Germany's Blohm und Voss Bv 138 reconnaissance flying boat¹
Nickname: Der Fliegende Holzschuh "Flying Clog"^1,2

Blohm und Voss Bv 138 flying boat:
Germany's Blohm und Voss BV 138 Reconnaissance Flying Boat

Design

The Bv 138 was designed by Dr. Ing Richard Vogt.¹ It was initially designated the Ha 138 as the design was from Hamburger Flugzeugbau which was a subsidiary of Blohm and Voss.²

It's nickname was the Der Fliegende Holzschuh (The Flying Clog).¹

There were initial problems with the design, but with modifications it began service in 1940.¹

The controls were fabric covered and hydraulically operated allowing the Bv 138 to be flow easily.¹

Rockets could be used to assist in take off.¹

To help shadow convoys a FuG 200 Hohenwiel radar could be installed.¹

Prototype

The Bv 138 prototype first flew on July 15, 1937.²

Production

Produced by Blohm and Voss and Wesser until 1943.² Blohm and Voss built 160 of the Bv 138s.²

Prototypes and pre production: 6²
Bv 138A-1: 25²
Bv 138B-1: 21²
Bv 138C-1: 227²
Total: 279²

Variants

Bv 138V2: Second prototype with larger tail surfaces.¹
Bv 138A-1: First delivered in January 1940.² The engine was underpowered so couldn't do ocean patrols.² Converted to a ten passenger transport.²
Bv 138B-1: Had more powerful Junkers Jumo 205D installed.¹ New tail design.² First delivered in late 1940.²
Bv 138C-1: First delivered in 1941.²
Bv 138MS: Had a large ring installed that could set off magnetic mines.¹

Usage

Were used primarily against Allied convoys in the Atlantic and Barents Sea.^1,2 Was also used in the Arctic, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and North Sea.²

Used in support of U-Boats as far north as the Novaya Zemlya.¹

Used primarily from shore bases, but could also be used from seaplane tenders.¹

Roles

The Bv 138 performed long range reconnaissance, convoy patrol, mine sweeping, transport, and U-boat cooperation.² The Bv 138 could stay in the air for 18 hours.²

Often time the Bv 138 would land near a U-boat and take on diesel fuel from it to increase its range.²

	Blohm and Voss Bv 138²	Blohm and Voss Bv 138A²	Blohm and Voss Bv 138B²	Blohm and Voss Bv 138 C-1^1,2
Type	Reconnaissance flying boat²			Reconnaissance flying boat¹
Crew	6²
Engine (Type)		3: Junkers Jumo 205C diesel²	3: Junkers Jumo 205D diesel²	3: Junkers Jumo 205D inline piston¹ 3: Junkers Jumo 205D diesel²
Cylinders		Inline²	Inline²	Inline²
Cooling
HP		600 each²	880 each²	880 each^1,2
Propeller blades outer engines	3 each²
Propeller blades center engine	4²
Dimensions
Span	88' 4"² 26.92 m²			88' 7"¹ 27 m¹
Length	65' 1.5"² 19.85 m²			65' 3"¹ 19.9 m¹
Height	19' 4.5"² 5.9 m²			19' 4"¹ 5.9 m¹
Wing area				1,206 ft² ¹ 112 m² ¹
Weight
Empty				24,250 lb², 25,948 lb¹ 11,000 kg², 11,770 kg¹
Loaded				34,100 lb², 38,912 lb¹ 15,468 kg², 17,650 kg¹
Performance
Speed @ sea level				177 mph¹ 285 kph¹
Speed @ 8,200'² / 2,500 m				170 mph² 274 kph²
Cruising speed				146 mph¹ 235 kph¹
Climb to 10,000' / 3,048 m				24 minutes²
Service ceiling				16,400'¹, 18,700'² 5,000 m¹, 5,700 m²
Range				2,500 miles², 3,107 miles¹ 4,023 km², 5,000 km¹
Armament
Bow turret			1: 20 mm²	1: 20 mm^1,2
Rear turret			1: 20 mm²	1: 20 mm²
Rear center engine nacelle			1: 13 mm²	1: 13 mm^1,2
Starboard hatch				7.92 mm MG 15¹
Bombs under starboard wingroot				3: 110 lb¹ 3: 50 kg¹
OR				6: 110 lb¹ 6: 50 kg¹
OR				4: 330 lb Bv 138C-1/U1 depth charges¹ 4: 150 kg Bv 138C-1/U1 depth charges¹
Under wings			6: 110 lb bombs² 6: 50 kg bombs²	6: 110 lb bombs² 6: 50 kg bombs²
OR			4: 331 lb depth charges² 4: 150 kg depth charges²	4: 331 lb depth charges² 4: 150 kg depth charges²
OR			2: sea mines²	2: sea mines²

Sources:

Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998