The 2000 hp Griffons replaced the 1000+ Merlins in Spitfire fighters (not "bomber") from the Mk 9 onward. Using them for sled pulls etc seems a terrible waste of an engine that could be used for aircraft restoration projects.....
I'm not knocking anyone's hobby or anything, but this just seems pointless to me, spending a fortune on a glorified tractor to drag a dead weight a couple of yards across a field. I suppose you had to be there.
I don't see what is wrong with this. If anything, this is how purpose built dragsters started. WWII veterans started it, they took old airplane engines left over from the war and put them on truck chassis.
Younger people don't care about engines from the past.. So if you blow one up its probably only a loss for the people that enjoy them now. i wouldn't worry too much about saving stuff for the next generation..
Is that why so many car manufacturers are bringing back their old models? VW Beetle, Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Fiat 500, Mini Cooper, Mercedes SLS (aka Gull-wing)...
They are making them for the Baby Boomers. It makes perfect sence. Either they had one back then and want to re-live that part of there life or they couldn't afford it at that time,but now they can since most are retired,kids are gone,house is payed for,etc. Sure you'll get the younger people liking them too,but when it comes to restoring old cars,engines or whatever there really isn't an intrest. Too much work and too much to learn. If it isn't a video game they don't care.
lol, dude, I rarely see a "baby boomer" buy a Mustang GT or Camaro. It's always some young speed freak (including myself 20 years old, owning a Z28). 300C buyers are thugs with tattoos on their faces, and Challenger attracts guys in their 30s and 40s. And the Beetle? That was a huge seller, and most of the buyers were either teenagers or in their early 20s.
Actually most people start with old engines because they're simpler to learn, then they go to newer more advanced engines.
Evil tractor pullers? Ya people do built these engines into pulling engines. But how many people rebuild them over and over as pullers? They probably know more about this engine than most. They can do what they want, I pull diesel's. Do you think I will stop cause someone wants a 998 E-9 Mack in a museum. I'll laugh and do it anyway.
yeah personally I don't like to see these engines used for this purpose I would much rather see it restored in the plane it came from, but you are right in the sense that seeing it here is far better then seeing it be scrapped for cash
Well i have one question for you though. Where the hell can you buy a Griffon engine? I mean you go to the "griffon shop" and buy one? (i suppose not) or break into a plane museum? Please somebody...i'm very curious.
i believe it was the MK9 spitfire that first received the griffon engine, the merlin was 27 litre and the griffon was 37, the griffon with 2 stage supercharger was a BIG surprise for the germans in WW2 because they used to fly higher and rain down on the spitfires until one day the spitfires with 2 stage superchargers weere waiting even higher and wiped out squadron after squadron
Why an insult? Sure it's better to see these engines used. They will never be used in aviation again. Tractor pulling is a way of keeping these engines in use/public introduction. I'd never heared of a griffon until I went tractor pulling. Now I'm hooked to the 'griffon world'.
They are being used in aviation restorations now and can be kept for future restorations. Tractor pulling overheats and over stresses the engines until they blow to bits. And any that survive that torture are ruined for any aviation use afterwards. That's NOT preservation for the benefit of the public or future generations. It's wasteful destruction.
benefit the public in what way? to dump loads of money into it, restore it, put it in the museum, and then fly with new age engines? where is the benefit?
Fly with 'new age engines'? If you mean new engines, there aren't any new ones. Putting it in the care of a museum (even if its non-airworthy) is better than thrashing it to destruction.
by "new age" i mean the jet engine, which i know isnt all that new, but at least use the damn thing instead of leaving it in a museum, im not saying go out and thrashing it to destruction either, a lot of these engines actually do survive with these tractors, if they knew they would destroy something that old quickly, with not all that many left out there, do you honestly think they would bother putting money into it to make it work and destroy it? they are beefed up and made to conform to work
He didnt do much work to that motor probably other then put a bigger style of fuel intake on it because its burning unused fuel in the headers thats why theres so much flame he should lower the fuel consumption and have it dynoed and set into the sweet spot for that motor before he causes excessive heat damage to the exhaust side of that motor
If it is running rich, burning unused fuel in the zoomies, then it is running cooler than it will if you lean it out to the 'sweet spot'. In competition we add fuel to cool an engine, sometimes that is a better plan than going all-out for hp.
