Blohm & Voss Ha 137
Blohm+Voss · Germany · first flew 1935 · fighter
The Blohm & Voss Ha 137 was a German single-seat dive-bomber prototype of 1935 that competed in the Luftwaffe's evaluation for a dedicated dive-bomber, ultimately losing to the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka. It was designed by Hamburger Flugzeugbau (later Blohm & Voss).
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.45 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- German dive-bomber prototype competing against the Ju 87
- Inverted gull wing or tapered low wing single-seat design
- Lost the Stuka competition to Junkers
A compact low-wing monoplane with fixed spatted undercarriage and a tapered wing, broadly similar in appearance to the Ju 87 but lacking the Stuka's distinctive cranked inverted-gull wing.
Specifications
- The Blohm & Voss Ha 137 has a length of 9.45 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.15 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 297 km/h (185 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in response to a 1933 Luftwaffe requirement, the Ha 137 was one of four types submitted for evaluation alongside the Heinkel He 118, Arado Ar 81, and Ju 87. Despite reasonable performance, the Ju 87 was selected for production.
Variants
Five prototypes were built with different engine installations including the BMW 132, Rolls-Royce Kestrel, and Jumo 210.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; all aircraft remained as evaluation prototypes.
Related aircraft
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