Blohm and Voss Bv 238

Flying Boat Aircraft

Aviation / Aerospace

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At the time of its inception, the Bv 238 flying boat was the largest aircraft ever to fly for Germany.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 6/23/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

The mammoth Blohm & Voss Bv 238 was the next evolution in the Blohm & Voss flying boat series for Germany during World War Two. The system was built as the largest aircraft ever produced by any of the Axis powers and was to provide The Reich with extended flying boat capabilities should the series have entered full-scale production. In the end, all the BV 238 project had to show for itself was one damaged prototype and two planned production prototypes started but never finished.

The Bv 238 was powered by a series of six Daimler-Benz piston engines producing upwards of 1,750 each. The powerplants were mounted on a high monoplane wing design with three engines per wing. The initial Bv 238 prototype was airborne by 1944, though it would later be damaged and sunk by allied fighter aircraft while the Bv 238 lay docked. The Bv 239 offered up tremendous range, payload capabilities and respectable speeds for an aircraft of this size and in this role.

Specifications

Year:
1944

Status
Cancelled

Crew
12

Production
1 Units

Blohm and Voss - Germany

Nazi Germany

- Navy / Maritime

Length:
142.26 ft (43.36 m)

Width:
197.41 ft (60.17 m)

Height:
43.96 ft (13.4 m)

Empty Weight:
120,593 lb (54,700 kg)

MTOW:
187,393 lb (85,000 kg)
(Diff: +66,800lb)

(Showcased weight values pertain to the Blohm and Voss Bv 238 V-1 production model)

6 x Daimler-Benz DB 603 V-12 engines developing 1,750 horsepower each.

Max Speed:
277 mph (446 kph; 241 kts)

Service Ceiling:
23,950 feet (7,300 m; 4.54 miles)

Max Range:
4,474 miles (7,200 km; 3,888 nm)

(Showcased performance values pertain to the Blohm and Voss Bv 238 V-1 production model; Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database)

Not Available.

(Showcased armament details pertain to the Blohm and Voss Bv 238 V-1 production model)

BV 238 - Base Series Designation of which one was constructed but damaged while docked; two planned prototypes were started but never finished production.

BV 238 V-1

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