Blohm und Voss Bv P.184

The Blohm und Voss Bv P.184 was a late‑war experimental transport aircraft conceived by the innovative German engineer Richard Vogt while he headed the design bureau at Blohm und Voss. Initiated in early 1944, the P.184 was intended to replace the aging Ju 52 with a more aerodynamic, high‑speed cargo platform capable of operating from short, rough airfields. Its most striking feature was the asymmetric wing layout that Vogt had pioneered on earlier projects; the port wing carried the main fuel tanks and a retractable under‑carriage, while the starboard wing housed a spacious freight compartment and a 1 200 hp Daimler‑Benz DB 605 engine driving a four‑blade propeller. The fuselage employed a modular steel‑tube frame with interchangeable cargo modules, allowing rapid conversion between troop transport, medical evacuation and paratroop drop configurations. Flight testing began at the Hamburg‑Finkenwerder facility in spring 1945, revealing excellent low‑speed handling and a maximum payload of 4 500 kg, but the collapse of the Nazi regime halted production after only two prototypes. Although it never entered service, the Bv P.184 demonstrated the practicality of modular airframes and asymmetric aerodynamics, influencing post‑war transport designs such as the American C‑119 and German Transall series.

Richard Vogt

Blohm und Voss Bv P.184

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