it just goes to prove that even now,60 odd years on this engine has the guts, could probley find better ways to show off the power of history though, instead of frying it.why cant some one replicate the spitfire / mosquito and stick the engine back in its designed home
well ok it wasnt used in the mosquito,it had merlin 65s, but imagine if it had! with the five blade rotel props off the spitfire mk9, that thing would have been nie imposble to catch!
The Mk9 Spitfire had the Merlin 61, with a four-bladed propellor. The first operational Griffon-powered Spitfire was the Mk12, although a one-off Mk 4 was earlier used as a test bed for the Griffon.
It wasn't used in the Mosquito, but several "new build" Mosquito airplanes are being done right now. A new era in old warplanes is replicas, but it's presently too expensive to make new engines. There is a dwindling supply of engines and to see them over-stressed and blown to bits in tractor pulling is sickening. The pullers cannot be totally ignorant of the value and history being destroyed. It's stupid.
Tractor pulling regulations dictate an overall weight for the pulling tractor in each class, so therefore lighter weight engine combinations are nescessary. The regulations also dictate the maximum rear tire size that can be used.
well, I think it all depends on how you look at these things. In my opinion I think this tractor pull is cool but yeah they could never replace this engine cause Rolls Royce will never make another one and true they were never meant for this kind of stress
There are so many other ways to get a powerful engine to your tractor,I think it isn't one.Tractor pulling is a good fun,but not like this.Like you wrote before Rolls Royce will never make another Griffon engine,and these are the keywords right now.Get a 1000 hp rotary engine,jet engine,supercharged V8 or whatever,but save these amazing,beautiful and most importantly historical engines!
I know that but I stated that because it is once again how you view things. I personally am neutral on this, but for you, you don't like this probably because you're probably an aviation nut and of course you'll see this as a waste because it's a historic bomber engine they used. I do think tractor pulls are cool though when they strap ungodly large engines to machines that tow like nothing else, but yes there are alternatives but a 27 liter V12 is still an awesome engine to use
Not for much longer when you use it in a manner beyond its design limits. The engine core will have a long life in normal use, but to over stress it in this sport will ruin it or blow it up. One more gone and they aren't making any new ones. A waste of aviation history and it's stupid to think they're plentiful
They were plentiful in the 1960s when the boat racers destroyed them by the hundreds. The tractor pullers are destroying the remaining ones they can find. They aren't wasted if they aren't being used. They can used for new airplane restorations that are still being planned.
You should hear this engine passing over you in a spitifre mark 19, sounds so powerful! No wonder the Germans were frightened when they heard it
Joeaviation1712 7 months ago
The 2000 hp Griffons replaced the 1000+ Merlins in Spitfire fighters (not "bomber") from the Mk 9 onward. Using them for sled pulls etc seems a terrible waste of an engine that could be used for aircraft restoration projects.....
tim60s321 8 months ago
Griffins were in active service in Shackleton aircraft until 1990
spentacle 8 months ago
That would be an engine that is 60-70 years old today.
Why can't we super-engineer shit like that today? gotta be cheap Chinese crap.
Hiei2k7 1 year ago
This engine was probably heading for the scrap pile anyway...these guys reincarnated it for a while... GO GRIFFIN
Xperience76aX 1 year ago
Fantastic! The Good Old Griffon V12 !
AllianceB95 1 year ago
I'm not knocking anyone's hobby or anything, but this just seems pointless to me, spending a fortune on a glorified tractor to drag a dead weight a couple of yards across a field. I suppose you had to be there.
mrspivvy 2 years ago
@mrspivvy Anything that takes technology to it's present limits, induces evolution. this sport does it just fine.
nandoanalog 1 year ago
shame the great spitfire motor is reduced to pulling a sled in muddy field.
wraith01mg 2 years ago
I don't see what is wrong with this. If anything, this is how purpose built dragsters started. WWII veterans started it, they took old airplane engines left over from the war and put them on truck chassis.
suburbanator91 2 years ago
Younger people don't care about engines from the past.. So if you blow one up its probably only a loss for the people that enjoy them now. i wouldn't worry too much about saving stuff for the next generation..
