The Leesil 2.4 cc diesel of 1946/47 was produced in very small numbers by Leesil Ltd. of Bradford in Yorkshire, England. The actual manufacturer was a certain Colin Wilkinson, who seems to have worked alone in premises located at 1 Arthington Street in Bradford. 

The initial version of this strongly Dyno-influenced sideport unit were tested by members of the very active Bradford Model Aero Club, evidently being judged a great success. This encouraged the company to develop a revised design which was to be manufactured in quantity by a separate firm of precision engineers working under contract. However, the contractor apparently did not appreciate the tolerances required to construct a successful model diesel, the result being that the engines which they produced were unuseable. Consequently, the planned updated model never reached the market.

Wilkinson continued on his own for a while, also producing a few examples of a rear disc valve induction variant of the engine. However, manufacture ended in the latter part of 1947 with only a few dozen engines having been produced in total. The engine is mega-rare today.

Full details of the Leesil story may be found in the separate article which appears elsewhere on this web-site.