Daimler-Benz DB 601 explained

The Daimler-Benz DB 601 was a German aircraft engine that was built during World War II. It was a liquid-cooled inverted V12, and powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Messerschmitt Bf 110, and many others. Approximately 19,000 601's were produced before it was replaced by the improved Daimler-Benz DB 605 in 1942.

The DB 601 was basically an improved DB 600 with direct fuel injection. Fuel injection required power to be taken off the drive shaft, but in return, improved low-RPM performance significantly and provided aerobatic performance in maneuvers where early versions of carburated engines like the British Rolls-Royce Merlin lost power when the carburetor float bowl ran dry.

The 601's fuel injection provided a significant boost in performance which its competitor, the Junkers Jumo 210, did not match for some time. By the time the fuel-injected 211 arrived, the 601 had already cemented its place as the engine for high-performance designs like fighters, high-speed bombers, and similar roles. The 211 was relegated to use in bombers and transport aircraft. In this respect, the 601 was the counterpart to the Merlin engine of roughly the same size and power.

The DB 601Aa was licence-built in Japan by Aichi as the Atsuta, by Kawasaki as the Ha40, and in Italy by Alfa Romeo as the R.A.1000 R.C.41-I Monsone.

Development

Based on the guidelines laid down by the German "Reichverkehrsministerium" (Reich Ministry of Transport),^[1] in 1930 Daimler-Benz began development of a new aero engine of the 30L displacement class: a liquid-cooled inverted-vee 12-cylinder piston engine.^[2] This was designated F4, and by 1931 two prototypes were running on the test bench. These were followed by the improved F4B, which became the prototype for the DB 600.

In 1933, Daimler-Benz finally received a contract to develop its new engine and to build six examples of the DB 600. For the year after, the DB 600 was the only German aero engine in the 30-litre class. In total, 2,281 DB 600s were built.

The DB 601A-1 was a development of the DB 600 with mechanical direct fuel injection. Like all DB 601s, it had a 33.9 litre displacement. The first DB 601A-1 prototype, designated as F4E, was test run in 1935, and an order for 150 engines was placed in February 1937.

Serial production began in November 1937, and ended in 1943, after 19,000 examples of all types were produced.

Variants

DB 601 A-1

Up to 1100abbr=onNaNabbr=on at sea level with 2,400 rpm, up to 1020abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2,400 rpm and 4500m (14,800feet) altitude, B4 fuel

DB 601 Aa

Up to 1175PS at sea level with 2,500 rpm, up to 1100abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2,400 rpm and 3700m (12,100feet) altitude, B4 fuel

DB 601 B-1:Same as DB601 A-1 for use in Messerschmitt Bf 110 and/or bomber aircraft (different prop/engine ratio, 1:1.88 instead of 1:1.55)

For use in the Heinkel He 100D 1175abbr=onNaNabbr=on

DB 601 N

Up to 1175PS at sea level and at 4900m (16,100feet) altitude with 2,600 rpm, C3 fuel

Up to 1270abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2100m (6,900feet) altitude with 2,600 rpm

DB 601 P

Same as DB 601 N for use in Messerschmitt Bf 110 and/or bomber aircraft (different prop/engine ratio, 1:1.88 instead of 1:1.55)

DB 601 E

Up to 1350abbr=onNaNabbr=on at sea level with 2,700 rpm, up to 1320PS with 2.700 rpm at 4800m (15,700feet) altitude, B4 fuel

Up to 1450abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2100m (6,900feet) altitude with 2,700 rpm

DB 601 F/G

Same as DB 601 E for use in Messerschmitt Bf 110, Messerschmitt Me 210 and/or bomber aircraft (different prop/engine ratio,1:1.875 (601F), 1:2.06 (601G) instead of 1:1.685)

DB 606 A/B

Project initiated in February 1937, to "twin-up" two DB 601As or Es coupled to work on a single propeller shaft with all-up weight of some 1.5 tonnes;^[3] for use in Heinkel He 119 (one DB 606) and Messerschmitt Me 261 (twin DB 606) designs, where they worked well in their prototype airframes; saw first combat use with early Heinkel He 177As - 2,700 PS (1,986 kW) at sea level with a mirror-imaged starboard component engine supercharger. Derided as "welded-together engines" by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring in August 1942, from the problems they caused with engine fires in the He 177A during service from their inadequate installation design.^[3]

Alfa-Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.41-I Monsone:Licence built by Alfa Romeo in Italy

Applications

DB 601

DB 606

Licensees

Aichi Atsuta

Alfa Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.41

Kawasaki Ha40

Kawasaki Ki-61

Bibliography

Book: Bingham . Victor . Major Piston Aero Engines of World War II . 1998 . Airlife Publishing . Shrewsbury, UK . 1-84037-012-2.
Book: Christopher . John . The Race for Hitler's X-Planes: Britain's 1945 Mission to Capture Secret Luftwaffe Technology. . 2013 . History Press . Stroud, UK . 978-0-7524-6457-2.
Book: Gunston . Bill . World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day . 2006 . Sutton . Stroud, UK . 0-7509-4479-X . 5th.
Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick. Messerschmitt Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410. Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. .
Neil Gregor Daimler-Benz in the Third Reich. Yale University Press, 1998

External links

Notes and References

http://www.mtu.de/e-papers/MTU_ePaper/Marketing/MTU_Museum/epaper/ausgabe.pdf MTU-Museum Triebwerksgeschichte – gestern, heute und morgen
Mankau&Petrick, 2001. pp. 347-355
Book: Griehl . Manfred . Dressel . Joachim . Heinkel He 177 – 277 – 274 . 1998 . Airlife Publishing . Shrewsbury, UK . 1-85310-364-0 . 224 .