BV 138 'Sea Dragon'

[Vinnie]

The Blohm and Voss 138 Sea Dragon AKA the 'Flying Clog' entered Luftwaffe service in the early '40s in a maritime
patrol and reconnaissance role. I was surprised to see it was powered by Jumo diesel engines. I don't know how common 
it was to use this type of engine and wonder what life was like for the exposed upper gunner behind three of them.

This is a Revell boxing, but from Scalemates time line it appears to be a reboxed Supermodel from 1977 and did present 
some challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Farmerboy]

What an extraordinary looking machine that is,  l agree, rear gunner would need massive ear defenders, nice to see such a different model, good job!

[JWM]

Vinnie, very nice beast!

This kit is close to the top of mys stash, so I look with particular interest on it.

Regards

J-W

 

[Natter]

Nice model of a very individual design.

 

As an aside, the diesel engines offered better fuel consumption that petrol engines of a similar power, though they were heavier.  The Do18 also had diesel engines and was used on trans-Atlantic flights.  One flew over 5,200 miles non-stop from the UK to Brazil in 1938.

[SAT69]

Nice build. The real airplane is no beauty contest winner but it must have been effective in its role.

[janneman36]

Nice to see one built, well done and as said it has it’s challenges!

Got one in the stash somewhere..Germany by the way did a lot of effort to use diesels in their planes they paved the way for diesel injection car engines.

 

cheers, Jan

 

[Buzby061]

Nice build of an unusual type.

Pete

[tonyot]

Good job on a difficult kit of a very distinctive aeroplane. I know what you mean about the gunner and the engines,..... all of those diesel fumes,...... he must have felt as sick as a dog? I saw the wreckage of one of these in a museum in Denmark which had been recovered from the sea bed years after a few of them were sunk by RAF Typhoons for an Air Show act for the Danes just after the war ended! I have to admit it took a while to identify it!

 http://www.ruudleeuw.com/helsingor-transportmuseum10.htm

[Vinnie]

14 hours ago, Farmerboy said:

What an extraordinary looking machine that is,  l agree, rear gunner would need massive ear defenders, nice to see such a different model, good job!

Thanks, FB. Yes it is a strange looking beast.

 

13 hours ago, JWM said:

Vinnie, very nice beast!

This kit is close to the top of mys stash, so I look with particular interest on it.

Regards

J-W

 

Thanks, Jerzy. If you ever get around to building yours I have quite a lot of spares that you are welcome to. No clear parts though. Don't ask

[Ron Pearcy]

That's a beauty. 

[Orion]

Hello Vinny,

 

Thanks for sharing this remarkable flying boat with us. It must be a collectors item, but I have not been able to locate the box.

Very remarkable aircraft that was widely used by the Germans in a variety of rolls.

It even provided refuelling for U-boats in the Arctic circle. Or telling the U-boats were the Murmansk convoys were located.

Your version with the four bladed propellor is the BV-138 C1.

 

The Jumo (Junkers-Motorwerke) engine was widely used in the Junker Bombers and Dornier Aircraft.

But also in the BV222 Wiking Flying boat.

The BV 138 C1 used the JuMo 205D. (Approx 490 HP)/Speed 285 max/Cruise 265/Economy 200 MPH.

Max endurance 20 hours. A total of 72 had been built by the end of 1942.

(Knowledge from the books on the shelf).

Regards,

Orion - The Netherlands.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Orion

[JWM]

31 minutes ago, Orion said:

But also in the BV222 Wiking Flying boat.

As well as BV 139....:)

7 hours ago, Vinnie said:

Thanks, Jerzy. If you ever get around to building yours I have quite a lot of spares that you are welcome to. No clear parts though. Don't ask

Thank you! Spares? You mean you did one model out of two kits? The current Revell kit  is old (1977) Italian Supermodel re-boxed (https://www.scalemates.com/pl/kits/supermodel-10-017-blohm-voss-bv-138--146848) 

 

Regards

J-W

 

[Vinnie]

On 9/29/2020 at 8:13 PM, Natter said:

Nice model of a very individual design.

