Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust

Schneiderman

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So......when is an archive not an archive. This just received from the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust

That said we are prohibited by Rolls-Royce from sharing any drawings etc. from the archive.

So not so much a heritage archive, more a horde hidden away from view.
 
Times they are a changing.......apparently.
 
I had similar with BAE. Sent me everything on the BAC 225 apart from a general arrangement drawing.

Why?

I might build one.

Chris
 
The problem is Rolls are now seeing the support business to Spitfire Airways, RAF historic flight, etc as a profitable commercial sector. Hence why give away all the information to enable someone else to profit from it. BAE SYSTEMs issue was to prevent getting sued by some hotshot lawyers estate, when a well healed individual built a WW1 aeroplane and was killed because the thing didn’t meet twenty first century FAR23 cert standards…. I kid you not because this total nonsense actually happened.
 
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support business to Spitfire Airways
There is a rumour going around that R J Mitchell actually wanted to build a single-seat version of the Spitfire as a fighter but the Vickers Board quashed it as they could see how joy riding was going to be the next big boom industry.
 
support business to Spitfire Airways
There is a rumour going around that R J Mitchell actually wanted to build a single-seat version of the Spitfire as a fighter but the Vickers Board quashed it as they could see how joy riding was going to be the next big boom industry.
I guess that you are referring to this
Spitfire Airways.jpg
 
So......when is an archive not an archive. This just received from the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust

That said we are prohibited by Rolls-Royce from sharing any drawings etc. from the archive.

So not so much a heritage archive, more a horde hidden away from view.
If its engineering manufacturing drawings they dont share them because they dont want people making cheapy merlin parts
which end up in engines and getting someone killed. To be honest I understand it.

I`m not sure what you asked them for, but at the moment the archives are all basically shut, they shut them all during the first lockdown and have made no attempt to reopen them, now three years later.

I`ve been told the RRHT archives are going to open "soon" for two years.

I would not be at all surprised if they never reopen.
 
So......when is an archive not an archive. This just received from the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust

That said we are prohibited by Rolls-Royce from sharing any drawings etc. from the archive.

So not so much a heritage archive, more a horde hidden away from view.
If its engineering manufacturing drawings they dont share them because they dont want people making cheapy merlin parts
which end up in engines and getting someone killed. To be honest I understand it.

I`m not sure what you asked them for, but at the moment the archives are all basically shut, they shut them all during the first lockdown and have made no attempt to reopen them, now three years later.

I`ve been told the RRHT archives are going to open "soon" for two years.

I would not be at all surprised if they never reopen.
The problem really is the application of a blanket restriction regardless of the nature of the enquiry. As Chris mentioned above regarding BAe there is really little sense in withholding simple GA drawings or basic project information, both of which RRHT deny. For an organisation that lists a President, Chairman, Chief Executive, four Directors, Treasurer and General Secretary, along with nine bullet point objectives yet keeps the archives closed both literally and virtually does raise the question as to what, exactly, they believe they are achieving.
 
I wonder if you were an RRHT member whether you would get a different response?

The objectives sound more like being RR's technical library and self-promotion tool. Plus they have their own books to publish and sell, which gives them a vested interest in keeping their horde to themselves.
 
I wonder if you were an RRHT member whether you would get a different response?

The objectives sound more like being RR's technical library and self-promotion tool. Plus they have their own books to publish and sell, which gives them a vested interest in keeping their horde to themselves.
That is indeed true., but a modicum of flexibility would not go amiss. Engaging and sharing with others with diverse perspectives is a much more intelligent way in which to preserve heritage.
 

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