In 1904, the British luxury car company, Rolls-Royce Limited, was founded, and at the beginning of the First World War, it started manufacturing aero-engines. The development of aviation in that period gave the company the opportunity to continue producing aero engines even after the end of the Great War. During WWII their engines, such as this 27-L V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin, powered some of the most famous aircraft including the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Mustang. Now, it is for sale.

These engines were also produced in the USA under license, and more than 58,000 of them came out of the plants of Packard Motor Car Company and Continental Aircraft. Many were exported to England, while the rest were used for versions of the American Curtiss P-40 aircraft and most versions of the P51 aircraft. This version of the Packard Merlin engine powered various models of the North American F-6 and P-51 Mustang aircraft.

The Rolls-Royce Merlin engine left the Hillingdon factory near Glasgow in 1949 and was reassembled only a few years ago so it is in excellent condition. With around 1,800 hp (1,300 kW), it was developed for high-altitude operations where engine noise was not important. It was reliable so it was also used in armored tanks and MTB patrol boats.

It will be auctioned on Saturday 24th August, 2024 at 11.00am BST at The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, NN12 8TN. Estimated value of the engine is £40,000 – £50,000.

Source: Iconic Auctioneers

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