 

As an aside, the diesel engines offered better fuel consumption that petrol engines of a similar power, though they were heavier.  The Do18 also had diesel engines and was used on trans-Atlantic flights.  One flew over 5,200 miles non-stop from the UK to Brazil in 1938.

Thanks, Natter. I wasn't aware that diesel engines were used were used in aircraft. Interestingly this Jumo was an 'opposed piston' design which obviated the need for a cylinder head. I wonder why this design wasn't carried forward through the years in the automotive industry. 

 

On 9/29/2020 at 8:28 PM, SAT69 said:

Nice build. The real airplane is no beauty contest winner but it must have been effective in its role.

Thank you. Apparently it was very effective in it's role.

 

23 hours ago, janneman36 said:

Nice to see one built, well done and as said it has it’s challenges!

Got one in the stash somewhere..Germany by the way did a lot of effort to use diesels in their planes they paved the way for diesel injection car engines.

 

cheers, Jan

 

Thanks, Jan. I've learned a lot about diesel engines in aircraft since posting this.

[Harold55]

Wonderful build of an aircraft we don't see much.  I have been waiting for a modern tooled version of this in 1/48 scale but alas this may be a long wait

[Greg Law]

Well done looks excellent 

[kapam]

Not an expert on the type, but I have a friend who (I think) has the original Supermodel kit.

You've definitely produced a winner with yours!

[Wulfman]

Great build on the “Clog”, well done !

 

Wulfman

[Vinnie]

On 9/29/2020 at 9:04 PM, Buzby061 said:

Nice build of an unusual type.

Pete

Thank's, Pete.

 

On 9/29/2020 at 10:43 PM, tonyot said:

Good job on a difficult kit of a very distinctive aeroplane. I know what you mean about the gunner and the engines,..... all of those diesel fumes,...... he must have felt as sick as a dog? I saw the wreckage of one of these in a museum in Denmark which had been recovered from the sea bed years after a few of them were sunk by RAF Typhoons for an Air Show act for the Danes just after the war ended! I have to admit it took a while to identify it!

 http://www.ruudleeuw.com/helsingor-transportmuseum10.htm

Thanks, Tony. Yes I saw that photo when I was researching the aircraft. I think it's the nearest there is of a complete example.

 

23 hours ago, Ron Pearcy said:

That's a beauty. 

Thanks, Ron.

[Vinnie]

On 9/30/2020 at 5:13 PM, JWM said:

As well as BV 139....:)

Thank you! Spares? You mean you did one model out of two kits? The current Revell kit  is old (1977) Italian Supermodel re-boxed (https://www.scalemates.com/pl/kits/supermodel-10-017-blohm-voss-bv-138--146848) 

 

Regards

J-W

 

Yes, Jerzy. I had two incomplete kits to make this one. If you need spares let me know. No decals or clear parts.

[Vinnie]

On 9/30/2020 at 4:36 PM, Orion said:

Hello Vinny,

 

Thanks for sharing this remarkable flying boat with us. It must be a collectors item, but I have not been able to locate the box.

Very remarkable aircraft that was widely used by the Germans in a variety of rolls.

It even provided refuelling for U-boats in the Arctic circle. Or telling the U-boats were the Murmansk convoys were located.

Your version with the four bladed propellor is the BV-138 C1.

 

The Jumo (Junkers-Motorwerke) engine was widely used in the Junker Bombers and Dornier Aircraft.

But also in the BV222 Wiking Flying boat.

The BV 138 C1 used the JuMo 205D. (Approx 490 HP)/Speed 285 max/Cruise 265/Economy 200 MPH.

Max endurance 20 hours. A total of 72 had been built by the end of 1942.

(Knowledge from the books on the shelf).

Regards,

Orion - The Netherlands.

Thank you for the added information. I've learned a lot since posting this build. Can you tell me why the 138 had 3 bladed props outboard with a 4 blade in the middle.