An improved internal combustion engine is disclosed. The disclosed engine comprises several preferred embodiments, each including a first piston reciprocating in a first cylinder along a first axis, a second piston reciprocating in a second cylinder along a second axis, said second axis being orthagonal to said first axis, and a flying crankshaft orbiting around a third axis, said third axis being orthagonal to said first and second axis'. Also disclosed are two opposing piston-pairs, reciprocating in cylinders along said first and second axis', each piston in a pair connected to the other piston by a connecting means further defined by a crank aperture within which said flying crankshaft orbits. The disclosed engine further may include at least one ring bearing and/or at least one ring gear within which said crankshaft orbits. This disclosed configuration dynamically dissipates substantially all of the side load forces between the pistons and cylinders created by combustion, as well as efficiently captures the inertia and centrifugal forces created by the pistons and associated members. As disclosed, the present invention will provide an internal combustion engine or the like which is more efficient and reduces piston and cylinder wear. The disclosed engine is lightweight, compact, and dynamically balanced. The present invention discloses embodiments comprising both intersecting and non-intersecting cylinder axis', and further embodiments having 2, 3 or 4 pistons.