History of German Supercharging - EXPLAINED in Detail 

Great video. Thank you very much.

Much of the lacklustre performance in engines during the First World War period (compared to nowadays) was due to the fuel used. In fact what we call gasoline was just one of the fuel options used at the time as people were still working things out with internal combustion engines. These severely impacted the amount of compression that could be used down to about 5:1. Combined with the primitive lubrication oils of the time, these aircraft engines maxed out at around 2,500 rpm. These engines also typically had very long strokes, so they were not rev happy. These are some of the factors that drove supercharging development.

Has anyone brought this to the attention of Greg’s airplanes and automobiles? He asked about this specific question a year or so ago, which is why I was even aware that it WAS a question. I love learning about things I didn’t even know that I was curious about! I think your two channels might really be able to collaborate productively, for the benefit of all. 👍

wow, had my mind blown only 3 minutes into the video with the whole "why is the intake on the left and the exhaust on the right" bit

Great content. My father explained a lot about these to me, 40 years ago, I'm surprised how knowledgable he was about WW2 aircraft, he had so much committed to memory, watching these really takes me back to the days when we built scale model BF109's , Spitfires, Mustangs, Corsairs, and the FW190. He was 5 when WW2 started.

Fascinating history of both German cars and aircraft, and also of the engineering history and designers!

A few years ago I became fascinated with the design concepts and engineering of German WW2 aero engines and what I discovered was truly amazing. The torque-coupled fluid flywheel setup for the supercharger is ingenious yet simple and efficient in its application for the pilot who simply looked for "atmospheres per kilometer" of height rather than changing gears or selecting levers with the associated turbo lag that apparently could be a problem for Allied systems. With the German system the oil filled converter was the clutch, the oil hardening with altitude and therefore providing the higher volume of intake pressure, basically an automatic boost system designed to take the workload off the pilot. The other aspect of the DB series engines was the use of single overhead camshafts with a unique system of interposed roller followers that actuated the four valves on each cylinder. A simple and efficient system that reduced the parts count and therefore materials weight in the design. That and the temperature controlled Bosch direct injection induction system made these engines very advanced for the era. I recall reading a report made during the Battle of Britain where a capture DB601 engine was closely analyzed. The findings were that many of the automatic engine management systems should be included in future British engine designs.

What an amazing technological insight - thank you!

Absolutely great research, as always. Don't know why your subscriber's number is not at least tenfold. If you want to dive further into the design philosophy of (german and other) piston aircraft aircraft engines I can highly recommend Calum Douglas' book "The Secret Horsepower Race". But I suppose you know it already.

Gute Arbeit. Sauber recherchiert & verständlich erklärt.

Didn't the Germans also have a fluid coupling driving some of their superchargers similar to a torque converter? I recall hearing about something along those lines.

Amazing video. As always, your content is really informative and direct

Excellent report. Answered many questions from over the decades. Many don't know Porsche had a lot of engineering and advising going on in early aviation, most associate him only with auto technology. Also, Porsche designs during the war and drive system for the Tiger 1 + 2 Panzer tank suspension and drive systems. He was a gifted man.

Interesting video. Can you clarify the statement at 4:50 - I don’t see why an NA engine with a higher compression ratio would lose less power with altitude. This statement does not agree with the famous Gagg-Farrar altitude compensation equation (1934). They tested many engines of various compression ratios and supercharger boost pressures and found that they all closely follow the same linear drop in power with a reduction in air density ratio. Supercharged aero engines can maintain power at altitude because the supercharger is throttled below their critical altitude, so they maintain their manifold pressure limit below the critical altitude. In other words they are boosting more and more as altitude increases to compensate for the density drop, until they reach their maximal capacity.

Thank you for doing the research and answering this question. It has been a curiosity among the community for awhile. It was assumed to be about packaging but I know of no one who had any source material explaining it

One point: the peripheral exit from the supercharger impeller on “Allied” engines does not apply to the Merlin post early models. The exit became central and direct to the inlet from the 45 series, considerably increasing efficiency and output.

Insane that a 750 cubic inch displacement engine was like 60 hp

Thank you, you've really put a lot of research into your production. Really enjoyed your presentation and glad to find it.

Crazy detail and deep Information🤯 👏👏👏👏

Awesome content. So much info in such a short video.

