The DELMO (DELbrel MOteurs) range of high-quality model engines from Paris, France had its origins in 1944 following the liberation of Paris from its WW2 German occupation. In the latter part of 1944, Maurice Delbrel of Corbeil, a southern suburb of Paris, embarked upon the development of a 2.65 cc diesel engine of somewhat unusual design. Following testing, this design appeared on the market in the spring of 1945.

The DELMO 2.65 cc diesel featured variable compression by moving liner rather than the more conventional fixed liner with moveable contra-piston. It also incorporated a pair of oil collection chambers, one on each side, which were intended to aid in keeping the model more free from oil deposits.

The engine started easily and ran well, but soon became outclassed in the performance department. In 1946 this led Delbrel to release an overbored version of the same engine having a displacement of 3.5 cc. Other designs followed - the 5 cc DELMO Super 5 model in 1947 and the 5 cc DELMO Super 49 in 1949. The latter model had the almost unique feature of being set up as supplied to run either as a diesel or as a glow-plug unit. Marine versions of all models were also offered.

There were also a pair of twin-cylinder diesels in 7 cc and 10 cc displacements. However, the DELMO engines were priced somewhat uncompetitively, also progressively falling behind the new models then emerging from other manufacturers during the early to mid 1950's The major French distribution houses stopped featuring the DELMO engines after 1953, leaving Delbrel to continue on his own. This proved to be economically unsustainable, and the last engines were delivered in the spring of 1956.

A full review of the DELMO range along with a test of the 3.5 cc model will appear in these pages in due course.