The BV 238 extended the giant flying-boat idea into a proposed long-range strike aircraft. Its maximum take-off weight was roughly 100 tons and its range about 3,517 nautical miles. Alternative external loads included two 2,000-kilogram bombs, four 1,000-kilogram bombs, two torpedoes, or four Henschel Hs 293 guided weapons. It first flew on 9 April 1944 and made little progress beyond the prototype stage. The late date left its proposed payload and range with little operational value.
Notable Point · 24:20-26:10
BV 238: giant prototype with long-range strike ambitions
The roughly 100-ton BV 238 paired very long range with proposed bomb, torpedo, and guided-weapon loads, but arrived too late to progress beyond a prototype.