Jason1Pa 2 years ago
Is that why so many car manufacturers are bringing back their old models? VW Beetle, Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Fiat 500, Mini Cooper, Mercedes SLS (aka Gull-wing)...
All of which are very popular amongst youth.
wildbloodydragon 2 years ago
They are making them for the Baby Boomers. It makes perfect sence. Either they had one back then and want to re-live that part of there life or they couldn't afford it at that time,but now they can since most are retired,kids are gone,house is payed for,etc. Sure you'll get the younger people liking them too,but when it comes to restoring old cars,engines or whatever there really isn't an intrest. Too much work and too much to learn. If it isn't a video game they don't care.
Jason1Pa 2 years ago
lol, dude, I rarely see a "baby boomer" buy a Mustang GT or Camaro. It's always some young speed freak (including myself 20 years old, owning a Z28). 300C buyers are thugs with tattoos on their faces, and Challenger attracts guys in their 30s and 40s. And the Beetle? That was a huge seller, and most of the buyers were either teenagers or in their early 20s.
Actually most people start with old engines because they're simpler to learn, then they go to newer more advanced engines.
wildbloodydragon 2 years ago
I beg to differ,I am 26 and I love the sight and sound of these old beasts.And so would my 11year old nephew.
But then again you may be the kind of person who instead of learning from history prefer to touch the hot plate over and over again?
waffe
liftwaffe 2 years ago
Evil tractor pullers? Ya people do built these engines into pulling engines. But how many people rebuild them over and over as pullers? They probably know more about this engine than most. They can do what they want, I pull diesel's. Do you think I will stop cause someone wants a 998 E-9 Mack in a museum. I'll laugh and do it anyway.
outalinecowboy 2 years ago
You should buy them all up and keep them out of the hands of evil tractor pullers and others that don't appreciate them.
buellm21200 2 years ago
What a waste of a engine.
moose64 3 years ago 4
Awesome mean machine!!!
Tsoukka94 3 years ago 4
This has been flagged as spam show
oh hell yeah!
JAROSLAVAGINA 3 years ago
serious noise..exellent
thebirdman666 3 years ago
The Spitfire was not a bomber, It was a fighter-bomber but used like a fighter.
Stover36 3 years ago
right, you get them from airplane scrap yards, "bone yards" etc. good that they go to use this way instead of getting scrapped at least :)
GoldsLifter 3 years ago
yeah personally I don't like to see these engines used for this purpose I would much rather see it restored in the plane it came from, but you are right in the sense that seeing it here is far better then seeing it be scrapped for cash
cumminsturbofan101 3 years ago 4
fucking BEaaaSSST
joehm23 3 years ago
Well i have one question for you though. Where the hell can you buy a Griffon engine? I mean you go to the "griffon shop" and buy one? (i suppose not) or break into a plane museum? Please somebody...i'm very curious.
kicsirepi46 3 years ago
aeroplane bone yards. and yep, they exsist
ausdublin 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
sounded crap
brazzr 3 years ago
37 LITER V12?!
MustangMarck 3 years ago
Spitfire engine...
Fatsigeaap 3 years ago
I was under the immpression that this was the motor from another british plane, I think the Merlin was used in the Spitfire and Mustang
orbitofdoom16 3 years ago
i believe it was the MK9 spitfire that first received the griffon engine, the merlin was 27 litre and the griffon was 37, the griffon with 2 stage supercharger was a BIG surprise for the germans in WW2 because they used to fly higher and rain down on the spitfires until one day the spitfires with 2 stage superchargers weere waiting even higher and wiped out squadron after squadron
Chromatix 3 years ago
thx for the polite correction, I really know nothing about British planes, Only the Americans, particurally the ones flown by the Marines!!!!
orbitofdoom16 3 years ago
die muß man in echt gehört haben.dasist was für die ohren
Greenfighter67 3 years ago
it was one of the best bombers made
skodas 3 years ago
Great sound!;o)
BigBossen36 3 years ago
Those Griffin Engines where used in late mark Spitfires like the MK.XIVe and up.
