List of DB 605A engine construction numbers?

[tanzebau]

Hello,


regarding Reggiane aircraft, so far the following DB605/Fiat RA1050 engines were identified, according to Ali d'Italia nr. 16 and Regia Aeronautica papers:


Aircraft M.M. - Engine M.M.'s
494 - 7738, 47907, 47993
092343 - 47881/001
092345 - RA 47968
092346 - 47958/078, 48014 (or 48018)
092348 - RA 47964
092354 - 48028 (or 48208)
092358 - 48115/235
096102 - 48153/273


Notes:

- where I typed RA means the document mentions explicitely Fiat.
- There is also a picture of a RE2005 showing engine M.M. 47999.
- The nr. 7738 comes from a picture. It seems it's really a 4 digit number.

[tanzebau]

Regarding DB601/alfa RA 1000 on RE2001, from an original Reggiane document:


Aircraft M.M. - Engine M.M.
9946 - RA 44935
7229 - RA 33079
08077 - RA 44470
7281 - DB 63636
7282 - RA 44705
7259 - RA 39014
7274 - DB 64963
90761 - RA 44731
7280 - RA 44938
90006 - DB 32075 or 32076
7225 - RA 44641

[S Sheflin]

Hello tanzebau,
Thank you for your intriguing postings. They do, however, raise a question.
Did Fiat ever produce any DB 605 “AS” versions? I ask because several of your entries have “/xxx” MNr. extensions. Do you think these “extra” digits could be “AS” serial numbers?
On German-made engines, these three or four digit extensions were serialized “AS” modification numbers. In some cases (mainly on Allied Crashed Enemy Aircraft reports), they were also listed as three or four digits added immediately before the actual MNr.
Respectfully,
Steve Sheflin

[tanzebau]

Hello Steve,


unfortunately I don't have direct access to those specific reports but it's nery unlikely that it means a DB605AS used on RE2005's. It looks more like a progressive number from 47880

[schwarze-man]

It certainly seems that the Alfa Romeo production is missing from the Allied BIOS reports, similar to the Swedish production. Also, the A.R. 1000 DB601 5-digit numbers cover a large range of around 10,000 numbers in those examples, I think there is little doubt they must have been allocated small production block-numbers in that range.
The FIAT DB 605 is listed as 120 produced in '43 and 214 in '44 for a total of 334. The example block numbers given above range about 445 examples (ignoring the possible high number), which almost looks like it could be a continuous "block". There might be the possibility of the continued 605 production at FIAT in '45 not being reflected by the BIOS recording?
The whole subject of AS engine production is interesting. I have not found much detail about production but, the photographic record shows a lot of AS powered aircraft! There are one or two quotes about AS engines being built within the normal (German) 605 A production blocks, as though they made short runs of AS versions.
Thanks for the info everyone!

SM

[HGabor]

Hi folks, some more DB 605 engine numbers:
1) Bf 109 WNr 13438, CC+ZM, engine # 77265
2) Bf 109 WNr 13439, CC+ZN, engine # 76861
3) Bf 109 WNr 13440, CC+ZO, engine # 76854
4) Bf 109 WNr 13442, CC+ZQ, engine # 76875
5) Bf 109 WNr 13448, BC+VK, engine # 25562
6) Bf 109 WNr 13496, BC+VS, engine # 25554
7) Bf 109 WNr 13500, BC+VW, engine # 25516
8) Bf 109 WNr 13506, BJ+WC, engine # 25592
Cheers!

[schwarze-man]

Originally Posted by HGabor

Hi folks, some more DB 601 engine numbers:
1) Bf 109 WNr 13438, CC+ZM, engine # 77265
2) Bf 109 WNr 13439, CC+ZN, engine # 76861
3) Bf 109 WNr 13440, CC+ZO, engine # 76854
4) Bf 109 WNr 13442, CC+ZQ, engine # 76875
5) Bf 109 WNr 13448, BC+VK, engine # 25562
6) Bf 109 WNr 13496, BC+VS, engine # 25554
7) Bf 109 WNr 13500, BC+VW, engine # 25516
8) Bf 109 WNr 13506, BJ+WC, engine # 25592
Cheers!

Thank you HGabor,
I think these are all Bf 109 G-2 with DB 605 A engines.
Cheers

SM

[HGabor]

Yes, they were from a test

[schwarze-man]

Originally Posted by HGabor

Yes, they were from a test

Interesting, and an early 109G test it would seem?
I trawled through the 605 loss data that I have but the closest to those engine numbers I have is one about two engines apart, which is close!
There is though 27428 listed as lost as late as 8 Feb '45 in a G-14, which quite a survivor, and would have been rebuilt as an 1800 horsepower AM by then.
Those 25xxx engines are possibly NiMo production, the 76/77xxx probably Genshagen. I know an early Genshagen 77xxx 605A that has a SKODA made crankcase (Kurbelgehause), complete with the SKODA cast-in badge.
There are many major parts from sub contractors. I have seen RENAULT made 605A cylinderblocks with the big Renault diamond shaped badge cast in.

Cheers

5port

[schwarze-man]

Originally Posted by S Sheflin

Hello tanzebau,
Thank you for your intriguing postings. They do, however, raise a question.
Did Fiat ever produce any DB 605 “AS” versions? I ask because several of your entries have “/xxx” MNr. extensions. Do you think these “extra” digits could be “AS” serial numbers?
On German-made engines, these three or four digit extensions were serialized “AS” modification numbers. In some cases (mainly on Allied Crashed Enemy Aircraft reports), they were also listed as three or four digits added immediately before the actual MNr.
Respectfully,
Steve Sheflin

Hi Steve,
I am very interested in the production of the DB 605 AS. I have a test report of the prototype Bf 109 G-5AS, W.Nr 26108, test flown on 22/12/1943.
The engine was DB 605 AS-0 W.Nr 00702626.
This was a first-series production engine (the -0) from DB Genshagen.
I will look at the production date and come back a little later.
As the report is an official write-up, the engine number is likely as shown on the engine plate. However, I realise there might have been other numbers in the production contracts, but I have no useful info about that.
Cheers

Chris