Jay Leno Starts Up Engine That Won WWII

The Merlin 1650

Check out this video showing off the gorgeous Merlin 1650, the piston engine that powered the P-51 Mustang and the Lancaster bomber in World War II. You can almost see your own reflection with how close Jay Leno takes you to all the shiny bits.

Ride In A Lancaster Bomber

Did you know that there’s a Lancaster bomber that you can not only visit, but they’ll even take you up in it? For $3500, you can purchase a Bomber Membership to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and a 50-minute trip in the only only running Lancaster. It’s big and beautiful and sounds fantastic! But if you’re not feeling like taking a trip to Canada, this video will do.

Start It Up!

But the real treat is seeing this baby start up. The action begins around 12 minutes 15 seconds (and the camera man’s hat flying off is a hilarious bonus). Jay takes the Merlin only up to 1,300 rpm. If he revved it up any more than that, he might take off with the forklift. He struggles a bit with the checklist, but then lets it run for several minutes- enough time for it to sink in how amazing of an experience this really is. Go ahead and take a look for yourself. We won’t judge you if you geek out like the guy in shorts filming on his phone.