Cipher100 3 years ago
for about six months now ive been hoping to someday build a car around a griffon 101.
byronicusmagnus 3 years ago
Aren't they supposed to be blue flames?
rednecksinspace 3 years ago
depends on the fuel. holy shit there goes alot of fuel into that, it fucking creates a flame at one point.
goreziad 3 years ago
I was there |..|
1250lssoncc 3 years ago
Sweet sounds 8)
Sevensixtytwo 3 years ago
8)real nice
mercedesclkgtr 3 years ago
You 'n me both :\
produKtNZ 3 years ago
At least its still being used and not scrapped with the rest of the plane i suppose...
mickeymoose76 3 years ago
SILVER SPIRIT .. LOVE IT!
clusterc 4 years ago
Den ska få nytt tändsystem nu i vår så vi får se om den kommer att gå ännu bättre sen!
Jobergg 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
biggest fuckin insult I ever seen
wk2315a 4 years ago
"insult" whys that?
mickeymoose76 3 years ago
Why an insult? Sure it's better to see these engines used. They will never be used in aviation again. Tractor pulling is a way of keeping these engines in use/public introduction. I'd never heared of a griffon until I went tractor pulling. Now I'm hooked to the 'griffon world'.
griffon58 3 years ago
your probably right, I was looking at it from a different point of view
( Rolls Royce ) and the guys who flew them
wk2315a 3 years ago
They are being used in aviation restorations now and can be kept for future restorations. Tractor pulling overheats and over stresses the engines until they blow to bits. And any that survive that torture are ruined for any aviation use afterwards. That's NOT preservation for the benefit of the public or future generations. It's wasteful destruction.
FiveCentsPlease 3 years ago 20
its a fucking motor dude.
get over it.
evhgl87 2 years ago 2
Go and educate yourself on the subject because you don't know much.
FiveCentsPlease 2 years ago
i know a purist when i see one xD
evhgl87 2 years ago
benefit the public in what way? to dump loads of money into it, restore it, put it in the museum, and then fly with new age engines? where is the benefit?
primus2010 2 years ago
Fly with 'new age engines'? If you mean new engines, there aren't any new ones. Putting it in the care of a museum (even if its non-airworthy) is better than thrashing it to destruction.
FiveCentsPlease 2 years ago
by "new age" i mean the jet engine, which i know isnt all that new, but at least use the damn thing instead of leaving it in a museum, im not saying go out and thrashing it to destruction either, a lot of these engines actually do survive with these tractors, if they knew they would destroy something that old quickly, with not all that many left out there, do you honestly think they would bother putting money into it to make it work and destroy it? they are beefed up and made to conform to work
primus2010 2 years ago
yer man
mudaphucker 2 years ago
He didnt do much work to that motor probably other then put a bigger style of fuel intake on it because its burning unused fuel in the headers thats why theres so much flame he should lower the fuel consumption and have it dynoed and set into the sweet spot for that motor before he causes excessive heat damage to the exhaust side of that motor
IHMan1066 4 years ago
If it is running rich, burning unused fuel in the zoomies, then it is running cooler than it will if you lean it out to the 'sweet spot'. In competition we add fuel to cool an engine, sometimes that is a better plan than going all-out for hp.
geob01 4 years ago 9
This comment has received too many negative votes show
They are frying an excellent engine!!! They are commiting a crime on history! F**k these pigs!!!
Irvine5312x6ma 4 years ago
engine on drugs men.
eternityarmani 4 years ago 3
Fuck a tractor, I want that son of a bitch in my hot rod!
