Carpenter Builds A Wooden WWII Radial – And It Works Too

Ian Jimmerson / YouTube

How Long Did That Even Take?

We’re having a hard time discerning what is more impressive; the original design of a radial engine or a lone carpenter who made his own WORKING replica of one. By working, we mean that when he turns the shaft, all the gears and cylinders work to show you exactly what is going on inside.

This guy should be a show host somewhere, because his delivery on this seemingly boring subject is on point and really keeps you interested.

For those of you who are interested in this type of engine that powered many World War II-era warbirds, this is heaven. Ian Jimmerson, the highly skilled carpenter, removes all the parts step by step and explains what they do.

You can listen to the whole video yourself and really get to know these amazing engines, but we do want to make an observation, however. How did he do that and how long did it take? When he cranks the engine everything seems to be moving exactly as it should and without a hitch. It is beyond impressive. Just want to give him a shout out and say “amazing work!”

There are two separate videos in these series. The one you’ll see below here is part one where he explains everything in detail. Part two below that is a bit more detailed too, but that’s when he takes a drill to it and shows us that it actually works. Amazing stuff!