rate was so high = brass balls.

  • @user-pq9pp9tm8i
    @user-pq9pp9tm8i Рік тому +4

    I've been looking forward to this one!!! Thank you !

  • @kentonian
    @kentonian Рік тому +1

    Learnt a lot from this video, thanks to you and the chap sharing so much.

  • @LaLaLand.Germany
    @LaLaLand.Germany Рік тому +3

    I love these old nerds! They are so kindly taking You (us) thru the details... Very neat.

    • @Stapleton42
      @Stapleton42  Рік тому

      Nerds of racing are the best guys to know

  • @Shnick
    @Shnick Рік тому +1

    Seeing all the RC 1/8 scale models sitting around makes me smile.
    I ran a Miss Circus Circus hydro in the 2000’s and had a blast with it.

  • @jenniferwhitewolf3784
    @jenniferwhitewolf3784 Рік тому +6

    Absolutely incredible!!! The interviews and education you are doing is fantastic.

  • @omfgbobsaget
    @omfgbobsaget Рік тому +2

    it takes a wizard to work on a merlin, these guys are wild.

  • @lawrencerenew8668
    @lawrencerenew8668 Рік тому +7

    Super badass. Love it. Start up is to die for. Earth shattering. ❤️🇺🇸

  • @darrenjohnson9019
    @darrenjohnson9019 Рік тому +2

    Use to love the sound of these engines running on the Columbia in the Tri Cities in the 60-70s.

  • @zachduncan6421
    @zachduncan6421 Рік тому +3

    Awesome video