The Blohm & Voss BV 238 was a German flying boat, built during World War II.
It was the heaviest aircraft ever built when it first flew in 1944, and was the largest aircraft produced by any of the Axis powers during World War II.
Development of the BV 238 giant flying boat began in 1941, following the success of the smaller but still enormous BV 222 Wiking.
An approximately quarter scale model of the BV 238 was commissioned to test the new, long and slim hull design.
Built by the Czechoslovakian firm “Flugtechnische Fertigungsgemeinschaft Prag” (FGP), the FGP 227 arrived too late to contribute any data to the program.
Although extensive defensive armament was planned the first prototype, the BV 238 V1, had none.
Bearing the Stammkennzeichen alphabetic radio code of RO + EZ, it began flight trials in April 1944.
It was strafed and partially sunk while moored on Lake Schaal, some miles to the east of Hamburg.
One wing remained above water, it was salvaged, but by this time the war had ended, the Allies refused to let it be restored so it was taken out to deeper water and sunk.
Specifications
BV 238A-02 (V6)
Crew
12
Length
43.35 m (142 ft 3 in)
Wingspan
60.17 m (197 ft 5 in)
Height
12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Wing area
360.16 m2 (3,876.7 sq ft)
Empty weight
54,780 kg (120,769 lb)
Gross weight
90,000 kg (198,416 lb) for reconnaissance missions
95,000 kg (209,439 lb) for bomber missions
Max take-off weight
100,000 kg (220,462 lb)
Powerplant
6 × Daimler-Benz DB 603G inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engines,
1,417 kW (1,900 hp) each for take-off 1,163 kW (1,560 hp) at 7,375 m (24,196 ft)
Propellers
3 bladed constant speed propellers
Performance
Maximum speed
350 km/h (220 mph, 190 kn) at 60,000 kg (132,277 lb) weight at sea level
425 km/h (264 mph) at 60,000 kg (132,277 lb) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
Landing speed
143 km/h (77 kn, 89 mph)
Range
6,620 km (4,110 mi, 3,570 nmi) at 365 km/h (227 mph) at 92,000 kg (202,825 lb) at 2,000 m (6,562 ft)
Service ceiling
7,300 m (24,000 ft)
Wing loading
261 kg/m2 (53 lb/sq ft)
Armament
Guns
8 x 13 mm (0.512 in) MG 131 machine guns with 1,800 rpg,
4 in each nose and tail turret
8 x 13 mm (0.512 in) MG 131 machine guns with 900 rpg,
4 in each wing mounted turret
4 x 13 mm (0.512 in) MG 131 machine guns with 500 rpg;
2 (as a twinned MG 131Z) in each manually aimed beam/waist position
2 x 20 mm (0.787 in) MG 151/20 auto-cannon with 1,400 rpg in forward dorsal turret
Bombs
20 x 250 kg (551 lb) SC 250 bombs in wing bomb bays
&
4 x 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) SC 1000 bombs on external racks
Or
2 x 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) LD 1200 torpedoes on external racks
