Blohm & Voss BV 138

BV 138 MS, with degaussing ring

Technical data (BV 138C-1)

Type: Long-range Maritime Reconnaissance Flying Boat

Power Plant: Three Junkers Jumo 205 D six-cylinder vertical opposed-piston compression-ignition two-stroke engines, each rated at 880hp for take-off.

Armament: One 20-mm MG 151 cannon in bow turret, one 20-mm MG 151 cannon mounted in turret in hull tail, and one 13-mm MG 131 machine gun on open position aft of central engine, plus (optional) one 7.9-mm MG 15 machine gun firing through hatch in starboard side of hull. (Offensive) Three 110-lb. bombs on racks beneath the starboard wing centre section, or (U1) six 110-lb. bombs or four 331-lb. depth charges.

Performance:

• maximum speed: 177 m.p.h. at sea level (at 31967 lb.)
• normal cruising speed: 146 m.p.h. at 3280 ft.
• climb to 10390 ft.: 24 min.
• service ceiling at 31967 lb.: 16400 ft.
• service ceiling at 38912 lb.: 9185 ft.
• normal range: 758 miles at 122 m.p.h.
• maximum range: 2670 miles with 825 Imp. gal.
• normal endurance: 6.5 hrs
• maximum endurance: 18 hrs

Weights:

• empty: 25948 lb.
• normal loaded: 31967 lb.
• maximum loaded: 38912 lb.

Dimensions:

• span: 88 ft. 4.25 in.
• length: 65 ft. 1.5 in.
• height: 19 ft. 4.25 in.
• wing area: 1205.558 sq. ft.

Versions

Prototypes:

• Ha 138 V1 - (D-ARAK), flew 15 Jul 1937
• Ha 138 V2 - (D-AMOR), flew Aug 1937, redesigned
• Ha 138 V3 - never completed, scrapped

Models:

• BV 138A-0 - 6 delivered 1939, 1st flew Feb 1939, one modified to B-0 standard
• BV 138A-1 - 25 delivered 1939-40, 1st tested Apr 1940
• BV 138B-0 - 10 delivered 1940, normal loaded weight increased from 30313 lb. to 31930 lb.
• BV 138B-1 - 21 delivered from Dec 1940, Jumo 205 D engines, increased defensive armament
• BV 138B-1/U1 - offensive load increased, see armament above
• BV 138C-1 - delivered from Mar 1941, structural strengthening, four-bladed airscrew, a 13-mm MG 131 replaced the 7.9-mm MG 15 machine gun, and an optional 7.9-mm MG 15 could be added. Some were later fitted with the FuG 200 Hohentwiel radar. About 70 BV 138C-1 were fitted with with catapult points for operation from the Luftwaffe 's seaplane tenders.
• BV 138C-1/U1 - similar to B-1/U1 version
• BV 138MS - few BV138C-1 were converted to minesweepers in 1942-43, no armament, dural hoop used to sweep mines (see image above).

Production:

• 1939: Blohm & Voss (Finkenwerder), 6
• 1940: Blohm & Voss (Finkenwerder), 49
• 1941: Blohm & Voss (Finkenwerder), 79; Weser Flugzeugbau (Einswarden), 1
• 1942: Blohm & Voss (Finkenwerder), 59; Weser Flugzeugbau (Einswarden), 66 (total for 1942/43)
• 1943: Blohm & Voss (Finkenwerder), 30; Weser Flugzeugbau (Einswarden), 66 (total for 1942/43)

Units:

• Kustenfliegergruppe 406
• Kustenfliegergruppe 506
• Kustenfliegergruppe 906
• Seeaufklärungsgruppe 125
• Seeaufklärungsgruppe 126
• Seeaufklärungsgruppe 129
• Seeaufklärungsgruppe 130
• Seeaufklärungsgruppe 131
• Kustenflieger-Ergänzungsstaffel 138
• Minensuch-Gruppe 1 der Luftwaffe
• Kampfgruppe zur besonderen Verwendung 108

Exports:

• No exports

Preserved aircraft:

None survives today.