The Little World

This is the biggest small piston engine in my collection – until I locate a 1/72 B-36…

The four-row piston engine – 28 cylinders and I suppose 56 spark plugs – was a massive effort to put more power into the air. It was so powerful that it needed to be split between two contra-rotating propellers, though I have no idea how they did it in the gearbox. It’s a tribute to the American engine makers that the thing could be done at all – that it was done for the B-36 on a vast scale was even more impressive.

In cementing the banks together I was aided by keys at the front and rear of each crankcase ring – but this sort of short-run kit can be fairly inaccurate in small parts. I carefully squared each fitting face before adding the next one – fearing that I would end up with a toppling birthday cake if I let it get out of control. In the end, the layers came out well, and I capped the assembly with the front gear housing in a distinctive blue. I saw this on a WW2 American engine at the Perth Airport and was impressed with the look.

Next fear to be conquered was that of putting on the engine cowling – it is massive, too, and I was worried that it would fit neither the fuselage nor the engine nose. In the end, I have to salute Mr. Lomitski – he got it right.