Diesel Engines

[submariner]

During the Second World War did any aircraft of that time use diesel engines or attempt to develop an aero-type diesel engine?

[moonshadow]

The german designed Junkers JU86P was used by both Britain and Germany.

[Clanad]

The actual engine used in moonshadow's Junkers aircraft, as well as many other Geman designs is the Jumo 205 in various models... although a later version used in high-altitude aircraft was the Jumo 207...

[johnlambert]

Diesel turns waxy when the temp dips below freezing, and the highter the altitude, the colder the atmosphere becomes, which I imagine would make getting the diesel from the fuel tank to the engine a bit of a challenge before it turns from liquid to solid

[Clanad]

Actually, John jet fuel is simply diesel more highly refined. Diesel trucks here in the western U.S. switch to Number 1 diesel when the temps get cod enough and they run all winter long... sometimes with temps down to -30 deg F.

[johnlambert]

I thought jet fuel was kerosen?

[heathfield]

Prior to WWII, Ferdinand Porsche had designed and built air-cooled diesel engines for bomber aircraft. He tried to convince Hitler and others that they were totally practical, less complicated, and would be cheaper to build, run, and maintain than aircraft using water-cooled petrol engines.
Unfortunately for him, (and probably fortunately for us), the German High command were too impressed by the high-powered water-cooled engines of the Schneider Trophy winners, and thought that was the only way to go for aero engines.