What does "4 x 4" actually mean?

Sarge, BUFFs had turbines… jet engines to the uninitiated. Small aircraft typically had radial engines, simply called “radials”. WWII “heavies” had stacked radials. The B29 and I believe the B25 had seven cylinder radials stacked four deep… for 28 cylinders total. I’ve seen one hands-on.

The B36 had six 28 cylinder “pusher” radials with four small turbines to assist in takeoff. Each cylinder had two sparkplugs. Each depot maintenance required the changing of 28X2X6 (336) sparkplugs. I have a photo of myself sitting on the wheels of a gutted one.

I mostly like Bing’s description. All engines are motors, but not all motors are engines. That’s more technically correct. But, then jets are engines that provide motive force, and they aren’t referred to as motors!