Rolls Royce Merlin Engines

[Observer1940]

Andy

"Log books of Marine Craft, Aircraft and Engines, including Engine History Sheets and Aircraft Record Cards, and Daily Work and Station Log Books will be preserved."
Air Ministry 1935 and November 1941

See attchment

Aircraft and Engine Log Books were to be sent to A.M. Archives.

Mark

[Andy Saunders]

Whilst many documents were "preserved" according to AMOs, APs and the like I'm afraid that it was the case that such documents were only "preserved" for as long as they were relevant. I do not believe such documents remain preserved to this day, and in this respect I refer specifically to the F.700 and engine records. Almost certainly these would have been destroyed after one of the AM's regular stock takes of documents that needed to be retained.

However, your post quoted:

"Log books of Marine Craft, Aircraft and Engines, including Engine History Sheets and Aircraft Record Cards, and Daily Work and Station Log Books will be preserved."

I do not know about marine craft, and excluding the aircraft and engine records and log sheets etc it is the case, of course, that Daily Work and Station Log Books are still retained for (most) units at TNA Kew. In this respect, I am talking about Operations Record Books and Details of Work Carried Out as I suspect this is what the latter refers to.


I'd like to be proved wrong, but I'd be most surprised (and pleasantly so!) if engine and airframe records still exist. (That is, excluding the AM Form 78, which are the Aircraft Movement Cards and which DO still exist!) Remember - we are talking about hundreds of thousands of records if we are talking about the F.700 and the engine logs! If they still existed, somebody would know where surely? I am pretty sure I know the answer that would come back from AHB.

[Bill Walker]

You missed the coloumn on the right. I think that tells you where those books are today.

[Andy Saunders]

Well spotted!

Doh. Why didn't I see that?

It seems the disposal date was optional, as in "may be destroyed", and fortunately the Daily Work and Station Logs etc were not destroyed if this indeed refers to the F540 etc.

[stevekg55]

Hi Andy!

Thought it was about time I joined this forum!

Steve Hall

[Observer1940]

Quote: Bill Walker; "You missed the coloumn on the right. I think that tells you where those books are today."

Hello Bill and Andy

I did see the column on the right. However, the 1 year only applied to Signals and Mechanical Transport Vehicles.

However, the square bracket note underneath was a reminder to those in charge of records at RAF Units that the items listed within the square brackets were to be preserved.

Some of the other items mentioned such as Station ORBs and Aircraft Cards are still held.

According to my 1935 (amended to 1938) King's Regs of the RAF and the amendment pasted in under "Flying Regulations" when the airframe or engine was finally written off charge, the Log Book will then be forwarded to the Air Ministry Archives Section, Stores Depot, Kidbrooke.

Mark