Bramo 329 and friends

[Wurger]

Hi,

Brandenburgische Motorenwerke GmbH, alias BRAMO, succeeded Siemens & Halske, and then SAM in the aero engine business until merged with BMW in 1938. These two were rivals in the radial engine sector and Bramo developed a series of interesting designs stemming remotelly from the Bristol Jupiter. My knowledge of this company is scant so I ask for those who know better if there are photos/sketches of the following engines:

Bramo 329 (aka Sh29), a two-row 14 cylinder, with a power output of 1400hp.
Bramo 300, a two-row 18 cylinder, 2000hp.

Although these engines development was cancelled, they were built and tested.
Other projects: I only know P 3031, which would evolve into the BMW 803, and a 10 cylinder radial. I would love to see more of these P... designations.

 

[Artie Bob]

The head of BMW advanced projects (BMW 802, etc.) in WW II, Peter Kappus, was living in Cincinnati, Ohio and I last talked to him in 2002 or 3. He was about 90 then, but it is possible he is still around. I have one acquaintance in that same city over 101 with his wits still about him. You might see if anyone on the board might live in the area and follow up. I am too far away to help .

Best Regards,

Artie Bob

 

[Wurger]

Hi Artie Bob,

nice to have you here. He is in fact 101 years old. I will try to contact him and, if it comes something out, I will post it here.
meanwhile, any other contributions on BRAMO?

 

[Wurger]

Courtesy of Herrn Richard Faltermair, here is the almost unknown Bramo 300 . It was a contemporary of the P&W R-2800 and the GR-18L, being the first german aircraft engine to attain such power and beating the BMW 140. Reaching (and exceeding in tests) 2000hP, it didn`t make it past the test benches since Ernst Udet forced the merger of Bramo into BMW. Although uniformity in aircraft engine production is a clever move, it (almost) killed the ingenuity of Bramo`s Spandau development office in piston technology. The exception was the amazing Bramo P.3031, later to become the 28 cylinder liquid-cooled radial BMW 803.

 

[Nick Sumner]

It looks very much as if the supercharger is between the propellor and the cylinders like the BMW 802. Could the two designs be related?

 

[Wurger]

Cross polinization between these two firms began in 1938. It could be possible.

 

[tartle]

I thought the original S&H radials were directly based on the Jupiter which was further developed into the 323 and other higher numbered configurations... the sort of direction Fedden would have gone along if sleeves had not diverted his efforts.

 

[Wurger]

Tartle wrote.

I thought the original S&H radials were directly based on the Jupiter which was further developed into the 323 and other higher numbered configurations... the sort of direction Fedden would have gone along if sleeves had not diverted his efforts.

At this stage (post-Fafnir) S&H/Bramo had already diverted in a diferent path, as BMW had done with P&W`s "Wasp". It would be interesting to know more on Bramo`s experiments in rotary/conical valves. This alternative and fascinating technology is far from being researched, only the british sleeve valves deserving some consideration. Who is acquainted with DVL`s "ringschiebersteurung", sliding ring valve?
A sidenote: BMW tried to buy the Burt-McCollum design from Bristol back in the early 30`s, obviously without success.