History Video: The Inside Story of the Packard Merlin

You've seen the Detroit Packard plant in ruins. Now see it in its finest hour: Building Merlin aircraft engines to win World War II. This fantastic old newsreel film provides a rarae glimpse - don't miss this!


Video: The Packard Merlin Story | Mac's Motor City Garage.com

 

too cool

 

I see that the city received payment on the purchase of the Packard plant. That should be interesting to see progress, if nothing else.

Pretty good little video. Glad to see they mention and show my Liberty based 299 racing engine (engine #1). Packard kept 299 engine #1 in their showroom area until they went out of business. Here is the engine today.-Jim

 

U.S.A.F Museum , Dayton Ohio.

 

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you for an important piece of our history with us.
Later,
Dick

 

That was very interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

Good newsreel, thanks for posting.

 

Outstanding, thank you.

 

Back when America was great. Sad what we have become.

 

It's staggering to see what we used to be able to do. Today, if we had another Pearl Harbor attack, we would pretty much have a nation of people who could text each other about it.

Oh well, I showed the video to my father who served in the Navy in WWII and he certainly enjoyed it so thanks.

 

that was great.

 

Can't wait to show the film to my dad.

 

Great views of the exterior of the plant at around the 10:00 mark.

 

RAMBLUR, just told me about this video today, as we were looking over a Packard V-12 carcass, from a '39 5 window coupe.

Truly amazing film. They were at the top of their game, back then.
So what the hell happened??? Did the Jet-Age, eat them for lunch??
The technology, within those walls, was state of the art for the day.

JT

 

Thanks for the great video and history lesson.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Sent this video, to a my former shop foreman. He said, Detroit was referred to as the "Arsenal of Democracy".
Really crazy how the city comes alive once a year, for the Woodward dream Cruise, with everyone celebrating Detroit iron and almost living in denial about the state of affairs around them. UGH!!

At least those of us, on this here crazy message board, does it's part to salvage and restore the products they created.

JT

 

There's a great new book called Arsenal of Democracy by Charles Hyde about the auto industry in WWII. Well worth the read.

 

Interesting, Just want to say i'm new. Thanks

 

Here is a very similar sort of newsreel about the Ford bomber plant at Willow Run, which later became Kaiser and then GM Hydramatic...

http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/12/24/video-inside-the-ford-willow-run-bomber-plant/



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Cool video, I have 4 packard cars and the engines are phenomanol. We as a nation were awesome and now.......... well lets just say this countries best days are in the rear view mirror. Thanks for the memories.

 

I want to believe our best days are not behind us but I understand the view, for sure.

 

very good video really enjoyed that ,thanks for posting

 

Not to belittle the Packard Merlin,but the Allison V12 was a pretty good engine also. In the early 60s I worked at Pratt and Whitney at the experimental test stand located at Bradley Field CT. Ours was modified to turn a large blower to create a crosswind at the inlet to what ever model Turbine we were testing at the time. When that v12 was humming on all cylinders what a wonderful sound it made even through earmuffs. It had short pipes about 16 inches long and they would glow red during the day and white hot at night. I imagine the Merlin was even sweeter and I'm sure the pilots could hear the sound and know that good ol american pride helped win the war. Ralphie

 

The Allison was a very good engine with some interesting advantages over the Merlin, including lower component count, manufacturing cost, and longer service life. The Merlins used in unlimited air racing often run Allison rods.

However, the Allison was hurt by politics in two key ways -- the Navy's decision to concentrate on air-cooled radials, and due to strategic shortages, the Allison lacked a high-altitude blower.

 

More education of our past as usual. Thanks Bill. Unfortunately, I agree with those who believe our best days are behind us....unless a majority of us realize the path we on on to the future.

 

Things are different today, we can sure agree about that.

 

This is sort of mind-blowing: A 1/5 scale miniature of the Merlin that runs beautifully. The skill and patience of these craftsmen never cease to amaze me.


http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2014/01/08/video-15-scale-model-merlin-engine/


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The Packard Merlin addition under construction in 1940. Sill in decent shape today.

 

This is the marine engine building on East Grand Boulevard, across the Michigan Central railroard tracks from the main complex. Still in fair shape today.