Ivor Ramsden Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 I found this in a scrapyard in Malta whilst hunting for aircraft bits. Could it be from an MTB? I don't know owt about boats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 It would appear to be a Packard Merlin engine and they were fitted to Motor Torpedo Boats and Rescue boats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 It would appear to be a Packard Merlin engine and they were fitted to Motor Torpedo Boats and Rescue boats. And apparently one is in the BBMF Lancaster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 And countless P51 Mustangs!!!:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Ask the nice man if it still has warranty on it if you buy it :nut: :cool2: R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 It's a Packard but it is not a Merlin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 looks like a 4M2500 W8 as fitted to Elco and Higgins pt boats although only half seems to be visible -I don't think they made a half engine version:-D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 looks like a 4M2500 W8 as fitted to Elco and Higgins pt boats although only half seems to be visible -I don't think they made a half engine version:-D. The other half was buried. If it had been a Morris engine I'd have unearthed it with my bare hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 It would take more than bare hands to lift that lump out:-) wonder how it got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris c8 fat Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Dont kmow about that but im bidding on the morris engine on Evil bay hope its beter than the last one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 It would take more than bare hands to lift that lump out:-) wonder how it got there. Quite a lot of PT boats were used in the Med, I assume it probably came from one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 I was thinking that most british P/T boats would be types like Thornycofts (hopefully with British motors) I wouldn't have thought many US types such as Elcos and Higgins would be around- did the British/French receive any by Lend Lease I suppose it is possible PTGB could have been around as landing craft control vessels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 It could be from a RAF rescue boat, some of them were powered by Packard marine engines (not Merlin design). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 I was thinking that most british P/T boats would be types like Thornycofts (hopefully with British motors) I wouldn't have thought many US types such as Elcos and Higgins would be around- did the British/French receive any by Lend Lease I suppose it is possible PTGB could have been around as landing craft control vessels. The British did receive both Elco and Higgins boats under lend lease but the Americans also operated PT boats in the Med under command of British Coastal Forces. Vosper designed boats were also built in America for the British and these would also have been fitted with Packard engines. The majority of the Elco's would have utilised the Merlin derived Packard as would the Vospers but some early experimental Elco's and Higgins were supplied and they may have been fitted with a different Packard engine but this is only supposition as the book I have consulted is not definitive on the early boats. We really need CW and his expertise on this subject. I think perhaps Richard's idea on the RAF launches might be the answer to the origin of this engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 My mate's dad served on MTB 408 in Malta. It was an American-built 72 foot Vosper vessel, built as PT-396 and fitted with Packards. MTB408 is 3rd left in this photo taken in 1945 in Malta. It ended its days with the Italian Navy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris c8 fat Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 By the way went to see the engin today its post war spins freely and has lots of bits but i cant take on the work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scobello Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 On 7/9/2010 at 9:02 AM, Ivor Ramsden said: My mate's dad served on MTB 408 in Malta. It was an American-built 72 foot Vosper vessel, built as PT-396 and fitted with Packards. MTB408 is 3rd left in this photo taken in 1945 in Malta. It ended its days with the Italian Navy. Interesting picture, my grandfathers boat was MTB 410 - cant see his boat number in the picture, but I assume its the same flotilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scobello Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Found a picture of my grandfathers boat mtb 410 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scobello Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Might be worth a read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1950 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 If it is a Packard V12 4m-2500 which it looks like, it is a 41.8 ltr beast. Packard Merlins V12s V-1650 engines were 27Ltr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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