Packard V-1650 Merlin
| V-1650 Merlin | |
|---|---|
| Packard V-1650-7 Merlin | |
| Type | Liquid-cooled V-12 piston engine |
| National origin | United Kingdom/United States |
| Manufacturer | Packard |
| First run | August 1941 |
| Major applications | North American P-51 Mustang Supermarine Spitfire Avro Lancaster |
| Number built | 55,523 |
| Developed from | Rolls-Royce Merlin |
The Packard V-1650 Merlin is a version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engine, produced under license in the United States by the Packard Motor Car Company. The engine was licensed to expand production of the Rolls-Royce Merlin for British use. The engine also filled a gap in the U.S. at a time when similarly powered American-made engines were not available.
The first V-1650s, with a one-stage supercharger, equivalent to the Merlin XX, were used in the P-40F Kittyhawk fighter and in Canadian-built Hawker Hurricanes. Later versions based on the Merlin 60 series included a more advanced two-stage supercharger for improved performance at high altitudes. It found its most notable application in the North American P-51 Mustang fighter, improving the aircraft's performance making them capable of escorting Allied heavy bombers to Germany or Japan and back.