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A friend sent this:

An example of another terrific contribution made by the Greatest Generation.

videos2view.net/PT658.htm >

Randy, thanks for posting this. I believe I have seen it before, but looking at it a second time was as good as the first.

The narrator made a couple of slips. When he was talking about the sound of a four-engined bomber with radial engines he was talking over a photo of a Lancaster. The Lancaster, of course, sported V-12 Merlin engines. Then he talked about the three turbo-charged aircraft engines that power the PT boat. We know that these Packard marine engines were not turbo super charged and were not used in aircraft. He may have gotten this information from a well known source on the internet which is in error.

Never the less, it is a touching story and worth repeating.

(o[]o)

Thanks for posting Randy. Wonderful story.

Dave, nice to see a posting from you. Long time no see. What is the status of your Packard ownership?

(o[]o)

I believe that the PT engine were not made of iron. All nonmetallic components to keep from setting off mines in the water.

Quote:
John, Thanks for asking. I sent you a PM.

The American PT boat and the British and Canadian MTB's (one of which my father served on during WW2) were powered by the 4M-2500, four-stroke, 60-degree V-12 with an aluminum block with a bore of 6.04 inches and a 6.50-inch stroke, which brought it to 2,490 cubic inches. Weighing 2,900 pounds, the 4M-2500 had four valves per cylinder, a 6.4:1 compression ratio, and a centrifugal supercharger, later models were also fitted with an intercooler. A Holley 1685F aircraft carburetor supplied the fuel, 100-octane gasoline, fired by two spark plugs per cylinder. The first engines developed 1,200hp, but improved versions with higher boost levels nominally made 1,500hp.

John, I looked at that video 3 times and the photograph of the aircraft. It does appear that it has radial engines if you look close at the engine cowling so I am thinking it is not a Lancaster but the similar appearing Handley-Page Halifax many of which used the Bristol Hercules 14 cylinder 2 row radial engines. A few hundred Lanc's did have radial Bristol Hercules engines but many more Halifax bombers used them. A better photograph of the tops sides would make identification easy but from below it is hard for me to say if it is a Lancaster or Halifax since both shared that twin boom rudder but the rounded wing tips may be a clue it is a Halifax. Just my .02 Cents.

Dave,
It is a Lanc in the video. The bulges on bottom of the nacelles are the coolant radiators for the inline liquid cooled engine. If it were a Lanc II with the Hercules radial, the nacelle would have a circular cowling.

Good catch on the Lancaster II.

Hi Randy,
Thanks for sharing this great story. Those little boats must have been something in full attack mode. We are having re-runs on out tv channels of "They were expendable" with John Wayne, Ward Bond etc. All about PT boats in the Pacific during world war 2. What a way to spend a saturday afternoon Packard powered PT boats and John Wayne.