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Aero Engine - Rolls-Royce Merlin 46, Supermarine Spitfire Vc, 1942
Reg. No: ST 024155
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- Summary:
- This Mark 46 Merlin engine (serial no. 91315) was installed in Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc BS181 in July 1942 after manufacture at Derby and shipped to Australia. On 12 November 1942 this aircraft was delivered to No. 54 Squadron RAF. At this time the Squadron was working up at Richmond, NSW in preparation for operational deployment in defence of the Darwin area as part of No. 1 Fighter Wing which also included Nos 452 & 457 Squadrons RAAF. The Wing deployed to the Darwin area in February 1943 with 54 Squadron based at Darwin airfield. BS181 was usually flown by Flight Lieutenant John Lenegan who had painted the name 'Yvonne' on the port engine cowling. On 6 February 1943 BS181 was flown by Flight Lieutenant Bob Foster whose usual aircraft was unserviceable when he and wingman Flight Sergeant Mahoney intercepted a Japanese Army Air Force Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah reconnaissance aircraft. The Dinah which was operating with the 70th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai was shot down over the sea becoming the first Japanese aircraft brought down by the the Wing over Northern Australia and the first enemy aircraft shot down by a Spitfire pilot over Australia..
On 10 June 1943 BS181 was flown by Flying Officer John Lenegan when he made a forced landing at Millingimbi after experiencing total engine failure with a connecting rod through the crankcase. The Merlin was removed and sent to No. 7 Repair & Salvage Unit (7RSU) for repair following which it was allocated to 452 Squadron RAAF. The engine was installed in Spitfire Mk Vc A58-97 (BS236) on 13 October 1943. Following overhaul in January 1944 ( A58-97 had been noted as having "poor performance"), this aircraft was issued to 457 Squadron in March 1944.
By this time the Spitfire Mk Vc had been withdrawn from front line operations with the RAAF and replaced with the Mk VIII. In October 1944 Merlin 91315 was installed in Spitfire Mk Vc A58-253 serving with 2 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Mildura, Victoria. The aircraft was then taken on charge with 8 OTU at Parkes, NSW, completing a ferry flight to Parkes from Mildura on 28 October 1944. The engine was removed in January 1945 and overhauled by No. 1 Air Depot (1AD) at Laverton before returning to Parkes and being fitted to Spitfire Mk Vc A58-47 in April 1945. A58-47 was being repaired following a wheels-up landing at Parkes on 29 March 1945. It was removed from this aircraft in early September 1945 and returned to store at 1 AD in unserviceable condition with excess oil blowing back through the breather. It was apparently not repaired and was issued to the Museum in 1946 with 365.55 total running hours recorded. - Acquisition Information:
- Donation from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), 1946
| Discipline: | Technology |
| Dimensions: | 1590 mm (Height), 990 mm (Width), 1950 mm (Length) |
More information
| Tagged with: | aero engines, fighters, internal combustion engines, military aircraft components, wars conflicts, spitfire |
| Themes this item is part of: | Rolls-Royce Merlin Aero Engine, Engineering Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection, Transport Collection |
| Primary Classification: | AIR TRANSPORT |
| Secondary Classification: | Aero Engines |
| Tertiary Classification: | reciprocating propeller engines |
| Manufacturer: | Rolls Royce Ltd, England, Great Britain, 1942 |
| User: | Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, pre 1946 |
| References: | FRED WOODGATE, "THE LIONS AND THE SWANS", A HISTORY OF 54 SQUADRON. |
| Bibliography: |
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