Starting the 850 H.P. Sterling video

[Fred Van Hook]

Here is a little longer movie of the Sterling being started. This is the first startup of the show.

[Reed Engine]

Is this by any chance the same engine as the ones used in PT boats or landing craft back during WW2? My dad told stories about them, 8" bore x 8" stroke, 8 cylinders. Had a planetary transmission that could be shifted from forward to reverse under full power. I always wanted to see one.

[Fred Van Hook]

Yes it is. This engine can be seen here at 83 footer. I don't know if I would want to be on a boat made out of wood with 1500 gallons of gas on board and being shot at. I have talked to a man that used to work on these. Phillips Petroleum bought out Sterling engines and a few are still in service. They have been upgraded with electronic ignition and run on natural gas. The person that owns this one has paperwork that says this it was 1 of 2 that was supposed to go into a submarine. Never made it and ended up pumping water or the city of Danville Ill.

[Reed Engine]

My dad told me after the war they got them in (he worked for Fred Cooper) and they used them for something else all together (don't know what). He told me some ran right handed and others left handed, that way when they were on full throttle it wouldn't flip the boat. I think he also said the blocks were aluminum bronze so salt water could be used for cooling.

Any chance you have a picture of that planetary transmission?

Anywho, thanks for posting!!

[Fred Van Hook]

I don't know about reverse rotation but in the picture on the web site it shows 2 engines with the carbs pointing toward each other. I would assume that means they run the props off opposite ends so to cancel out the torque. I'm sure the transmission has been removed from this engine.

[Mikey4026]

I want one!
That is just so cool!
Mikey