The BMW 801 is Beautifully Engineered
Ever wonder why the BMW logo is referred to as a ‘propeller?’
The BMW 801 was a powerful German air-cooled radial aircraft engine built by BMW and used in a number of German military aircraft of World War II. It was the first German-made “Double Radial.”
The engine’s cylinders were in two rows of seven cylinders each, the bore and stroke were both 156 millimetres (6.1 in), giving a total capacity of 41.8 litres (2,550 cu in). The engine generated between 1,560 and 2,000 PS (1,540-1,970 hp, or 1,150 and 1,470 kW). The unit (including mounts) weighed from 1,010 to 1,250 kg and was about 1.29 m (51 in) across, depending on the model.
Over 61,000 examples of the 801 were made, the largest number of any single German aviation radial engine design in World War II, and whose production total for the entire WW II German aviation industry was only exceeded by the liquid-cooled Junkers Jumo 211 inverted V-12 engine.
The 801 was originally intended to replace existing radial types in German transport and utility aircraft. At the time, it was widely agreed among European designers that an inline engine was a requirement for high performance designs due to its smaller frontal area and resulting lower drag. However, radial engines could endure more combat damage, so Kurt Tank fitted a BMW 801 to a new fighter design he was working on. As a result, the 801 became best known as the powerplant for the famous Focke-Wulf Fw 190.
