Why did WW2 Germany Start Welding Engines Together? DB 600 Double Motors

PATREON:
  / flightdojo  

Throughout the second world war, as the competition for more power on a smaller scale grew fiercer, Daimler-Benz explored more avant-garde engine designs that they hoped may give them an advantage. Particularly in the early part of the conflict, whichever nation could win the race to gain superior horsepower would likely also hold the upper hand in air superiority and thus have a greater chance of winning the war overall.
As such, engine engineers at Daimler-Benz were driven to research any technological advancements that might increase the power output of an engine while also reducing its overall size. This research encompassed fundamental concepts such as direct fuel injection and turbocharging, all the way to eccentric inventions like the double motor, which was essentially two engines melded together by a single reduction gearbox.
And, the thing is, unlike many of the other experimental engines laid out by Rolls Royce and others, these things flew. So stay tuned as we explore what happens if you just… straight-up weld two engines together in a quest for more power.