Blohm & Voss BV 138
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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 15.7.37
- Ha 138 V2 - (D-AMOR), flew 8.37, redesigned
- Ha 138 V3 - never completed, scrapped
Models:
- BV 138A-0 - 6 delivered 1939, 1st flew 2.39, one modified to B-0
standard
- BV 138A-1 - 25 delivered 1939-40, 1st tested 4.40
- BV 138B-0 - 10 delivered 1940, normal loaded weight increased from
30313 lb. to 31930 lb.
- BV 138B-1 - 21 delivered from 12.40, Jumo 205 D engines, increased
defensive armament
- BV 138B-1/U1 - offensive load increased, see armament above
- BV 138C-1 - delivered from 3.41, 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:
- Küstenfliegergruppe 406
- Küstenfliegergruppe 506
- Küstenfliegergruppe 906
- Seeaufklärungsgruppe 125
- Seeaufklärungsgruppe 126
- Seeaufklärungsgruppe 129
- Seeaufklärungsgruppe 130
- Seeaufklärungsgruppe 131
- Küstenflieger-Ergänzungsstaffel 138
- Minensuch-Gruppe 1 der Luftwaffe
- Kampfgruppe zur besonderen Verwendung 108
Exports:
Preserved aircraft:
None survives today.