Excellent video. Thanks for making this.

Thank you for this very interesting video. In fact, all these technical advances were motivated by operational contingencies during successive wars. The best application is the turbo engine on a majority of vehicles since the 90s.

Excellent research!

About time somebody covered this topic.

Great Video!! I enjoyed a lot!!

Vielen Dank für dieses exzellente Video. Kleiner Tipp: Du sagst oft "could", wenn du "were able to" meinst. In einem anderem Video sagtest du "special part" oder so und meintest Spezialanfertigung. Eine besseres Wort wäre hier "bespoke" gewesen. LG, dein Obersturmbahnführer der Grammatik.

I posted this on another video and hope it’s of interest: I recommend reading Antony Sutton’s books- Some of what he revealed was the fact that Standard Oil shipped tons of Tetraethyl to Germany, and the technological exchange(later covered up) for the German Synthetic rubber. Lots of facts were hidden post war- Between the wars restrictions had Junkers build planes in the USSR, and they made the first all metal plane. In the post WWII period, the Soviets acquired BMW and Junkers jet engines, thousands of engineers and scientists and complete Heinkel factories. Siegfried Gunther in fact was the designer of the Mig-15, with Rolls Royce Nene engines the Soviets obtained with “irresistible pressure” and then improved upon. The same small group of Wall Street Bankers who financed the invasion of Russia to create the Soviet ”Union” to exploit natural resources, implement US Corporations, technical assistance(at extreme profits)also re-industrialized and invested in post 1923 Germany. Sutton’s books are a fantastic source of info(especially from hidden State Department Decimal Files) Carrol Quigley’s “The Anglo-American Establishment also shows what the English were doing in the post Versailles period, doing a “controlled buildup” and financing of Germany. The 1935 Naval Agreement where England allowed Germany to build up to 1/3 of the amount of British superiority. Also of interest was Ferdinand Porsche’s contribution to aviation engines, hemispherical combustion chamber heads, etc. ITT owned 19% of Foke-Wulf if I recall correctly. Opel was GM owned from 1931-2017, and Ford Factories continued building through and sfter the war in Germany, England, France and as the Gaz in the Ussr- To say that “things got out of hand” and history is a coverup is a pretty accurate statement-

Fantastic history.

Great channel. (I just stumbled upon it.) Great research and delivery. Subscribed!

Quality. Great fascinating topic

Great video, always been fascinated by German aircraft engine technology.

This is a great one, very interesting!

Very good research, thank you!

Amazing!!thank you!

Very well explained!

Finest video. Thank‘s !

This video is amazing. Great job

Thanks! Great video 👍

Thanks. I love supercharger s. This is a great history. Stay well

Very interesting. Danke

Excellent. Very interesting, thanks a lot.

Fantastic video, thank you

Well done, thankyou! The 90° drive reminds me of the Königswellen-Motors that Ernst Fuhrmann designed for the Porsche 356 Carreras...reliable indeed but only a handfull of people in the world can time the valves on these maestro Type 547 motors!

Can you make a similar videos on the history of inline 8 cylinders in Garmany? Seems like many old German cars used the layout, but is dead now a days.

great video,, I love super charger engines.

A friend of mine (who works with modern turbo and super engines) and myself were trying to figure out why the hell they did this. Thanks, I can finally stop thinking about it lol

Wunderbar!!!

Excellent video,, on an interesting subject that doesn't receive the coverage it deserves. I'll be back for more of this. 12:25 - "Don't mention the war!" ;-)

Thank you!! 😊👍

First time here, love it... Cheers

EXCELENTE DOCUMENTÁRIO 👍👍👍 🇧🇷

vielen Dank

Outstanding presentation. Hopefully we get some discussion of the differential compression ratios (between banks) on the later DB 603s in one of your videos.

Love them meaty old engines

Please make a video on that 4x supercharged submarine engine. looks super cool

Thanks.

Motor à 90o do compressor? Não sabia disso.

there was clutch on inline supercharged engines too.

Klasse Video!!

Vielen Dank !! Super,Mega intressant ‼️👍🏻 This is why i love youtube🤗

The current Mercedes V12 car engine has also two spark plugs per cylinder. A spark plug change will need 24 spark plugs.

