The first two Packard built Merlin’s were demonstrated at a special ceremony at the Packard factory in Detroit on August the 2^nd 1941 and full production began in 1942. By the end of World War II(WWII) more than 16,000 had been produced in the USA.

During the last 3 years of WWII the Royal Air Force(RAF) used Packard built Merlin’s in Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Lancaster’s

My collection contains a Packard Merlin which is historically significant having seen active service with 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron (21 operations including 14 to Berlin) and 617 (Dambuster) Squadron (2 operations) its history is :-

History of Avro Lancaster B III EE185

Lancaster EE185 was one of 620 Lancaster’s ordered from A V Roe (Chadderton) in 1941 and built between November 1942 and June 1943 (129 Mk I and 491 Mk III)

The First Recorded operation was on the night of 12^th June 1943, it failed to return from its 49^th Mission on 3^rd May 1944.  

The Aircraft was shot down By Hampt Martin Drews of III/ NJG1 at 0118 near Neron (Eure–et–Loir) 18 Kms S.E Dreux France. All the crew were killed and are buried in Dreux Communial Cemetery  Eure-et-Loir  which is 35 kilometres north of Chartres.

Lancaster EE185

OPERATIONAL RECORD

No 44 ( Rhodesia ) Squadron

(KM-K)

12/13 June 1943   Bochum              P/O J.O.Pennington

20/21 June 1943   Friedrichshaven  P/O J.O.Pennington

25/26 June 1943   Gelsenkirchen     F/Sgt G.N.Stephenson

28/29 June 1943   Cologne              F/Sgt G.N.Stephenson

03/04 July  1943   Cologne              F/Sgt R.A.C.Hellier

12/13 July  1943   Turin                   F/O A.E.H.Parsons

On Loan to 617(Dambuster) Squadron

15/16 July 1943 Aquata Scrivia (Ciseage) Italy (KM-K)

Flown by P/O K.W Brown CGM (9hrs 35 flight)

24/25 July 1943 Leghorn Italy (KM-K)

Flown by P/O K.W Brown CGM(8hrs 40 Flight)

No 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron

(KM-K)

29/30 July            1943     Hamburg     F/O A.E.H.Parsons

02/03 August       1943     Hamburg     F/O A.E.H.Parsons

09/10 August       1943     Manheim     F/Sgt R.A.C Hillier

10/11 August       1943     Nuremburg  F/Sgt R.A.C.Hillier

12/13 August       1943     Milan           Sgt W.J.Drew

15/16 August       1943     Milan           F/Sgt R.A.C Hillier

17/18 August       1943     Peenemunde P/O H.Rogers

22/23 August       1943     Laverkusen   F/O A.E.H. Parsons

23/24 August       1943     Berlin           F/Sgt R.A.C Hillier

27/28 August       1943     Nuremburg   F/O A.E.H.Parsons

30/31 August       1943     Munchengladbach F/Sgt S.J.Rundle

31/01 September 1943     Berlin            F/O A.E.H.Parsons

(Pilot & R/G awarded Immediate DFC’s, Attacked by Enemy A/C Mid upper gunner lost eye R/G  lost foot)

18/19 October     1943     Hanover        F/Lt C.H.Hunter

20/21 October     1943     Leipzig          F/Lt C.H.Hunter

22/23 October     1943     Kazzell          F/O T.H.Fynn

(Mission aborted returned early)

03/04 November 1943     Dusseldorf     F/O T.H.Fynn

10/11 November 1943     Modane         F/Lt C.H.Hunter

18/19 November 1943     Berlin             S/Ldr A.Lynch DFC

(This was a 9 hour flight)

22/23 November 1943     Berlin             P/O P.H.Smith

(Mid upper turret put out of action by Flak over target area)

23/24 November 1943     Berlin             F/O G.D.Wiggin

26/27 November 1943     Berlin             P/O P.H.Smith

(Bomb Doors damaged)

02/03 December 1943     Berlin             P/O P.H,Smith

16/17 December 1943     Berlin             F/Lt C.H.Hunter

20/21 December 1943     Frankfurt        F/Lt C.H.Hunter   

23/24 December 1943     Berlin             P/O P.H.Smith

29/30 December 1943     Berlin             P/O J.Chatterton 

01/02/January     1944     Berlin             F/Lt C.H.Hunter

02/03 January     1944     Berlin             P/O A.Wright

20/21 January     1944     Berlin             F/Sgt E.Barton

( DR Compass unserviceable)

21/22 January     1944     Magdeburg     P/O E.W.Bartlett

27/28 January     1944     Berlin             P/O P.H.Smith

(Port outer engine failed after take off mission aborted when overheated)

28/29 January     1944     Berlin             P/O P.H.Smith

(Monica III U/S returned via Denmark at 14000 ft)

30/31 January     1944     Berlin             F/Sgt  E.Barton

15/16 February   1944     Berlin            S/L C.H.Hunter

19/20 February   1944     Leipzig          Sgt F.Levy

(Air pressure failed after take off. ‘S’ gear U/S, jettisoned portion of bombs, directed to land at Woodbridge)

24/25 February   1944     Schweinfurt  S/L C.H.Hunter

( Monica III U/S)

25/26 February   1944     Augsburg      F/Lt C.J.Wiggin

(Port outer engine trouble over enemy territory, Bombed coastal defences on return flight using Gee Fix)

10/11 March       1944     Ossun            P/O B.M Hayes

(KM-A)   

28/29 April         1944     Oslo (Kjeller) F/S G. Baxter

(Pilots ASI U/S mission completed)

01/02  May         1944     Toulouse  W/O A.W.Nolan

03/04 May 1944  Mailly-Le-Camp W/O A.W.Nolan

(Failed to Return)

Her Final Crew

Pilot          W/O  Alan William Nolan  R.A.A.F         age 29

F/Eng        Sgt     Eric Howard Charlton RAF(VR)  age 26

Nav            F/Sgt Kenneth Brice Milton  RAF(VR)   age 22

B                F/O   Eric George Blake R.N.Z.A.F         age 24

W/AG        Sgt     Clifford John Boreham RAF(VR) age 24

AG             Sgt     Ronald Derek Crook   RAF(VR)    age 21

AG             Sgt     Patrick Higgins  RAF(VR)

The Aircraft took of from RAF Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire at 21.56. Believed to have been shot down By Hmptm Martin Drews of III./ NJG1 at 0118 near Neron (Eure–et–Loir) 18 Kms S.E Dreux

All the crew were killed and are buried in the local Communial Cemetary

This Merlin along with other parts were recovered by Ailes Anciennes, Le Bourget, Paris to help with the restoration of Lancaster NX664. It was generously donated to the Bomber Command Memorial exhibition in exchange for other parts for their restoration project.