Richard Todd and The Dambusters

[Dangerousdave]

Hi ya everyone, just thought I would let you know that on June 4th at 7pm there is a showing of the original film with Richard Todd playing Guy Gibson VC in a cinema in Newark-on-Tent.

Richard lives near to Newark and it he is scheduled to attend.
Anyone going?

[Saracenman]

i wonder if they'll censor out Nigger's name as they do when it's shown on TV?

must admit - i bet the film's 100 times better on the large screen

sm

[Mayfly]

oooooo would like to go

[Dangerousdave]

If anyone is definately coming, let me know and I'll see if we can book a load in one go. Hey Mrs T, bring hubby along cos I haven't seen him for ages.

I cant wait to see it on the big screen I bet it is brilliant.

[Pujgnie]

<<< in gravelly voice mode.....

Comming to a cinema near you... the true story of courage............ daring........ and defying.... all the odds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3tF-iLP8Oo

On a serious note, love that film. Alway watch it when it's on TV.

[RLN]

One of my favourite films. I remember going to see it as a kid at the local cinema. Marvellous Merlin noises.

[Dan4th]

Ahem:::::::

PACKARD Merlin, I believe....

Danf.

[RLN]

Ahem

Under licence

Roughly 300 had the Bristol Hercules engine, and the Canadian-built had the Packard Merlins

[Dan4th]

Yeahbut........

Dambusters were Packard....

Don't get me started, cuz you'll be SORRRREEEEEE!!!!!!!

Danf.

[RLN]

Lanc B111 had packard merlins built under licence. I did say originally "nice Merlin noises". This is a film we are talking about. What the Lanc was powered by on the raid, and what they used in the film - well, ask Hollywood how true it was that the Yanks got Enigma first etc.etc. ad infinitum.

[Dangerousdave]

Anyway...............back to the original post..............anyone want to come? So long as I dont have to sit on the back row with any strange men!

[Mayfly]

afraid I won't know till much nearer the time but will make a note of the date

[Dangerousdave]

ok Mrs T!

[Dan4th]

The fact remains that the Merlin as it was when
Packard got its grubby paws on it was a cottage-
built engine. Packard made it mass-produceable
and made themselves almost 56,000 of them.
Even RR doubted the Merlin could be made in
quantity. Ease of service and extended engine
life resulted from the use of precision-built,
off-the-shelf interchangeable parts which PMCC
made possible.

Packard also did much if not most of the R and D
on the engine, particularly in the supercharging
and "bottom end" development. This R and D was
freely given to RR by Packard at no charge and was
freely used by RR because it was good. Packard even
gave the latest in machine tools to RR to assist.

As I've stated in the past, it has to be said that Packard
didn't have BOMBS falling on them. I also have to say
that the Merlin design was brilliant. BUT the contribution
of Packard to the perfection of that engine has been
minimized, ignored and largely forgotten. This isn't
simply the engines built by Packard, either, but the RR
built engines that incorporated Packard's improvements.

Packard was a willing, able and enthusiastic collaborator
who has never received adequate credit for what they
did back in those days.

I am PROUD that the Dambuster Lancs were Packard Powered!!!!!!!

Dan4th

[Saracenman]

me too!

i have to agree Danf - the Merlin that we Limies love so much wasn't a RR thoroughbred by any means, but a perfect RR/Packard 'mongrel' with the best input from BOTH sides of the pond!

I'm certain that, had Packard NOT engineered mass-production of Merlin, the majority of those aeroplanes that we fondly remember to be powered by them, would've been powered by something else! RR simply didn't have the wherewithal to produce Merlins in the required quantities.

it's exactly the same story with the tank version of the Merlin, the RR Meteor - so vital to our tank production toward the end of the war with the likes of Cromwell/Comet, and latterly the Centurion. the Meteor was actually DEVELOPED from the Merlin, not by RR themselves, but by Rover!

so, in actual fact, ALL Meteor tank engines were Rover Meteors, no RR employee ever laid a finger on them!

sm

[Dangerousdave]

I'm sorry, have i just logged on the the local anorak association website?

[Saracenman]

anoraks worn with pride when it comes to talking about aero-engines!

sm

[RLN]

Ok I'll give you that Dan4th - my view came from predjudice and ignorance of the facts. However, a Merlin is a Merlin, doesn't matter where or by whom it is made.

[Dan4th]

That's okay, Martyn, the whole RR/Packard/Merlin
thing has been a hobby horse of mine for years.
My tiny little voice isn't going to change perceptions
much if at all. It's just that I see this great, big "WE"
thing in there that represents the best of Brit/Murkin
fellowship.

Did You Know: Post-war, RR had been so impressed by
Packard's capabilities and attitude that they approached
them with an eye to doing more joint cooperative ventures
in marine/aeronautical/automotive areas?

VERY UNFORTUNATELY, Packard's answer was to politely
decline. I often wonder what the outcome might have been
had they built further on that wartime partnership!

Dan4th

[RLN]

It would have been something good, no doubt.