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The 'Blohm & Voss BV 238' was a flying boat used 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 first flew on March 11, 1944 after a first jump on March 10th, 1944. Six 1750 hp (1.287 MW) DB 603 V12 engines built by Daimler-Benz were used in total, arranged in three forward facing integrated engine nacelles in a row on each wing.
The sole completed BV 238 was strafed and sunk while docked on Schaal Lake in September, 1944 by three P-51 Mustang's of the 361st Fighter Group. Named "Detroit Miss", the lead Mustang was piloted by WWII 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 were finished. A large quarter-scale model of the BV 238 was made during the plane's development for testing. Known as the FGP 227, it forced landed during the first flight and did not provide any data to the programme.

Contents

Specifications (BV 238)

See also

Specifications (BV 238)

{{aircraft specifications
|plane or copter?=plane
|jet or prop?=prop
|ref={name of first source}^[1]
|crew=
|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= 13.40 m
|height alt= 43 ft 11.6 in
|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= kg
|loaded weight alt= lb
|useful load main= kg
|useful load alt= kg
|max takeoff weight main= 85,000 kg
|max takeoff weight alt= 187,393 lb
|more general=
★ 'V1 Span' only 57.75 m (189 ft 5.6 in)
|engine (jet)=
|type of jet=
|number of jets=
|thrust main= kN
|thrust alt= lbf
|thrust original=
|afterburning thrust main= kN
|afterburning thrust alt= lbf
|engine (prop)=
|type of prop=
|number of props=
|power main= kW
|power alt= hp
|power original=
|max speed main= 446 km/h
|max speed alt= 241 knots, 277 mph
|cruise speed main= 355 km/h
|cruise speed alt= 192 knots, 220.6 mph
|stall speed main= km/h
|stall speed alt= knots, mph
|never exceed speed main= km/h
|never exceed speed alt= knots, mph
|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= m/s
|climb rate alt= ft/min
|loading main= 261 kg/m²
|loading alt= 53.5 lb/ft²
|thrust/weight=
|power/mass main= W/kg
|power/mass alt= hp/lb
|more performance=
★ 'Landing speed': 143 km/h (88.9 mph, 77 knots)

★ Performance data from engineering BV 238 V1 testing.
|armament=
|avionics=
}}

See also

★ List of aircraft of the WW2 Luftwaffe

★ List of motors of WW2 Luftwaffe Aircraft

★ Flying boats

★ WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft weapons