Following World War I, French Gnome-Rhone ended its production of rotary engines, and began building radial engines under license from English manufacturer Bristol in 1922. The K series was Gnome-Rhone’s first attempt to break away from the Bristol designs, with models having 7, 9, and 14 cylinders. The short lived L series had 14 and 18 cylinders, and was reported to be too heavy and bulky for its output. The lightly used M series was produced only in 14 cylinder similar, but smaller, versions of the K series.

The N series of two-row, fourteen-cylinder models modernized the Mistral Major K series with increased cooling fin area and internal strengthening. It was the most used Gnome-Rhone, powering a number of World War II French and German aircraft. This geared and supercharged engine powered the Messerschmitt Me 323d-1, Bloch 151/152/220, and Dewoitine D.342 aircraft. Six of these engines powered the world’s largest power glider, the German Me-323 Gegant.