Tech & Auto
Packard’s 24-Cylinder Engine: Everything You Need To Know
By SHANE O'NEILL
The now-defunct Packard Motor Car Company turned its attention to aviation in the 1920s and began developing what became known as the Packard 1A-2775 X-24 aircraft engine.
The engine was an aerial powerhouse at the time, producing 969 kW — 1,300 hp — at 2,700 rpm. Pilot Al Williams managed to set an unofficial speed record with it at 322 mph.
However, the Packard 1A-2775 didn't get an opportunity to shine on a grand scale, as their experimental airplane engines cost roughly $35,000 apiece.
While the U.S. Navy acquired two Packard 1A-2775 engines, they were never used. One has been gifted to the Smithsonian Institution, and the other has sadly disappeared.