So, the supercharger was something designed for fighter airplanes to reach greater altitude. Did the turbo charger have a similar beginning, or was it created to make automobiles more efficient? This was a great video, glad that YT recommended it.

is it me or is RU-vid cranking up the ad volume?

When the German war industury was restricted by the allies between the world wars, did racing provide excuse or cover for develop of war technology?

What motor inside yellow bimmer's hood?

Hi, great video. Was wondering, you're obviously German and have access to German language archive material. Have you come across any German research into the application of multi-speed propellers (i.e. changing the gear-reducer speed in flight like changing down a gear in a car to climb a hill) to aero-engines? I have come across one obscure German patent from the early 1930's but so far, nothing else.

It’s interesting to see the difference in fuel delivery solutions on aircraft engines I see a lot of blow thru carbs on the German engines and a lot of American engines seems to used draw thru system more

On the A engine, how did they get the oil to not fall onto the backs of the pistons and sit there?

My thought process was that just so happened to be the layout the designers happened to place the supercharger and crankshaft in. Then as engines got upgraded, no one thought to change the location of the supercharger. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" I would think they would think.

ich finde er hat frei gesprochen und auch gute bilder verwendet nah just kidding fire video bro

Dual sparkplugs was mainly for safety. If one magneto failed, the pilot could switch over to just the one to keep the engine running.

Did you mean to say "Mercedes DB600 series..." at 0:35?

Engines have surely evolved overtime Seeing 13l engines producing 65hp, While 1.6 engines now are producing 800+ hp.

Paging @Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles !

If the side mounting reduced how much airflow had to change direction compared to the back end mounting, wouldn't a front mount have the straightest airflow? I can see some interference with the propeller; maybe it would have been too much.

This answers the question of Greg form Greg's Airplanes

That Ferdinand guy... Wonder if he ever started his own company!

Warum gibt es keine Keramikkolben, bez. Motoerteile? Weil Keramik, im Gegensatz zum Aluminium, ein ganz schlechter Wärmeleiter ist. Behält ein Motor höhere Temperatur, lässt sich im Brennraum weniger Luft komprimieren. siehe Ladeluftkühler

Thank you for the history lesson. 90 degree supercharger is very German logic. It's worse, but better, through engineering.

I’ve never heard of the treaty of Versailles being called the contract of Versailles. Though I may well be wrong, I’m guessing by the units you use and your accent that you’re not American or British. Is the treaty of Versailles often called the contact of Versailles elsewhere in the world? I’m sure it’s simply a difference in language but it’s something I’ve never heard before so I’m interested.

👍

Would any of the knowledgeable people here explain a story I had heard about the octane fuel additive required to run these high compression engines came from the Standard Oil company of the good old USA and without it the Luftwaffe could not operate.

We have a Green blown Bentley in Perth WA.Ex Police chase car.

Beide Anordnungen für den Radialkompressor haben ihr Für und Wieder. Großer Vorteil des britischen Konzepts : Ohne allzu große Verrenkungen lässt sich der Lader mehrstufig ausführen.

Because all that power and being under all that cowling, of course it gets hot.

Is it true that the DB engines couldn't run at full power for more than a few minutes?

Sorry for the question ¿they use supercarger only? I know the use turbo too 😅 I speak Spanish and it takes me a while to understand the video hehe

inline slants are god mod

thak you great vid germans at the best in engineering

WOW ,How is it possible to name drop as many pioneers of the auto/engine history into just 1 video, these guys must have worn out their slide rules on a weekly basis.

The world: V engines work. Germany: VERKEHRT HERUM ! The world: Supercharges work. Germany: RECHTER WINKEL ! That's why.

МЕ-109😁👍🏻

😮😮💪💪

Why 90? Because some people have trouble to distinguish a 9 from a 6

It seems that Alfa Romeo failed to adhere to the left-side, cold-side, driver-side engineering norm. Alfa did it exactly opposite.

Königswelle.....Kingsshaft.....

0:20 Ist das etwa ein Rezept?

now I can sleep!

"Why were German superchargers until WW2 rotated 90 degrees instead of lining up with the crankshaft?" 107.000 people: *Interesting*

Bently never raced supercharged bentlys. It was private racers who did it. W. O. Bently was against supercharging