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Seems like that Germans didn't know what to actually do with the G&R 14N engines. The report from 19th March 1943 says:
Roughly: out of 1400 of the 14N engines 'found' in France, 1000 are the complete engines, and 400 is the equivalent in the spare parts. Further engines 'found' will be delivered to the GL/E. Repair capacity is in both Germany (in Hameln) and in France.
Report that predates that, dated at 12th February, notes the intention to outfit the Me 323 with the 14N engines, and asks about the repair facility in Germany to cover these engines:
The even earlier report, from December 1942, is talking about the winterization of the Me 323/14N and the Ju 52/BMW 132 (because "sooner or later the Me 323 transporters will be going to the East"), especially about the oil system of the 14N:
Report from November 1942:
... comments that the further increase of Ju 52 production is not possible because of (lack of?) engines. The Me 323 is mooted as to be powered by the Alfa Romeo engines (radials?).
Idea for the AR engines for the Me 323 is mentioned in the October report.
Report from late July 1942 says that Me 323 'has not yet started' (presuming start of production?).
What might be a tl;dr from all of this?
Seems like it took Germans almost 2.5 years to figure out what to do with the war booty of 1000+400 of G&R 14N engines. Engines that, while not being roses and unicorns, were perfectly suitable to install in the transport aircraft, or to be send to Italy to bolster their feeble output of the aero engines. The attempt to make anything from the from the 14R series, that landed in the German lap in 1940, was all theory.
Germans felt the need to use the weakest of the meaningful French engines, the 14M; granted, these saved the Hs 129 program - lets give credit where credit is due. OTOH, a Ju 87 with a 14N in the nose might've been armed with two MK 101 or 103 guns and still give a fine service.
Roughly: out of 1400 of the 14N engines 'found' in France, 1000 are the complete engines, and 400 is the equivalent in the spare parts. Further engines 'found' will be delivered to the GL/E. Repair capacity is in both Germany (in Hameln) and in France.
Report that predates that, dated at 12th February, notes the intention to outfit the Me 323 with the 14N engines, and asks about the repair facility in Germany to cover these engines:
The even earlier report, from December 1942, is talking about the winterization of the Me 323/14N and the Ju 52/BMW 132 (because "sooner or later the Me 323 transporters will be going to the East"), especially about the oil system of the 14N:
Report from November 1942:
... comments that the further increase of Ju 52 production is not possible because of (lack of?) engines. The Me 323 is mooted as to be powered by the Alfa Romeo engines (radials?).
Idea for the AR engines for the Me 323 is mentioned in the October report.
Report from late July 1942 says that Me 323 'has not yet started' (presuming start of production?).
What might be a tl;dr from all of this?
Seems like it took Germans almost 2.5 years to figure out what to do with the war booty of 1000+400 of G&R 14N engines. Engines that, while not being roses and unicorns, were perfectly suitable to install in the transport aircraft, or to be send to Italy to bolster their feeble output of the aero engines. The attempt to make anything from the from the 14R series, that landed in the German lap in 1940, was all theory.
Germans felt the need to use the weakest of the meaningful French engines, the 14M; granted, these saved the Hs 129 program - lets give credit where credit is due. OTOH, a Ju 87 with a 14N in the nose might've been armed with two MK 101 or 103 guns and still give a fine service.
