Blohm & Voss BV 238

infobox Aircraft
name = Blohm & Voss BV 238
type = Flying boat
manufacturer = Blohm & Voss

|238px
caption = The BV 238 V1 first prototype, shortly after takeoff.
designer =
first flight = April 1944
introduced =
retired =
produced =
number built = 1 (And 2 incomplete prototypes)
status = Destroyed
unit cost =
primary user = Nazi Germany
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Blohm & Voss BV 238 was a German flying boat constructed in World War II. It was the heaviest aircraft ever flown when it first flew in 1944, and physically was the largest aircraft produced by any of the Axis powers in World War II. The BV 238 V1 prototype, bearing the four-letter "Stammkennzeichen" (factory radio code] of RO + EZ, first flew on March 11, 1944 after a first jump on March 10th, 1944. Six 1750 hp (1.287 MW) Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 piston engines were used in total, arranged in three forward-facing engine nacelles on each wing.

The sole completed BV 238 was strafed and sunk while docked on Schaal Lake in September 1944 by three P-51 Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group. Named "Detroit Miss", the lead Mustang was piloted by World War II ace Lt. Urban "Ben" Drew, and another was piloted by William D. Rogers. This represents the largest single aircraft to be destroyed during the war.

Drew was told after the raid that he had destroyed a BV 222 "Wiking" (another large flying boat). He continued to believe this was the case until he was contacted by the BBC in 1974 for a documentary, and told that their research had determined that the aircraft he destroyed was actually the BV 238, undergoing flight tests at the seaplane base at Schaal Lake.

Production of two other prototypes was begun but neither was finished. A quarter-scale model of the BV 238 was made during the plane's development for testing. Known as the FGP 227, it made a forced landing during its first flight and did not provide any data to the program.

Variants

* FGP 227 : A large quarter-scale model of the BV 238, powered by six 15.7-kW (21-hp) engines.

* BV 238 V1 : The first and only completed prototype.

Comparison to US Hughes H-4 "Hercules" Flying Boat

The largest flying boat to be authorized for construction by any country during the Second World War was the H-4, nicknamed the "Spruce Goose" because of its wooden airframe. Although construction was started during World War II, the sole prototype was not completed before the end of hostilities, and did not fly until 1947. It made only one short and very low-level flight. with no payload (other than 28 persons) and minimum fuel, before being retired. For comparative purposes, a few of its specifications are listed below:

*Maximum Takeoff Weight = 430,000 pounds

*Wingspan = 319.92 feet

*Length = 218.67 feet

*Engines = eight radial piston engines of 3000 hp each

pecifications (BV 238)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

crew= 12
capacity=
length main= 43.36 m
length alt= 142 ft 3 in
span main= 60.17 m
span alt= 197 ft 5 in
height main= 12.80 m
height alt= 42 ft
area main= 362 m²
area alt= 3,900 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 54,700 kg
empty weight alt= 120,593 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 100,000 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 220,460 lb
more general= * V1 Span only 57.75 m (189 ft 5.6 in)

engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main=
thrust alt=
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main= kN
afterburning thrust alt= lbf
engine (prop)= Daimler-Benz DB 603G Inline Piston
type of prop=
number of props= 6
power main= 1417 kW per Engine
power alt= 1900 hp per Engine
power original=

max speed main= 425 km/h
max speed alt= 264 mph
cruise speed main= 355 km/h
cruise speed alt= 192 knots, 220.6 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 7,200 km
range alt= 3,886 nm, 4474 mi
ceiling main= 7,300 m
ceiling alt= 23,950 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt= ft/min
loading main= 261 kg/m²
loading alt= 53.5 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=*Landing speed: 143 km/h (88.9 mph, 77 knots)
* Performance data from engineering BV 238 V1 testing.

armament=

avionics=

ee also

*World War II military aircraft of Germany
*Aircraft engines of Germany during World War II
*Flying boats
*Weapons of military aircraft of Germany during World War II

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Green, William. "Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats". London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1962 (5th impression 1972). ISBN 0-356-01449-5.
* Green, William. "Warplanes of the Third Reich". London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1970 (4th impression 1979). ISBN 0-356-02382-6.
* Krzyźan, Marian. "Blohm & Voss BV 222 & BV 238 (Monografie Lotnicze 29)" (in Polish). Gdańsk, Poland: AJ-Press, 1996. ISBN 83-86209-47-3.
* Nowarra, Heinz J. (translated by Don Cox) "Blohm & Voss Bv 222 "Wiking" - Bv 238". Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 1997. ISBN 0-7643-0295-7.
* Smith J.Richard and Kay, Anthony. "German Aircraft of the Second World War". London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1972(3rd impression 1978). ISBN 0-370-00024-2.
* Winchester, Jim. "The World's Worst Aircraft". New York: Amber Books, 2005. ISBN 0-7607-8714-X.

External links

* [http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bv238.html Warbird Resource Group]