X-SHAPED DIESEL ENGINES: ANALYSIS OF CONSTRUCTION AND PERSPECTIVES OF APPLICATION

The article offers a comprehensive analysis of the history, prerequisites and necessity of developing mechanisms and assemblies in diesel engines of inline, V-shaped and X-shaped schemes, the features of their design and influence on the development of military automobile transport and tank troopsduring the Second World War operations in the European, North African and Asian theaters of war (TOW) and modern armed conflicts during the first - second half of the XX and early XXI centuries. The experimental material for the study will include Soviet V-shaped serial diesel engines of the V-2 and V-92S2F family of water-cooled, German experimental 4-stroke diesel engines "Zimmering" Sla-16 of X-shaped air-cooled, German pre-chamber diesel engine "Daimler-Benz" MV-507 of water-cooled, German carbureted engine "Maybach" HL-230 water-cooled, American 4-stroke diesel engine AVDS-1790 aircooled, 4-stroke experimental Soviet diesel engine DVO-16 (A-37) X-shaped air-cooled, Russian serial 4-stroke 12-cylinder tank diesel engine 12N360 X-shaped water-cooled. The purpose of the research is to find the reasons why German tank engine designers refused to install powerful diesel engines on German tanks, which at that time had already been developed by leading German companies and had advanced design schemes and high performance. The difference of the project lies in the specificity of the research material, the complexity of the selection of evaluation criteria, and the lack of reliable information. The practical significance of the development is to draw attention to the provision of modern weapons and military equipment to the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and to ensure the advantage in mobility on the battlefield over the enemy, they must have reliable, powerful, and promising engines. Keywords: demand for mechanisms and engines, design schemes, engine designers, manufacturers, aircooled and water-cooled engines, technological superiority, military testing stage, design modifications, elimination of deficiencies and comments, adoption of the sample for service and its support.