During his operational service with 419 Squadron, dad flew Lancaster X aircraft with both the Packard Merlin 38 and Packard Merlin 224 Engines. The following aircraft had the Packard Merlin 38 engines: KB.712, KB.721, KB.722, KB.738, KB.754, KB.762. The following aircraft had the Packard Merlin 224 engines: KB.779, KB.804, KB.839, KB.865. KB.772 "R" Ropey had the Merlin 38 engines as photos of this aircraft show engines with "Tooth-pick" props. The Merlin 224 aircraft had paddle-blade props. The aircraft movement cards indicate that KB.776 was the first of the Lancaster X's fitted with the Merlin 224 engines:
lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/KB756-KB827/mobile/index.html
In his audio memoirs, dad's comments WRT KB.779: "At this time, I was flying "B"-Baker [KB.779] and it was a very good aeroplane, it was a very FAST aeroplane, the first "B"-Baker. I was very pleased to be on it. We had a lot of fun." He flew 7 operations on this aircraft. This aircraft was shot down on December 6, 1944 on a raid to Osnabruck when dad was away on leave. He then flew a series of operations on KB.721, KB.762 and KB.733 and he was not happy with any of these aircraft. To Dresden, on KB.721 "And "B"-Baker was a pretty clapped-out old aeroplane, so we were a little bit concerned about it… and it ended up by the time we got back we had feathered and unfeathered all four engines. It was terrible." His logbook records "All engines gave trouble". To Dortmund, February 20/21, 1945: "We didn't do much until the 20th of February, when we went to Dortmund. It was to be our 21st trip and I notice I was in "J"-Jigg [KB.762] and it was a very poor aeroplane…" and recorded in his logbook "Poor A/C." To Duisburg, February 21/22, 1945: "The next night we were off to Duisburg in old "G"-George [KB.733] and it was a lousy aeroplane. Again, [a] terrible time with feathering and restarting and feathering and restarting engines…" recorded in his logbook, "Bags of engine trouble." There are no recorded issues with any of the aircraft fitted with the Merlin 224 engines. And, how can an aircraft with an operational service of ~9 months or less be a "clapped out old aircraft"?
So, are these troubles due to a) less reliable Packard Merlin 38 engines, or b) age of the engines, c) dad bitching about being assigned an older a/c? Can anyone comment on the specific differences of these two engine types, aside from the 224 units being of higher horsepower (1680) as compared to 1400 HP in the 38's. Were there specific differences in the carburetors or supercharger units that might account for the differences in reliability?
I have photos of KB.712, KB.721, KB.722, KB.762 KB.839 (which I have seen at Greenwood NS) and KB.865. I am still looking for a photo of KB.779.
Below: Top KB.865 E-Easy, probably March 1945, Below KB.721 B-Baker, date unknown, both from the HHM Cave Photo collection.
Jim
lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/KB756-KB827/mobile/index.html
In his audio memoirs, dad's comments WRT KB.779: "At this time, I was flying "B"-Baker [KB.779] and it was a very good aeroplane, it was a very FAST aeroplane, the first "B"-Baker. I was very pleased to be on it. We had a lot of fun." He flew 7 operations on this aircraft. This aircraft was shot down on December 6, 1944 on a raid to Osnabruck when dad was away on leave. He then flew a series of operations on KB.721, KB.762 and KB.733 and he was not happy with any of these aircraft. To Dresden, on KB.721 "And "B"-Baker was a pretty clapped-out old aeroplane, so we were a little bit concerned about it… and it ended up by the time we got back we had feathered and unfeathered all four engines. It was terrible." His logbook records "All engines gave trouble". To Dortmund, February 20/21, 1945: "We didn't do much until the 20th of February, when we went to Dortmund. It was to be our 21st trip and I notice I was in "J"-Jigg [KB.762] and it was a very poor aeroplane…" and recorded in his logbook "Poor A/C." To Duisburg, February 21/22, 1945: "The next night we were off to Duisburg in old "G"-George [KB.733] and it was a lousy aeroplane. Again, [a] terrible time with feathering and restarting and feathering and restarting engines…" recorded in his logbook, "Bags of engine trouble." There are no recorded issues with any of the aircraft fitted with the Merlin 224 engines. And, how can an aircraft with an operational service of ~9 months or less be a "clapped out old aircraft"?
So, are these troubles due to a) less reliable Packard Merlin 38 engines, or b) age of the engines, c) dad bitching about being assigned an older a/c? Can anyone comment on the specific differences of these two engine types, aside from the 224 units being of higher horsepower (1680) as compared to 1400 HP in the 38's. Were there specific differences in the carburetors or supercharger units that might account for the differences in reliability?
I have photos of KB.712, KB.721, KB.722, KB.762 KB.839 (which I have seen at Greenwood NS) and KB.865. I am still looking for a photo of KB.779.
Below: Top KB.865 E-Easy, probably March 1945, Below KB.721 B-Baker, date unknown, both from the HHM Cave Photo collection.
Jim
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