> Japan was part of the Axis during WW II, and the Japanese got much
> technical assistance and a lot of info on building warplanes during that
> period. Would it not be reasonable that they should get auto engine
> technology as well.

In fact the Japanese used no German technology in any of its own
aircraft, except for using license-built DB601s in the Kawasaki KI61
Hein. The Messerschmitt ME163 Komet rocket interceptor was made in
limited numbers under license as the Mitsubishi Shusui. The Nakajima
Kikka jet fighter was similar in layout to the ME262 Schwalbe, but
that was an obvious layout. German aircraft relied mainly on inverted
water/oilcooled V12 engines (SOHC 4-stroke and some diesel 2-strokes),
with a few single-"bank" aircooled radials (with some other radials in
multiengined planes), while the Japanese were entirely reliant on
aircooled twin-"bank" radials apart from the Hein.

> And the flat four was being used in the war effort,
> so surely it migrated to Japan, where in the fullness of time the
> Japanese have transmuted it into a very fine piece of modern machinery -
> the Suburu flat four.- and now the flat six and most recently a flat
> diesel all of which evidently can fit nicely into a Vanagon.

Subarus' first production boxer was a wee unit in the late-60s FF. I
knew someone with one of these a few years ago... wonder where it is
now? Anyway, these engines were probably by VW's Type 1 engine, but
was far from being a copy.

As to cambelts, there are a few "noninterference" engines around...
including Subaru's EG/EJ boxers. When a belt breaks on one of these
the valves don't reach the pistons.

Remember that ALL engines are aircooled. It's just that some use
various liquids (water, glycol, oil) as intercooling.

--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut

<goose1047@gmail.com>