Blohm & Voss BV 238

The Blohm & Voss BV 238 was a large six-engined flying boat designed and built by the German aircraft manufacturer Blohm & Voss. Developed during the Second World War, 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 the conflict.

Development of the BV 238 started in January 1941 in response to a Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM/German Aviation Ministry) request for a long range multipurpose flying boat. The resulting design drew upon the firm's existing large six-engined flying boat, the BV 222 Wiking, but was considerably larger and featured numerous refinements, such as to its elevator and float configuration. To gather flight data on its proposed configuration, a quarter-scale model, the FGP 227, was commissioned, but was so delayed that it provided little benefit. The company received an order for four prototypes, the construction of which commenced during January 1944.

During March 1945, flight testing of the first prototype commenced. Two months later, this prototype was sunk while moored at Lake Schaal after being strafed by Allied aircraft. While recovery was thought to be possible, the end of the conflict and the refusal of the Allies to permit continued aircraft development in Germany at that time meant that work on the programme was abandoned. This included work on a land-based derivative of the flying boat, designated BV 250, which ultimately never flew.