Bmw Ww2 Aircraft Engines

Editorial Team Mar 08, 2026
BMW 801: The Engine That Dominated WWII Aerial Warfare - Jets ’n’ Props
BMW 801: The Engine That Dominated WWII Aerial Warfare - Jets ’n’ Props Source: www.jetsprops.com
Germany, Bavaria, Munich. BMW Museum, BMW 801 aircraft engine used in ...
Germany, Bavaria, Munich. BMW Museum, BMW 801 aircraft engine used in ... Source: www.alamy.com

The BMW 801 was a powerful German 41.8-litre (2,550 cu in) air-cooled 14-cylinder- radial aircraft engine built by BMW and used in a number of German Luftwaffe aircraft of World War II. Production versions of the twin-row engine generated between 1,560 and 2,000 PS (1,540-1,970 hp, or 1,150-1,470 kW). It was the most produced radial engine of Germany in World War II with more than 61,000.

BMW Airplane Engine 801 (1944) - BMW Museum Munich - YouTube
BMW Airplane Engine 801 (1944) - BMW Museum Munich - YouTube Source: www.youtube.com

In the early 20th century, BMW originated as an aircraft manufacturer before events led them to pivot toward cars. However, they temporarily returned to making airplane powerplants during World War II at the Nazi government's behest. So did BMW ever truly make complete planes or just aircraft engines? Let's delve into BMW's little known aviation history.

BMW 801 - a powerful WW2 German air-cooled radial aircraft engine built ...
BMW 801 - a powerful WW2 German air-cooled radial aircraft engine built ... Source: www.flickr.com

BMW built radial engines for transport planes, bombers, fighters, and several other types of aircraft. It was also used to power one of the first jets that Germany built to help stave off defeat. The BMW 801 radial engine, developed in the late 1930s and first produced in 1940, was one of the most advanced aircraft engines of World War II (WW2).

BMW 801 Engine in the Exhibition Hall of the BMW Museum. Piston ...
BMW 801 Engine in the Exhibition Hall of the BMW Museum. Piston ... Source: www.dreamstime.com

It powered iconic German aircraft such as. The BMW 801 was the first German high-performance, air-cooled radial engine of new design introduced after the start of World War II. Introduction of a cooling fan in the cowl nose opening, operating at approximately three times propeller speed and with internal baffles, made it possible to eliminate all external cowling enlargements.

BMW turns 100 years old: A look back
BMW turns 100 years old: A look back Source: www.ctpost.com

In most installations, the exhaust pipes were grouped to. BMW's engineering was so impressive that the Allied powers restricted the company from entering the aerospace field ever again following the war in the Treaty of Versailles. With the rise of the Nazis, BMW returned to the production of aircraft engines and did so until the fall of Hitler and the defeat of the Axis powers in Europe in 1945 before again leaving this manufacturing sector.

1944 BMW 801 airplane engine at Visit of BMW Museum, Munich
1944 BMW 801 airplane engine at Visit of BMW Museum, Munich Source: www.motorsport.com

List of aircraft engines of Germany during World War II This is a list of all German motors including all aircraft engines, rocket motors, jets and any other powerplants, along with a very basic description. It includes experimental engines as well as those that made it to production status. The BMW 801 was a powerful German air-cooled 14-cylinder-radial aircraft engine built by BMW and used in a number of German Luftwaffe aircraft of World War II.

Production versions of the twin-row engine generated between 1,560 and 2,000 PS (1,540-1,970 hp, or 1,150-1,470 kW). The roar of the BMW 801 was unmistakable during World War II. Powering famed aircraft like the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and the Junkers Ju 88, this engine played a critical role in aerial encounters during World War II.

Notable engines: BMW 003 - BMW 801 - HWK 109-509 The Luftwaffe also used engines from France, particularly the Gnôme-Rhône 14 cylinder series of radial engines for its Henschel Hs 129 (14M) ground attack aircraft and Messerschmitt Me 323 (14N) "Gigant" transporter.