Originally designed as a passenger flying boat for the postwar Lufthansa,
the BV 238 design was adapted in 1941 for military use as a maritime
patrol and transport aircraft. When completed in 1944 it was the largest
aircraft since the Maxim Gorkii and the heaviest built to that time.
A quarter-scale testbed called the FGP 227 was deemed necessary to test the
aerodynamics and water handling, but it completely failed to take off when
tested on wheels and was then damaged by saboteurs. All the engines seized
on its first flight from water - months after the first full-scale BV 238 flew.
The sole complete BV 238 was caught on a lake by P-51 Mustangs and sunk
by machine-gun fire in September 1944. Although three further BV 238s
and three BV 250 landplane bombers were under construction, the loss of
the only flying example
caused the Luftwaffe to
give up on the idea.
Jim Winchester "The World's Worst Aircraft", 2005
FACTS AND FIGURES
� If it had entered service, the BV
238 would have had machine guns
in nose and tail turrets, at the rear
of the wings and in fuselage beam
stations. A dorsal turret would have
had two 20mm cannon.
� The BV 238 was the world's
heaviest aircraft in 1944. Fully
loaded it would have needed
rocket assistance to get airborne.
� The original powerplant choice
was four 24-cylinder Jumo 223
engines, but when these were
not available, Blohm und Voss
had to settle for six 12-cylinder
Daimler-Benz motors.
Blohm und Voss BV.238 on YOUTUBE
3-View
A three-view drawing (1310 x 712)
Specification
ENGINE
6 x 1900hp Daimler-Benz DB 603G inline piston engines
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight
100000 kg
220463 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan
60.17 m
197 ft 5 in
Length
43.36 m
142 ft 3 in
Height
12.80 m
42 ft 0 in
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed
425 km/h
264 mph
Comments
GrahamClayton, e-mail, 01.01.2023 05:05
The FFG Prag Fg227 was as unsuccessful as the full-size BV238
Hay Steve, for the sake of conversation, let's say that the Blohm und Voss BV.238 had bombed the US mainland; just how would that have changed the out-come of WWII?
This seaplane was in many respects similar to the Martin Mars JRM-3. About the same dimensions, it could carry 25 tons as compared to the 16 ton payload of the Mars and was some 40 mph faster in top speed at 264 mph. Ranges were equivalent at approximately 4,300-4,400 miles.Service ceiling was 23,900 vs. 14,300 for the Mars. It used six DB603G engines rated at 1,900 hp each where Mars had four engines each rated at 2,500 hp. The Bv.238 had a crew of 12 while the Mars required a crew of 4 (with accommodations for a relief crew). While only one was built there were a half dozen Mars seaplanes constructed.
I remember looking at a website and it showed pictures of the BV-238 during construction. I believe it showed the first a /c and the construction of the other two.There was views of the inside also. Does anyone know of this website? I sure would like to find it again.
The quarter scale FFG Prag Fg227 was powered by 6 ILO 2 stroke engines rated at 21hp each. It was built by students at Prag under the direction of Dipl.Ing. Ludwig Karch.
Per Jane's 1946, the production engine for BV 238 was the Junkers Jumo 222, a 24 cylinder 4 row liquid cooled radial, gasoline fuel. The BV 222 was powered by Jumo 207 boxer or opposed diesels, or Bramo radials.
I would like some information on the engines of this aircraft. I understand they were diesel engines. What kind? Model? Radial or inline? Where can I find more info on these engines?
DO YOU KNOW THE BLOHM & VOSS BV 250 BOMBER COULD CARRY 30.000 KG OF BOMBS , ITS MEAN THAT BV 250 BOMBER CAN CARRY MORE BOMBS THAN AMERICAN B-52 MODERN BOMBER. IF THE BV 250 WERE OPERATIONAL, IT CAN BOMBED SOVIET INDUSTRIAL CITY BEHIND URAL MOUNTAINS AND UNITED STATES MAINLAND.
