1916

Event10

DMG receives order for six-cylinder diesel submarine engines

DMG receives order for six-cylinder diesel submarine engines

19 January 1916
The DMG plant at Marienfelde receives an order for twelve 300 hp / 221 kW six-cylinder diesel submarine engines. The first seven units of the MU 256 powerplant are delivered before the end of the year. Benz & Cie. is also hard at work on high-output diesel engines for use in submarines and supplies eight S6 Ln 450 hp / 331 kW six-cylinder units during the course of 1915 and 1916.

Benz Bz IV aeroengine passes type test

Benz Bz IV aeroengine passes type test

February 1916
The Benz Bz IV aeroengine with 200 hp / 147 kW passes the type test in Berlin-Adlershof. Derived from the Bz III, the six-cylinder engine with four-valve-per-cylinder technology and two carburettors proves particularly reliable. By 1918 a total of 6,400 units are produced.

Construction of first assembly hall for aircraft production

Construction of first assembly hall for aircraft production

March 1916
Construction gets underway at the Sindelfingen plant of the first factory building, a large assembly bay for aircraft production bordered by an airfield.

Apprentices' department in Benz plant

Spring 1916
Benz & Cie. sets up an apprentices' department at its Mannheim plant, with full-time instructors and capacity for 30 – and later up to 80 – young workers.

Benz & Cie. enlarges sales territory

29 June 1916
Rheinische Automobil-Gesellschaft AG, a sales company for Benz automobiles, merges with Benz & Cie.

Mercedes D IVa aeroengine goes into large-scale production

Mercedes D IVa aeroengine goes into large-scale production

June 1916
After successfully completing the type test, the Mercedes D IVa aeroengine goes into large-scale production. The 260 hp / 191 kW six-cylinder is based on the D III and replaces the eight-cylinder D IV.

DMG training offer very successful

DMG training offer very successful

1 July 1916
An apprentice department is also set up at DMG in Untertürkheim and caters initially for 36 trainees. Capacity is increased to 153 places by October 1918.

DMG: concentration on aircraft construction under license

DMG: concentration on aircraft construction under license

28 September 1916
An agreement concluded with Flugzeugbau-Friedrichshafen GmbH allows DMG to build the company's aircraft under licence and fit them with Daimler engines. DMG consequently discontinues the advance development programme for its own aircraft launched the previous year.

Aeroengine manufacture reaches its peak

31 December 1916
In terms of its share of overall sales, aeroengine manufacture reaches its peak at Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie.: at DMG it accounts for 64 % of sales; at Benz, 51 %.

Mercedes D IIIa aeroengine passes the modification test

Mercedes D IIIa aeroengine passes the modification test

December 1916
The Mercedes D IIIa aeroengine, a derivative of the D III, passes the modification test in Berlin-Adlershof. The D IIIa and predecessor, of which some 12,000 units were produced in all, is the most built German aeroengine of the First World War. Officially, by war's end it has the reputation of being the most proven German aeroengine next to the Bz IV.