Editing Hirth

{{Short description|Engine manufacturer based in Benningen, Germany}}
{{for|people with the surname Hirth|Hirth (surname)}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Hirth Engines GmbH
| logo             = Hirth Logo 2012.png
| caption          = 
| type             = 
| traded_as        = 
| genre            = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate             = 
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| foundation       = 1920
| founder          = [[Hellmuth Hirth]]
| defunct          = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city    = 
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| location         = 
| locations        = 
| area_served      = 
| key_people       = 
| industry         = [[Aerospace]]
| products         = [[Aircraft engine]]s
| services         = 
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| net_income       = 
| aum              = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| owner            = Hans Göbler
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| subsid           = 
| homepage         = {{URL|http://hirthengines.com/}}
| footnotes        = 
| intl             = 
}}

'''Hirth Engines GmbH''' is an [[engine]] manufacturer based in [[Benningen]], [[Germany]]. It is currently a part of the [[UMS Aero Group]]. Hirth began manufacturing [[aero engine]]s in the 1920s, was taken over by Heinkel in WWII to develop the [[Heinkel-Hirth]] jet engines, and today specialises in small [[two-stroke]] engines for light aircraft and other applications.<ref>[https://hirthengines.com/company/ About us], Hirth Engine Company (Retrieved 22 August 2022).</ref>

==History==
===Hellmuth Hirth and Hirth Motoren ===
The company was founded by [[Hellmuth Hirth]] as '''Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth'''. The first commercial engine, the 4-cylinder inverted in-line [[Hirth HM 60|HM 60]], first ran in June 1923 and was sold from the next year. Its quality was extremely high and it formed the foundation of the business.<ref name="gunston">Gunston, Bill (1998). ''World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines'', 4th Edition. Patrick Stephens Ltd (PSL).</ref>

The company was renamed '''Leichtmetall-Werke GmbH''', '''Elektronmetall GmbH''' and eventually separated from the aero engine manufacturing to form [[Mahle GmbH]] as a manufacturer of light alloy engine components, specifically the magnesium alloy [[Elektron (alloy)|Elektron]], including parts for aircraft engines.{{cn|date=August 2022|reason=no mention in Gunston}}

In 1931, Hirth renamed the much-expanded aero engine business as '''Hirth Motoren GmbH'''.<ref name="gunston"/> An upgrade in the form of the HM 60R improved efficiency, and was followed by 6, 8 and 12-cylinder versions based on the same basic design.  Over the next decade, Hirth became one of Germany's leading aero engine manufacturers.

===Heinkel-Hirth===
During the late 1930s [[Hans von Ohain]] developed a jet engine design while at [[Göttingen University]]. Despite having no engine facility, aircraft designer [[Heinkel]] employed him to continue his work. Together with Wilhelm Gundermann he developed a series of experimental engines, including the [[HeS 3B]] which powered the world's first jet aircraft, the [[Heinkel He 178]], in 1939.<ref name="gunston"/>

Hellmuth Hirth died in an aircraft crash in 1938. The RLM or ''[[Reichsluftfahrtministerium]]'' ("Reich aviation ministry") nationalised his company, and in 1942 it was taken over by [[Heinkel]] to form '''Heinkel-Hirth'''. While the existing piston engine series were continued, Heinkel also used the Hirth facilities for development work on their series of [[jet engine]]s. Although Heinkel-Hirth had some technical success with this programme, their jet engines were not put into production.<ref name="gunston"/>

===Gobler-Hirth and UMS Skeldar===
Following [[World War II]], Hirth re-emerged as an independent company once again. Because of the prohibitions on German aviation in this period, Hirth manufactured small marine and [[stationary engine]]s, as well as motors for [[snowmobile]]s. In the early 1970s the company went into voluntary liquidation. 

The company was acquired by [[Hans Göbler]], who continued making small [[two-stroke cycle|two-stroke]] engines under the name of '''Gobler-Hirth Motoren Gmbh''', and re-introduced aero engines to the range.<ref>Gremminger, Steph (2017). "[http://www.redbackaviation.com/considering-hirth-engine/ Considering The Hirth Engine]". Redback Aviation. 24 June 2017. (retrieved 25 August 2022)</ref> In 2011 Gobler-Hirth were developing UAV piston engines to run on heavier jet fuel, because of its higher energy density and ease of handling.<ref>Rosenberg, Zach; "[https://www.flightglobal.com/auvsi-heavy-fuel-engines/101426.article AUVSI - Heavy Fuel Engines]", ''Flight Global'' 05 Aug 2011. (retrieved 23 August 2022)</ref>

In 2018 Gobler-Hirth was taken over by [[UMS Skeldar]], a joint venture between the Swedish aerospace company [[Saab AB]] and Swiss drone maker [[UMS Aero Group]] in which UMS hold a majority share. The company was renamed '''Hirth Engines Gmbh'''. The Skeldar range of UAVs, originally developed by Saab, have introduced Hirth's heavy-fuel piston engines to the marketplace, alongside their established gasoline-fuelled products.<ref>[https://hirthengines.com/ums-skeldar-announces-acquisition-of-global-engine-manufacturer-hirth-engines/ UMS SKELDAR Announces Acquisition of Global Engine Manufacturer Hirth Engines], Hirth Engines, 2018. (retrieved 23 August 2022)</ref>

==Engines==

===Four-stroke piston (prewar and WWII)===

*[[Hirth HM 60]] - 4-cylinder inverted air-cooled inline aircraft engine, {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth HM 500]] - 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline,
*[[Hirth HM 501]] - 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline,
*[[Hirth HM 504]] - 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline, {{convert|105|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth HM 506]] - 6-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline, {{convert|165|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth HM 508]] - 8-cylinder air-cooled inverted-V, {{convert|280|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth HM 512]] - 12-cylinder air-cooled inverted-V, {{convert|400|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth HM 515]] - 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline, {{convert|60|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}

===Turbine (prewar and WWII)===

*[[Heinkel HeS 1]] - Bench-test prototype engine fuelled by hydrogen, run some five months after the first Whittle bench-test prototype.
*[[Heinkel HeS 3]] - First jet engine to fly.
*[[Heinkel-Hirth HeS 30]] - aka 006.
*[[Heinkel-Hirth HeS 40]] - "constant volume" combustion engine.
*[[Heinkel-Hirth HeS 50]] - ducted-fan unit for long-duration flight.
*[[Heinkel-Hirth HeS 60]] - HeS 50 with an additional turbine stage.
*[[Heinkel HeS 011|Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011]] - advanced twin-spool design, 19 test examples built.

===Two-stroke piston (postwar)===
*[[Hirth F-23]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-30]] - 4-cylinder two stroke {{convert|110|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-33]] - 1-cylinder two stroke {{convert|28|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-36]] - 1-cylinder two stroke {{convert|15|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-40]] - 4-cylinder two stroke {{convert|120|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-102]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|26|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth F-263]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|31|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 2702]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 2703]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|55|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 2704]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|53|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 2706]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3002]] - 4-cylinder two stroke {{convert|83|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3202]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|55|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3203]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3502]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|60|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3503]] - 2-cylinder two stroke {{convert|70|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Hirth 3701]] - 3-cylinder two stroke {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}

==See also==
*[[List of aircraft engine manufacturers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://hirthengines.com/}}

{{Hirth aeroengines}}

[[Category:Aircraft engine manufacturers of Germany]]
[[Category:Companies based in Bavaria]]
[[Category:German brands]]
[[Category:Heinkel]]
[[Category:Hirth aircraft engines| ]]