German Car Zone

Part 4:

"Daimler-Benz Aircraft Engines"


1909 Mercedes Luftschiffmotor J 4 L
The J 4 L airship engine was used starting in 1908 to power airships. Among the most famous airships that used these engines were the LZ6 and LZ8 Zeppelin passenger airships. The motor had a favorable power-to-weight ratio of 6.6 pounds per horsepower and was also an advanced engine for its time thanks to its overhead camshafts and Bosch high voltage ignition.
4-cylinders, 15,875cc, 139-horsepower @ 1200 RPM



1912 Benz FX Flugmotor
The FX was the first aero engine specifically designed for aircraft by Benz & Cie. In 1913 it won the Emperor's Award for the best German aero engine, offered by Emperor Wilhelm II at the suggestion of Prinz Heinrich von Preußen. The deceisive criteria for the award were the low dry weight and great fuel economy of the engine. At 155 kg (342 lbs), the engine was indeed light.
4-cylinders, 9556cc, 105-horsepower @ 1350 RPM



1915 Mercedes Flugmotor D III
With over 12,000 units produced, the D III and further developed D IIIa recorded the highest production volume of all aero engines during World War I. The reasons for the great military demand were the engines high level of reliability and its advanced design. Among other things, the 6-cylinder inline engine featured steel cylinders and an overhead camshaft wih a vertical shaft drive.
6-cylinders, 14,778cc, 170-horsepower @ 1450 RPM






1928 Klemm-Daimler Leichtflugzeug L20
The L20 was developed as a sports and travel aircraft by Hans Klemm at the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1923. He produced it himself following departure from the company. At the controls of such an L20, which he christened "Kamerad" (comrade), Friedrich Karl Baron von Koenig would acquire world fame - at the age of 20! Von Koenig undertook a legendary flight around the world from August 1928 to November 1929.
2-cylinders, 884cc, 20-horsepower @ 3000 RPM, 105 km/h top speed










1935 Mercedes-Benz Flugmotor DB600
Produced from 1935 to 1938, the supercharged DB600 with 1,000-horsepower was one of the most powerful aero engines used for both military and civilian aviation. All Mercedes-Benz aero engines of subsequent years were to be based of this successful design.
V12, 33,929cc, 1000-horsepower @ 2400 RPM






1937 Mercedes-Benz Flugmotor DB601 A
The DB601A was the worlds first production engine with direct gasoline injection. The fuel / air mixture was not produced in a carburetor as was customary at the time, but directly in the cylinder, thereby boosting power output. In 1939, a Messerschmitt Me-209 with such an engine reached a speed of 755 km/h (469 mph) - a record that remained unbroken for 30 years.
V12, 33,929cc, 1100-horsepower @ 2400 RPM






1944 Mercedes-Benz Flugmotor DB603
The DB603 aero engine was largely based on the DB601 design. However with an increased engine capacity, so rose the power output. The unit was fitted to various single- and twin-engined military aircraft and was manufactured in large numbers by the Daimler-Benz AG during World War II.
V12, 44,522cc, 1800-horsepower @ 2700 RPM

I see you have a fascination for vintage aircraft. Something I myself cannot say. Nevertheless, this is very interesting. I knew that MB had done some aircraft related work, but I was ignorant to this. Thank you Wimmer.

Nice info. I didn't even know that MB ever manufactured aircraft engines.

Anytime Michael.

Big IL-2 Sturmovik player here.

You learn something new everyday.

Daimler-Benz also made powerful diesel engines for the Schnellboote of the German Navy during World War II.

Maybach manufactured tank engines during World War II as well.

And as you probably know, BMW made engines for the Focke-Wulf FW-190 fighter aircraft, also during World War II.