Personalities

Desmo-engine designers

Arnott, F.H. (JAP)

Azzariti, Vincenzo (Benelli)

Battlogg, Stefan (on a Porsche)

Bignan, Jacques (Bignan)

Bordi, Massimo (Ducati)

Brüdersdorf, Roland (on a BMW, Volvo)

Cappa, Giulio Cesare (Fiat 401)

Causan, Némorin-Laurant (FR557079)

Cenna, Fernando (on a Ducati)

Cervinka, Jaroslav (ESO)

Craigh, Joe (Norton)

Decuir, Julian A.

DelBiondo, Massimo (Ducati)

Downwer, David (Rudge)

Duesenberg, Fred (Frederick Samuel) (06-12-1876 – 26-07-1932) (Duesenberg)

Foale, Tony (on a Velocette)

Gardner, Ron (Ariel)

Germain, Louis (Ballot)

Goossen, Leo (Miller/Offenhauser/Reventlow)

Hartung, Willi (NSU)

Hele, Doug(las) (Norton)

[Doug Hele, master engineer and designer of the Desmo-Manx Norton, passed away on 2 November 2001 aged 82 (13-07-1919 – 02-11-2001)]

Horak, Karel (on a Jawa)

Howarth, W. (Howarth)

Küchen, Richard (Neander)

Länge, Hans Peter (on a Moto Guzzi)

Lantenhammer, Otto (on a JAWA)

Lau Foo Wah

Lorscheidt, Manfred (13-11-1921 – ??-?? 1985) (Mercedes)

Mangoletsi, G.A.

Marchetti, Angiolino (Joe) (Ferrari & Ducati)

Marmorini, Luca (Ferrari & Toyota)

Maserati, Ernesto (Maserati)

Massimino, Alberto (Maserati)

Mazzini, Giuliano (Demm)

Mengoli, Gianluigi (Ducati)

Michelat, Arthur Léon (Delage)

Michaux, Gratien-Élie-Nicolas (Schneider)

Miller, Harry (Arminius) (09-12-1875 – 03-05-1943)(Miller)

Norton, Pa (James Lansdowne) (08-01-1869 – 21-04-1925) (Norton)

Pancaldi, Nerio (Benelli & Morini)

Peeren, Frits (on a Honda)

Petit, Emile (Salmson)

Pohn, Franz (on a BMW)

Prestwich, J.A. 1874-1952 (JAP)

Reventlow, Lance (24-02-1936) – 24-07-1972)(see Goossen) (Scarab)

Segatto, Orestes (Tehuelche)

Serri, Arturo

Taglioni, Fabio (Ducati)

See short biography at: Taglioni, Fabio

[Fabio died wednesday 18 july 2001 (10-09-1920 – 18-07-2001)]

Tonti, Lino (Bianchi)

Treen, Charles

Vareille, Pierre Henry Edmond (Lombard, Michel Aviation)

Woods, Alfred Walter Douglas (BMG/Velocette)

 

Some explanation : This list does not claim to be complete. In any case, the mentioned engineers have implemented effectively one or more desmo systems. A number did this only in or as a separate cylinderhead. Or even as a working model / test rig only (Pattakos a.o.). But from a greater number of engineers working for famous brands (listed between parentheses) their designs are implemented as engine and built. These are often successfully raced or even (Mercedes, Ducati ) taken into production. In the “early days” engineers were regarded as great personalities and recognized and praised in the media . About these pioneers books, book chapters and articles are written, remarkably often only for the first time recently (e.g. by Sébastien Faurès)*. About one of the very best known, Fabio Taglioni, a biography has been published in 2011 [“Fabio Taglioni La Ducati Il Desmo” by Nunzia Manicardi]. But already many years big brands like Ducati, Audi, Toyota etc. have R & D departments where design teams are working on a new product . The names of individual designers and inventors do not come in the publicity like yesteryear. At most, mentioned as inventor on the patent (application) documents. Next to the listed names there are hundreds of inventors (not all engineers) which became known to me, because of their patent(application) over the last hundred plus years. It is not (yet) known to me whether or not and who from these inventors built some mockup / test rig or even a complete engine.

 

* For ” Les Amis de Delage ” and “The Automobile ” he wrote about Gratien Michaux; Leon Michelat; Louis Verdet and many others.

In his book Fiat en Grand Prix he deals extensively with Giulio Cesare Cappa .

 

Desmo-related or not-desmo related? That’s the question

Delage

Henry, Ernest

Ernest Henry, der – gleichhaltrig mit Boillot, Goux und Zuccarelli – im Dezember 1950 mit 65 Jahren völlig vereinsamt, vergessen und verarmt bei Paris starb.

Source: Hütten, Helmut Schnelle Motoren, p. 48

 

Last update: October 22, 2021