Turbo617 4 years ago
it just goes to prove that even now,60 odd years on this engine has the guts, could probley find better ways to show off the power of history though, instead of frying it.why cant some one replicate the spitfire / mosquito and stick the engine back in its designed home
austinmaxi 4 years ago 4
The Griffon was never used in the Mosquito.
MarsFKA 4 years ago
well ok it wasnt used in the mosquito,it had merlin 65s, but imagine if it had! with the five blade rotel props off the spitfire mk9, that thing would have been nie imposble to catch!
austinmaxi 4 years ago
The Mk9 Spitfire had the Merlin 61, with a four-bladed propellor. The first operational Griffon-powered Spitfire was the Mk12, although a one-off Mk 4 was earlier used as a test bed for the Griffon.
MarsFKA 4 years ago
It wasn't used in the Mosquito, but several "new build" Mosquito airplanes are being done right now. A new era in old warplanes is replicas, but it's presently too expensive to make new engines. There is a dwindling supply of engines and to see them over-stressed and blown to bits in tractor pulling is sickening. The pullers cannot be totally ignorant of the value and history being destroyed. It's stupid.
FiveCentsPlease 3 years ago
overall it's cool in the eyes of some but others view it as not such a good placement for a historic Rolls Royce bomber engine
Isaiah402831 4 years ago 2
mechanical rape
beastinblack 4 years ago
let's see what happens if you strap a V16 Cummins to that
Isaiah402831 4 years ago
Tractor pulling regulations dictate an overall weight for the pulling tractor in each class, so therefore lighter weight engine combinations are nescessary. The regulations also dictate the maximum rear tire size that can be used.
JGMagoo 3 years ago
Just a small point it is not English but British. In addition to Derby, Rolls Royce had two engine plants near Glasgow in Scotland
Norfolkscot 4 years ago
what a waste of history...
kicsirepi46 4 years ago 2
well, I think it all depends on how you look at these things. In my opinion I think this tractor pull is cool but yeah they could never replace this engine cause Rolls Royce will never make another one and true they were never meant for this kind of stress
Isaiah402831 4 years ago 2
There are so many other ways to get a powerful engine to your tractor,I think it isn't one.Tractor pulling is a good fun,but not like this.Like you wrote before Rolls Royce will never make another Griffon engine,and these are the keywords right now.Get a 1000 hp rotary engine,jet engine,supercharged V8 or whatever,but save these amazing,beautiful and most importantly historical engines!
kicsirepi46 4 years ago 4
I know that but I stated that because it is once again how you view things. I personally am neutral on this, but for you, you don't like this probably because you're probably an aviation nut and of course you'll see this as a waste because it's a historic bomber engine they used. I do think tractor pulls are cool though when they strap ungodly large engines to machines that tow like nothing else, but yes there are alternatives but a 27 liter V12 is still an awesome engine to use
Isaiah402831 4 years ago
Its nice to see it close up though, you wouldn't get that close in a plane!!
axial1680 4 years ago
what a waste of a perfect engine
whylie74 4 years ago 2
no!!! at least it's not scraped its still running there's life in the old girl yet!!!
ramawson 4 years ago 3
I'll give you that, but I'ld still rather see it in a plane,
whylie74 4 years ago 3
true
ramawson 4 years ago
The number of people who can afford to actually fly one of these in an airplane is severely limited, I'm sure.
JGMagoo 4 years ago
Not for much longer when you use it in a manner beyond its design limits. The engine core will have a long life in normal use, but to over stress it in this sport will ruin it or blow it up. One more gone and they aren't making any new ones. A waste of aviation history and it's stupid to think they're plentiful
FiveCentsPlease 4 years ago 2
probably more plentiful than planes to put them in.we use allison v12's from p-38's,p-39's,and p-40's in pulling tractors here in the US
osp80 4 years ago
They were plentiful in the 1960s when the boat racers destroyed them by the hundreds. The tractor pullers are destroying the remaining ones they can find. They aren't wasted if they aren't being used. They can used for new airplane restorations that are still being planned.
FiveCentsPlease 3 years ago