We have seen something sort of like this in concept recently with custom builders installing whole small displacement 7-cylinder radial engines in bike frames, but while impressive to look at, hardly practical. So what’s up? Ian finally ended up combining those previously mentioned loves and the Warbird you see on these pages was born. Oh, it is gracefully styled, but one can hardly stop looking at that heavily finned, great lump of an engine cradled in the scratch-built hardtail frame. Looking at the pictures, you notice something isn’t quite right with this bike.
Motorcycling stayed close to Ian’s heart though with several custom builds (one a show winner), but eventually his other burning interest in old aircraft, in particular the radial aero engine just had to occupy the same space as his road going love. Soon after that, cars got into his blood and a succession of hotrodded Hemis, Trans-Ams, ‘Cudas and even a Lotus powered Anglia followed. Ian has been into things mechanical for most of his life, starting with a mini bike at the tender age of six, tearing apart his first engine at eight, and then the gift of an oxy-acetylene torch at twelve-years-old cemented his path as a chronic tinkerer and builder. Stuff to make any Gearhead’s pulse quicken.Įnter Ian Douglas of Richmond, BC, one of those self confessed Gearheads. Some of the more athletic versions belting out something north of 3,000 horsepower. Various configurations include overhead cams, 4-valves per cylinder, Super or Turbo charging, Methanol or Nitrous Oxide injection, and all with lots of displacement in some cases, up to 55 litres (3,350 cubic inches). During the Second World War, the development of piston aero engines reached its zenith with air-cooled 18-cylinder radials, liquid-cooled V-12s, even X- and H-block configured 24-cylinder monsters. More than 60-years-ago, the skies over European and Pacific battlefields thundered to the bellow of thousands of engines in bombers, fighters and transport aircraft.
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