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Internal combustion engines come in many shapes and sizes. Nowadays they are designed for specific tasks although some may be simple changes such as extra cooling fins for model car compared to aircraft installation.
The basic types are:
When choosing an engine for a model aeroplane the first thing to do is see what the manufacturer recommends. This will normally take the form of a range of engine displacements given in cu. in. (cubic inches) or c.c. (cubic centimetres). The conversion between the imperial and metric system of units is:
1 cu. in = 16.387 c.c.
It will also state whether this is for two-stroke or four-stroke engines or a displacement range for each type.
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There are many different types of boat engine. Variations on the glow engine are often produced with water jackets that can be plumbed in to provide cooling. There are some other interesting types that can be fun including the putt-putt engine that was first used in tin boats.
Another interesting form of propulsion is the waterjet. If you are interested in the fullsize power unit visit Hamilton Jet, Christchurch New Zealand, the pioneers of waterjet propulsion. Founded by Sir William Hamilton, O.B.E (1899 to 1978) in 1939. In 1953 the waterjet became reality, based on the work of Archimedes William Hamilton improved this and turned it into a propulsion system for boats.
See also: Engine Power to Weight Ratio, Propeller Sizes, Propellers.