The BMW VI can be considered as one of the best aircraft-engines of its time. It was developed in the twenties from the earlier BMW IV and V, which had six cylinder in line. These engines were direct successors of the WWI BMW III types, which drove many fighters in WW I.

The VI basically doubled the cylinder lines to produce a 12 cylinder V-type-engine.
It was produced in huge numbers and even built under licence in Tchecoslovakia, Russia and Japan.

The engine was mounted in such famous airplanes like Dornier Merkur, some early Dornier 17, the Rohrbach Romar, the Dornier Wal, in which Wolfgang v. Gronau cruised round the world and of course the superb Heinkel He 70 Blitz.

year: 1925
type: 12 cylinder V
cooling: liquid (Ethylen-Glykol)
bore x stroke: 160 x 190 mm
volume: 46,9 liter
compression: 7,3
gear-ratio: 1,61
length: 1837 mm
width: 859 mm
height: 1103 mm
dry weight: 546 kg
max power: 750 hp/ 1700 RPM (fixed prop)
cruise power: 580 hp/ SL/ 2700 RPM
max RPM: 2740
full pressure alt: 1000 m
min fuel burn: 225 g/PSh